Syrian Professor Concludes "Maritime Jihad" Is Better Than "Dry Land Jihad"
Al Yucef argues that jihad at sea is by far more likeable for God than jihad over land and submitted 14 different instances to prove his point. He used some of Prophet Mohammed's sayings and other religious texts to prove that waging jihad at sea is ten times better than jihad over land and that those killed while fighting jihad at sea get a double reward compared to those who fight on dry land. He also says those who fight at sea get a status equivalent to those who fought alongside the prophet.
"When a mujahid at sea sets foot on a boat, he leaves all his sins behind his back," notes al Yucef. "And when he steps off the boat, he is cleansed of sins like the day he was born, and god smiles at him," he adds.
Al Yucef is a lawyer by profession, and has a Ph.D. in "Comparative Fiqh Between Shari'a and Secular Law". He worked as a professor in Economics and Islamic Banking at the British Saint Clements University in Aleppo and holds a number of positions in International organizations and NGOs.
The study, which was conducted in October 2008, was not widely circulated on militant Islamist websites.