"A man asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) which deed is best. He said: 'Faith in Allah.' He said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Jihad in the cause of Allah.' He said: 'Then what?' He said: 'Hajjun Mabrur.'" [1]
[1] Hajj, that is accepted, or free of sin.
"O Abu Sa'eed! Whoever is content with Allah as Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad as Prophet, then he is guaranteed Paradise." Abu Sa'eed found this amazing and said: "Say it to me again, O Messenger of Allah." So he did that, then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "And there is something else by means of which a person may be raised one hundred degrees in Paradise, each of which is like that which is between the Heaven and the Earth." He said: "What is it, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Jihad in the cause of Allah, Jihad in the cause of Allah."
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever established Salah, pays Zakah, and dies not associating anything with Allah, he has a right from Allah the Mighty and Sublime, that He will forgive him, whether he emigrated, or died in his birthplace.' We said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Shall we not tell the people about it so that they may rejoice?' He said: 'In Paradise there are one hundred levels, (the distance) between each two of which is like (the distance) between the Heaven and the Earth; Allah has prepared them fro the Mujahidin who strive in His cause. Were it not that it would be too difficult for the believers and I cannot find mounts for them - and they do not like to stay behind if I go out (on a campaign) - I would not have stayed behind from any expedition. I wish that I could be killed then brought back to life, then killed again.'"
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'I am a Za'im - and the Za'im is the guarantor - for the one who believes in me and accepts Islam, and emigrates: A house on the outskirts of Paradise and a house in the middle of Paradise. And I am a guarantor, for the one who believes in me and accepts Islam, and strives in the cause of Allah: A house on the outskirts of Paradise and a house in the middle of Paradise and a house in the highest chambers of Paradise. Whoever does that and seeks goodness wherever it is, and avoids evil wherever it is, may die wherever he wants to die.'"
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'the Shaitan sits in the paths of the son of Adam. He sits waiting for him, in the path to Islam, and he says: Will you accept Islam, and leave your religion, and the religion of your forefathers? But he disobeys him and accepts Islam. Then he sits waiting for him, on the path to emigration, and he says: Will you emigrate and leave behind your land and sky? The one who emigrates is like a horse tethered to a peg. But he disobeys him and emigrates. Then he sits, waiting for him, on the path to Jihad, and he says: Will you fight in Jihad when it will cost you your life and your wealth? You will fight and be killed, and your wife will remarry, and your wealth will be divided. But he disobeys him and fights in Jihad.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever does that, then he had a right from Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, that He will admit him to paradise. Whoever is killed, he has a right from Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, that He will admit him to Paradise. If he is drowned, he has a right from Allah that He will admit him to paradise, or whoever is thrown by his mount and his neck is broken, he had a right from Allah that he will admit him to Paradise.'"
"Whoever spends on a pair (of things) in the cause of Allah, he will be called in Paradise: 'O slave of Allah, here is prosperity.' Whoever is one of those who pray, he will be called from the gate of Paradise. Whoever is one of those who participated in Jihad, he will be called from the gate of Paradise. Whoever is one of those who fast, he will be called from the gate of Ar-Rayyan." Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said: "O Messenger of Allah! No distress, or need will befall the one who is called from those gates. Will there be anyone who will be called from all these gates? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them."
"A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: 'A man fights for fame, or he fights for the spoils of war, or he fights to show off. Who is the one who is fighting in the cause of Allah?' He said: 'The one who fights so that the word of Allah will be supreme is the one who is fighting in the cause of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.'"
