Punishments for neglecting jihad for the sake of Allaah
Question

                Is there a specific punishment that is deserved by those who neglect jihad for the sake of Allaah?.
Praise be to Allah.
    The command to wage jihad for the sake of Allaah, and the 
    warning against neglecting jihad, appear in many verses of the Qur’aan and 
    ahaadeeth. 

    If the Muslims neglect jihad for the sake of Allaah, and 
    prefer a life of ease, and focus only on this world, they will face 
    humiliation and scorn, and all their affairs will be corrupted. They expose 
    themselves to the wrath and anger of Allaah, and they expose Islam to loss 
    and defeat at the hands of kufr. Hence neglecting jihad is a major sin. 

    Ibn Hajar said in al-Zawaajir: 

    The 390th, 391st and 392nd 
    major sins are neglecting jihad when it becomes an obligation, which is when 
    aggressors enter the Muslim land or when they seize a Muslim, and it is 
    possible to rescue him from them and the people neglect jihad altogether and 
    when the people in a region neglect to fortify their borders so that there 
    is a risk of the kuffaar overrunning them because of that.” end quote. 

    Hence it was well known and well established among the 
    Sahaabah that no one refrains from taking part in jihad when it becomes fard 
    ‘ayn (an individual obligation) except one who is weak and is therefore 
    excused or one who is a hypocrite.  This is what was narrated by Ka’b ibn 
    Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) when he stayed behind from the 
    campaign of Tabook: “When I came out to the people after the Messenger of 
    Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had gone out, I went 
    around among them and was distressed to see no one except a man who was 
    known to be a hypocrite or weak men whom Allaah had excused.” Narrated by 
    al-Bukhaari, 4066; Muslim, 4973. 

    The evidence also states some of the punishments that result 
    from that. For example: 

    1 – Neglecting jihad leads to doom in this world and in the 
    Hereafter. 

    In this world the craven coward is humiliated and enslaved, 
    he is a follower, not a leader. In the Hereafter, neglecting jihad will be a 
    cause of Allaah's punishment. 

    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“And spend in the Cause 
    of Allaah (i.e. Jihad of all kinds) and do not throw yourselves into 
    destruction (by not spending your wealth in the Cause of Allaah), and do 
    good. Truly, Allaah loves Al-Muhsinoon (the good-doers”
    [al-Baqarah 2:195]

    al-Tirmidhi (2972) narrated that Aslam Abu ‘Imraan said: We 
    were in the city of the Byzantines (i.e., Constantinople) and a great troop 
    of the Byzantines  came out to us. One of the Muslim men attacked the 
    Byzantine ranks until he penetrated them, and the people shouted and said 
    “Subhaan-Allaah, he has thrown himself into destruction.” Abu Ayyoob 
    al-Ansaari stood up and said: “O people, you misinterpret this verse in this 
    way; rather this verse was revealed concerning us, the Ansaar. When Allaah 
    caused Islam to prevail and its supporters increased, we said to one another 
    in secret, without speaking to the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him): ‘Our wealth is neglected. Allaah has 
    caused Islam to prevail and its supporters have increased. Why don’t we stay 
    with our property and improve it?’ Then Allaah revealed Qur’aan to His 
    Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), refuting what we 
    had said: “And spend in the Cause of Allaah (i.e. Jihad of all kinds) and 
    do not throw yourselves into destruction” [al-Baqarah 2:195]. This 
    destruction was our staying with our property to improve it, and neglecting 
    to fight (in jihad). Abu Ayyoob never stopped fighting for the sake of 
    Allaah until he was buried in Constantinople. Classed as saheeh by 
    al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. 

    It says in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 
This hadeeth indicates 
    that what is meant by throwing oneself into destruction is taking care of 
    one’s family and wealth at the expense of jihad.  

    2 – Neglecting jihad is a cause of humiliation and scorn 

    Abu Dawood (3462) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: I heard the 
    Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: 
    “When you engage in ‘aynah transactions (a kind of transaction intended to 
    circumvent the prohibition on riba or usury), and you take hold of the tails 
    of oxen and you are content with agriculture (at the time when jihad is 
    obligatory), and you give up jihad, then Allaah will send upon you 
    humiliation that will not be dispelled until you return to your religion, 
    Allaah will send upon you humiliation that will not be dispelled until you 
    return to your religion, Allaah will send upon you humiliation that will not 
    be dispelled until you return to your religion.” Classed as saheeh by 
    al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

    Our Messenger  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) indeed spoke the truth, for the one who looks at the state of the 
    Muslims today will see that they have become very careless about their 
    religion. They consume riba and they are focused on this world, and they 
    have neglected jihad for the sake of Allaah. And what is the result? Allaah 
    has subjected them to humiliation, and they turn to the east and to the 
    west, humiliated and lowly, asking them for support against their enemies, 
    and they do not realize [?] that this humiliation will not be lifted from 
    them until they go back to their religion as the truthful Messenger  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said. 

