The Umdat al-Salik (Reliance of the Traveler) is an English translation of the classical Shafi'i manual of Fiqh. Fiqh is Islamic legal thought, in other words - Shariah Law. It has been “vetted and approved by designated national authorities from no less than four Arab states: the Imam of the Mosque of Darwish Pasha, Damascus; the Mufti of the Jordanian Armed Forces; a member of the Islamic Fiqh Academy, Jedda, Saudi Arabia; and Cairo's al-Azhar University.”*

The Umdat al-Salik is considered to be the definitive English language reference for Shafi'i, one of the 8 schools of Islamic legal thought referred to in the Amman Message. As I hope you recall from my previous letters, adherence to any one of the 8 schools of Islamic legal thought is the defining characteristic of a Muslim.

... Islamic scholars through the years have clearly and repeatedly stated that Jihad is a personal duty of every Muslim. The concept of “Law of Jihad” is a subset of “Justice.” Jihad is supported by consensus of the ulama (Islamic scholars), by the Hadith, and by the Koran. Jihad is a fixed, central, intrinsic and inseparable element of Islam itself.
* “To Our Great Detriment: Ignoring What Extremists Say About Jihad” | 2007 | Stephen Collins Coughlin, Major, Military Intelligence, USAR, Master's thesis; pp 48-49;

I have been commanded to fight all mankind until they testify that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah...
(Agreed upon) – Minhaj Al-Muslim, Vol 1, p. 402

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 41:
Narrated Abdullah bin Masud:
I asked Allah's Apostle, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the best deed?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What is next in goodness?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents." I further asked, what is next in goodness?" He replied, "To participate in Jihad in Allah's Cause." I did not ask Allah's Apostle anymore and if I had asked him more, he would have told me more.

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Volume 4, Book 52, Number 63:
Narrated Al-Bara:
A man whose face was covered with an iron mask (i.e. clad in armor) came to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall I fight or embrace Islam first? "The Prophet said, "Embrace Islam first and then fight." So he embraced Islam, and was martyred. Allah's Apostle said, A Little work, but a great reward. "(He did very little (after embracing Islam), but he will be rewarded in abundance)."

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Volume 4, Book 52, Number 65:
Narrated Abu Musa:
A man came to the Prophet and asked, "A man fights for war booty; another fights for fame and a third fights for showing off; which of them fights in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet said, "He who fights that Allah's Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause."

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Volume 4, Book 52, Number 72:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet said, "Nobody who enters Paradise likes to go back to the world even if he got everything on the earth, except a Mujahid who wishes to return to the world so that he may be martyred ten times because of the dignity he receives (from Allah)."

Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu'ba:
Our Prophet told us about the message of our Lord that "Whoever amongst us is killed will go to Paradise." Umar asked the Prophet, "Is it not true that our men who are killed will go to Paradise and their's (i.e. those of the Pagan's) will go to the (Hell) fire?" The Prophet said, "Yes."

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Volume 4, Book 52, Number 73:
Narrated 'Abdullah bin Abi Aufa:
Allah's Apostle said, "Know that Paradise is under the shades of swords."