"O Shaikh, tell me of a Hadith that you heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." (He said: "Yes; I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)) say: 'The first of people for whom judgment will be passed on the Day of Resurrection are three. A man who was martyred. He will be brought and Allah will remind him of His blessings and he will acknowledge them. He will say: What did you do with them? He will say: I fought for Your sake until I was martyred. He will say: You are lying. You fought so that it would be said that so-and-so is brave, and it was said. Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire. And (the second will be) a man who acquired knowledge and taught others,and read Qur'an. He will be brought, and Allah will remind him of His blessings, and he will acknowledge them. He will say: What did you do with them? He will say: I acquired knowledge and taught others, and read the Qur'an for Your sake. He will say: You are lying. You acquired knowledge so that it would be said that you were a scholar; and you read Qur'an so that it would be said that you were a reciter, and it was said. Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire. And (the third will be) a man whom Allah made rich and gave him all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will remind him of His blessings, and he will acknowledge them. he will say: What did you do with them? He will say: I did not leave any way that You like wealth to be spent - Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasa'i) said: I did not understand "what You like" as I wanted to [1] - "but I spent it." He will say: "You are lying. You spent it so that it would be said that he was generous, and it was said." Then he will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into the Fire.'"
[1] That is, he did not hear or understand what came after it as well as he wanted to, but it was similar to what follows regarding the spending. Similar was stated by Shaikh 'Abdur-Rahman Al-punjani in his notes on the text, according to Al-Funjani in his commentary At-Ta'iqat As-Salafiyyah (2:51)
Chapter 24: The One Who Fights Seeking Reward And Fame - كتاب الجهاد
It was narrated that Abu 'Umamah Al-Bahili said:
أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ هِلاَلٍ الْحِمْصِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حِمْيَرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ سَلاَّمٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ، عَنْ شَدَّادٍ أَبِي عَمَّارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ الْبَاهِلِيِّ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ رَجُلاً غَزَا يَلْتَمِسُ الأَجْرَ وَالذِّكْرَ مَا لَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ شَىْءَ لَهُ " . فَأَعَادَهَا ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ يَقُولُ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ شَىْءَ لَهُ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبَلُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ إِلاَّ مَا كَانَ لَهُ خَالِصًا وَابْتُغِيَ بِهِ وَجْهُهُ " .
"A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: 'What do you think of a man who fights seeking reward and fame - what will he have?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'He will not have anything.' He repeated it three times, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: 'He will not have anything.' Then he said: 'Allah does not accept any deed, except that which is purely for Him, and seeking His Face.'"
"Whoever fights in the cause of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, for the length of time between two milkings of a she-camel, Paradise is guaranteed for him. Whoever asks Allah to be killed (in Jihad) sincerely, from his heart, then he dies or is killed, he will have the reward of a martyr. Whoever is wounded or injured in the cause of Allah, it will come on the Day of Resurrection bleeding the most it ever bled, but its color will be like saffron, and its fragrance will be like musk. Whoever is wounded in the cause of Allah, upon him is the seal of the martyrs."
"O 'Amr! Tell us a Hadith that you heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." He said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Whoever develops one gray hair in the cause of Allah, Most High, it will be light for him on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever shoots an arrow in the cause of Allah, Most High, whether it reaches the enemy or not, it will be as if he freed a slave. Whoever frees a believing slave, it will be a ransom for him from the Fire, limb by limb.'"
Chapter 26: The Reward Of The One Who Shoots An Arrow In The Cause Of Allah, The Mighty And Sublime - كتاب الجهاد
It was narrated that Abu Najih As-Sulami said:
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِي الْجَعْدِ، عَنْ مَعْدَانَ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي نَجِيحٍ السُّلَمِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ بَلَغَ بِسَهْمٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ لَهُ دَرَجَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ " . فَبَلَّغْتُ يَوْمَئِذٍ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ سَهْمًا . قَالَ وَسَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ رَمَى بِسَهْمٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ عِدْلُ مُحَرَّرٍ " .
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Whoever shoots an arrow in the cause of Allah and it hits the target, it will raise him one level in Paradise.' That day I shot sixteen arrows that hit their targets." He said: "And I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Whoever shoots an arrow in the cause of Allah, it is equal to the reward of freeing a slave.'"