    Allaah has indeed spoken the truth: 

    “Give to the hypocrites the tidings that there is for them 
    a painful torment.
Those who take 
    disbelievers for Awliyaa’ (protectors or helpers or friends) instead of 
    believers, do they seek honour, power and glory with them? Verily, then to 
    Allaah belongs all honour, power and glory”
[al-Nisa’ 4:138-139 – 
    interpretation of the meaning] 

    3 – Neglecting jihad is a cause of Allaah's punishment in 
    this world and in the Hereafter 

    Abu Dawood (2503) narrated from Abu Umaamah that the Prophet 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does not 
    fight or does not equip a warrior or support the family of a warrior in his 
    absence, Allaah will strike him with calamity before the Day of 
    Resurrection.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

    Al-Qaari’ah (translated here as calamity) means a disaster 
    that occurs suddenly. 

    And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“O you who believe! What 
    is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause 
    of Allaah (i.e. Jihaad) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with 
    the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the 
    enjoyment of the life of this world as compared to the Hereafter.
If you march not forth, 
    He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another 
    people; and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allaah is Able to do all things”
[al-Tawbah 9:38-39] 

    The punishment of which He warns them is not only punishment 
    in the Hereafter, rather it is punishment in this world and in the 
    Hereafter, the punishment of humiliation that befalls those who do not 
    engage in jihad, the punishment of being deprived of the good things from 
    which the kaafir enemy benefits. In addition to all of that, those who 
    forsake jihad will lose more lives and more wealth than would be lost in 
    jihad, and they offer more sacrifices than those required to retain their 
    honour and dignity. No ummah forsook jihad but Allaah sent humility upon 
    them, thus the cost was far greater than that that may have been required in 
    jihad against the enemy.

     Al-Zilaal, 3/1655. 

    Al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said (p. 532): 

    “O you who believe” do you not know the requirements 
    of faith, which is that you should hasten to obey the command of Allaah and 
    to seek His pleasure, and to fight His enemies in jihad for the sake of your 
    religion? So “What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to 
    march forth in the Cause of Allaah (i.e. Jihaad) you cling heavily to the 
    earth?” meaning, why are you so lazy and so inclined towards this 
    world. 

    “Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than 
    the Hereafter?” Your case is that of those who are content with this 
    world and who strive for worldly purposes, caring nothing for the Hereafter 
    because they do not believe in it. 

    “But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world” 
    towards which you are inclined and which you prefer. Hasn’t Allaah given you 
    reason with which to weigh up matters and see which deserves to be shown 
    preference? 

    Is not this world – from beginning to end – as nothing in 
    comparison to the Hereafter? 

    What is a man's lifespan in comparison to the lifespan of 
    this world, so as to make worldly gain his ultimate goal and concern and 
    restrict all his efforts and focus to this short life that is filled with 
    distress and risk?  

    How can you possibly prefer it to the Hereafter which 
    includes every kind of delight that a person could desire, where you will 
    abide forever? No person who prefers this world to the Hereafter has faith 
    rooted in his heart and he cannot be regarded as a man of wisdom and 
    understanding. Then Allaah warns them if they do not march forth, as He 
    says: 

    “If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful 
    torment” – in this world and in the Hereafter, for not marching forth 
    when ordered to do so is a major sin that deserves the most severe 
    punishment, because it causes a great deal of harm, because the one who 
    stays behind(from jihad) has disobeyed Allaah and done something that He has 
    forbidden, and he has not helped to support the religion of Allaah or to 
    protect the Book of Allaah and His Law. He has not helped his Muslim 
    brothers against the enemy who wants to uproot them and eradicate their 
    religion.  Perhaps others who are weak in faith will follow his example, and 
    he may even discourage those who are involved in fighting the enemies of 
    Allaah. Thus he will be like those whom Allaah has warned of a severe 
    punishment: “If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful 
    torment” Allaah has promised to support His religion and make His word 
    supreme regardless of whether you obey the command of Allaah or not. 

    “and Allaah is Able to do all things” He is not 
    incapable of doing anything that He wants, and none can overwhelm Him. 

    We ask Allaah to bring the Muslims back to their religion and 
    to remove humiliation from them. 

    And Allaah knows best.