أن يقصد بقتاله نصرة دين الله تعالى وإبطال ما خالفه من الأديان ﴿ ليُظهره على الدين كله ولو كره المشركين ﴾ فيكون بهذا الإعتقاد حائزاً لثواب الله تعالى ومطيعاً له في أوامره ونصرة دينه ومستنصراً به على عدوه ليستسهل ما لاقى فيكون أكثر ثباتاً وأبلغ نكاية ولا يقصد بجهاده إستفادة المغنم فيصير من المكت سبين لا من المجاهدين
الأحكام السلطانية والولايات الدينية للماوردي الباب الرابع في تقليد الإمارة على الجهاد
One must strive, in his fighting, to uphold the religion of Allah Most High, and to abolish other religions that oppose it, { to make it prevail over all religion, even if the idolaters dislike this } [Al-saff 9]; that by this conviction he may take hold of the reward of Allah Most High, be obedient to Him in His orders and in upholding His religion, and by this seek aid over his enemy, thereby making easy whatever he comes across; that he may be greater in endurance and more rigorous in causing harm; and let him not aim, in his jihad, to gain the spoils, thereby becoming just someone looking to acquire things rather than a mujahid.
Al-Mawardi, Ahkam Al-sultaniya wa Al-wilayat Al-diniyya [Sovereign Rulings and Religious Jurisdictions], Chapter 4: On appointing authority (an emirate) over jihad