"O Ka'b! Tell us a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and be careful." He said: "I heard him say: 'Whoever develops one gray hair in Islam, in the cause of Allah, it will be light for him on the Day of Resurrection.'" He said to him: "Tell us about the Prophet (ﷺ) and be careful." He said: "I heard him say: 'Shoot, and whoever hits the enemy with an arrow, Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby.'" Ibn An-Nahhan said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what is a degree?' He said: 'It is not like the doorstep of your mother; [1] rather (the distance) between two degrees is (that if) a hundred years.'"
[1] As explained after it; the degree of distance is greater than such a degree in this world.
"I said: 'O 'Amr bin 'Abasah! Tell us a Hadith that you heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) without forgetting or omitting anything.' He said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Whoever shoots an arrow in the cause of Allah, and it reaches the enemy, whether it misses or hits, it will be as if he freed slave. Whoever frees a believing slave, that will be a ransom for him, limb by limb, from the Fire of Hell. Whoever develops a gray hair in the cause of Allah, it will be light for him on the Day of Resurrection."
"Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will admit three people into Paradise for one arrow: The one who makes it, intending it to be used for a good cause, the one who shoots it, and one who passes it to him."
"No one is wounded in the cause of Allah - and Allah knows best who is wounded in His cause - but he will come on the Day of Resurrection with his wounds bleeding the color of blood, but with the fragrance of musk."
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Wrap them up with their blood, for there is no wound incurred in the cause of Allah, but he will come on the Day of Resurrection bleeding with the color of blood, but its fragrance will be that of musk.'"
Chapter 28: What Is To Be Said By The One Who Is Stabbed By The Enemy - كتاب الجهاد
It was narrated that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said:
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ سَوَّادٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَذَكَرَ، آخَرَ قَبْلَهُ عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ غَزِيَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ أُحُدٍ وَوَلَّى النَّاسُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي نَاحِيَةٍ فِي اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ وَفِيهِمْ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ فَأَدْرَكَهُمُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَالْتَفَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَالَ " مَنْ لِلْقَوْمِ " . فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ أَنَا . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " كَمَا أَنْتَ " . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . فَقَالَ " أَنْتَ " . فَقَاتَلَ حَتَّى قُتِلَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ فَإِذَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ فَقَالَ " مَنْ لِلْقَوْمِ " . فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ أَنَا . قَالَ " كَمَا أَنْتَ " . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَنَا . فَقَالَ " أَنْتَ " . فَقَاتَلَ حَتَّى قُتِلَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَزَلْ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ وَيَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِمْ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَيُقَاتِلُ قِتَالَ مَنْ قَبْلَهُ حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ حَتَّى بَقِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَطَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ لِلْقَوْمِ " . فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ أَنَا . فَقَاتَلَ طَلْحَةُ قِتَالَ الأَحَدَ عَشَرَ حَتَّى ضُرِبَتْ يَدُهُ فَقُطِعَتْ أَصَابِعُهُ فَقَالَ حَسِّ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَوْ قُلْتَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ لَرَفَعَتْكَ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَالنَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ " . ثُمَّ رَدَّ اللَّهُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ .
"On the day of Uhud, the people ran away, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in one position among twelve men of the Ansar, one of whom was Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah. He said: 'Who will face the people?' Talhah said: 'I will.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Stay where you are.' One of the Ansar said: 'I will, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He said: 'You (go ahead).' So he fought until he was killed. Then he turned and saw the idolators. He said: 'Who will face the people?' Talhah said: 'I will'. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Stay where you are.' One of the Ansar said: 'I will, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' He said: 'You (go ahead).' So he fought until he was killed. This carried on, and each man of the Ansar went out to face them and fought like the one before him, and was killed, until only the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah were left. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Who will face the people?' Talhah said: 'I will.' So Talhah fought like the eleven before him, until his hand was struck, and his fingers were cut off, and he exclaimed in pain. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'If you had said Bismillah (in the Name of Allah), the angels would have lifted you up with the people looking on.' Then Allah drove back the idolators."
Chapter 29: The One Who Fights In The Cause Of Allah And His Sword Recoils Upon Him And Kills Him - كتاب الجهاد
Salamah bin Al-Akwa' said:
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ سَوَّادٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ، ابْنَا كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ سَلَمَةَ بْنَ الأَكْوَعِ، قَالَ لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ خَيْبَرَ قَاتَلَ أَخِي قِتَالاً شَدِيدًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَارْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ سَيْفُهُ فَقَتَلَهُ فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي ذَلِكَ وَشَكُّوا فِيهِ رَجُلٌ مَاتَ بِسِلاَحِهِ قَالَ سَلَمَةُ فَقَفَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ خَيْبَرَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أَرْتَجِزَ بِكَ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رضى الله عنه اعْلَمْ مَا تَقُولُ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لَوْلاَ اللَّهُ مَا اهْتَدَيْنَا وَلاَ تَصَدَّقْنَا وَلاَ صَلَّيْنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " صَدَقْتَ " . فَأَنْزِلَنْ سَكِينَةً عَلَيْنَا وَثَبِّتِ الأَقْدَامَ إِنْ لاَقَيْنَا وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ قَدْ بَغَوْا عَلَيْنَا فَلَمَّا قَضَيْتُ رَجَزِيَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ قَالَ هَذَا " . قُلْتُ أَخِي . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ " . فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ نَاسًا لَيَهَابُونَ الصَّلاَةَ عَلَيْهِ يَقُولُونَ رَجُلٌ مَاتَ بِسِلاَحِهِ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَاتَ جَاهِدًا مُجَاهِدًا " . قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُ ابْنًا لِسَلَمَةَ بْنِ الأَكْوَعِ فَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ حِينَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ نَاسًا لَيَهَابُونَ الصَّلاَةَ عَلَيْهِ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " كَذَبُوا مَاتَ جَاهِدًا مُجَاهِدًا فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ " . وَأَشَارَ بِأُصْبُعَيْهِ .
"On the day of Khaibar, my brother fought fiercely alongside the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), then his sword recoiled upon him and killed him. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), complaining about that, said: 'A man has died by his own weapon.'" Salamah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned from Khaibar and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, do you permit me to recite some lines of Rajaz verse to you?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave him permission but 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Think what you are saying." "I said:
'By Allah, if Allah had not guided us we would not have been guided
We would not have given in charity nor prayed'
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'You have spoken the truth.' (I continued:)
'Send down tranquility upon us, And make us steadfast when we meet the enemy.
For the idolators have transgressed against us.'
When I completed my Rajaz verse, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Who said that?' I said: 'My brother.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'May Allah have mercy on him.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, some people are afraid to offer the (funeral) prayer for him, and they are saying that he is a man who died by his own weapon.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'He died striving as a Mujahid.'" Ibn Shihab said: "Then I asked a son of Salamah bin Al-Akwa', and he narrated a similar report to me from his father, except that he said: 'When I said: Some people are afraid to offer the (funeral) prayer for him, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: They lied. He died striving as Mujahid, and he will have a twofold reward, and he gestured with two of his fingers.'"
"Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah, I would not have stayed behind from any expedition. But they could not find mounts, and I could not find any mounts for them, and it would be too hard for them to stay behind when I went out. And I wish that I could be killed in the cause of Allah, then brought back to life, then killed, then brought back to life, then killed," three times.
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'By the One in Whose hand is my soul, were it not that some men among the believers would not like to stay behind when I went out (to fight), and I could not find any mounts for them, I would not have stayed behind from any campaign that fought in the cause of Allah. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I wish that I could be killed in the cause of Allah, then brought back to life, then killed, then be brought back to life, then killed.'"
"There is no Muslim soul among the people that is taken by its Lord and wishes it could come back to you, even if it had this world and everything in it, except the martyr." Ibn Abi 'Amirah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'If I were to be killed in the cause of Allah, that would be dearer to me that if all the people of the deserts and the cities were to be mine.'"[1]
[1] Meaning: If they were all my slaves and I set them free.