The Book on Government

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Qatada that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) stood up among them (his Companions) to deliver his sermon in which he told them that Jihad in the way of Allah and belief in Allah (with all His Attributes) are the most meritorious of acts. A man stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, do you think that if I am killed in the way of Allah, my sins will be blotted out from me? The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Yes, in case you are killed in the way of Allah and you were patient and sincere and you always fought facing the enemy, never turming your back upon him. Then he added: What have you said (now)? (Wishing to have further assurance from him for his satisfaction), he asked (again): Do you think if I am killed in the way of Allah, all my sins will be obliterated from me? The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Yes, it you were patient and sincere and always fought facing the enemy and never turning your back upon him, (all your lapses would be forgiven) except debt. Gabriel has told me this.

The tradition has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters on the authority of Abu Qatada who said: A man came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) while he was on the pulpit and said: Do you think if I am killed in the way of Allah... (except this difference in its beginning, the rest of the tradition is the same as the previous one).

Another version of the tradition differently transmitted begins with the words: " A man came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he was sitting on the pulpit.... He said: What do you find if I strike with the sword?" (The rest of the tradition is the same as the previous one.)

It has been reported on the authority of 'Amr b. al-'As that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: All the sins of a Shahid (martyr) are forgiven except debt.

It has been reported on the authority of Amr b. al-'As through a different chain of transmitters that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Death in the way of Allah blots out everything except debt.

It has been narrated on the authority of Masruq Who said: We asked 'Abdullah about the Qur'anic verse:" Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they are alive, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.." (iii. 169). He said: We asked the meaning of the verse (from the Holy Prophet) who said: The souls, of the martyrs live in the bodies of green birds who have their nests in chandeliers hung from the throne of the Almighty. They eat the fruits of Paradise from wherever they like and then nestle in these chandeliers. Once their Lord cast a glance at them and said: Do ye want anything? They said: What more shall we desire? We eat the fruit of Paradise from wherever we like. Their Lord asked them the same question thrice. When they saw that they will continue to be asked and not left (without answering the question). they said: O Lord, we wish that Thou mayest return our souls to our bodies so that we may be slain in Thy way once again. When He (Allah) saw that they had no need, they were left (to their joy in heaven).

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id Khudri that a man came to the Holy Prophet (may peace he upon him) and said: Who is the best of men? He replied: A man who fights in the way of Allah spending his wealth and staking his life. The man then asked: Who is next to him (in excellence)? He said: Next to him is a believer who lives in a mountain gorge worshipping hid Lord and sparing men from his mischief.

It has been narrated (through a diferent chain of transmetters) on the same authority (i. e. Abu Sa'id Khadri) who said: A man asked: Messenger of Allah, which of men is the best? He said: A believer who fights staking his life and spending his wealth in the way of Allah. He asked: Who is next to him (in excellence)? He said: Next to him is a man who lives an isolated life in a mountain gorge, worshipping his Lord and sparing men from his mischief.

A version of the tradition narrated on the authority of Ibn Shihab has a little differently worded ending. i. e." A man in a mountain valley." but did not mention" next to him a man who...."

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Of the men he lives the best life who holds the reins of his horse (ever ready to march) in the way of Allah, flies on its back whenever he hears a fearful shriek, or a call for help, flies to it seeking death at places where it can be expected. (Next to him) is a man who lives with his sheep at a hill-top or in a valley, says his prayers regularly, gives Zakat and worships his Lord until death comes to him. There is no better person among men except these two.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a slight variation of wording.

Two more versions of the tradition narrated by 'Abdullah b. Badr and Abu Huraira, respectively, have been handed down through different chains of transmitters with negligible difference in the wording.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: God laughs at the two men both of whom will enter Paradise (though) one of them kills the other. They said: Messenger of Allah, how is it? He said: One of them fights in the way of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted. and dies a martyr. Then God turns in mercy to the murderer who embraces Islam, fights in the way of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, and dies a martyr.

The same tradition has been narrated on the authority of Abu Zinad (with the same chain of transmitters).

It has been reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: God laughs at the two men one of whom kills the other; both of them will enter Paradise. They (the Companions) said: How, Messenger of Allah? He said: One is slain (in the way of Allah) and enters Paradise. Then God forgives the other and guides him to Islam; then he fights in the way of Allah and dies a martyr.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger Allah (may peace be upon him) said: A disbeliever and a believer who killed him will never be gathered together in Hell.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: No two such persons shall be together in Hell as if one of them is such that his presence hurts the other. It was asked: Messenger of Allah, who are they? He said: A believer who killed a disbeliever and (then) kept to the right path."

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari who said A man brought a muzzled she-camel and said: It is (offered) in the way of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: For this you will have seven hundred she-camels on the Day of Judgment all of which will be muzzled.

A similar tradition has been narrated on the authority of al-A'mash.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari who said: A man came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: My riding beast has been killed, so give me some animal to ride upon. He (the Holy Prophet) said: I have none with me. A man said: Messenger of Allah, I can guide him to one who will provide him with a riding beast. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: One who guides to something good has a reward similar to that of its doer.

The above tradition has been handed down through a different chain of transmitters.

It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that a young man from Aslam tribe said: Messenger of Allah, I wish to fight (in the way of Allah) but I don't have anything to equip myself with for fighting. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Go to so and so, for he had equipped himself (for fighting) but he fell ill. So, he (the young man) went to him and said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sends you his greetings and says that you should give me the equipage that you have provided yourself with. The man said (to his wife or maidservant): So and so, give him the equipage I have collected for myself and do not withhold anything from him. Do not withhold anything from him so that you may be blessed therein.

It has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Khalid al-Juhani that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Anybody who equips a warrior (going to fight) in the way of Allah (is like one who actually) fights. And anybody who looks well after his family in his absence (is also like one who actually) fights.

The above tradition has been narrated on the authority of Khalid al- Juhani who said: The Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: He who equips a warrior in the way of Allah (is like one who dctually fights) aud he who looks after the family of a warrior in the way of Allah in fact participated in the battle.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent a force to Banu Lihyan (who are from Banu Hudhail, and said: One man from every two and the reward (will be divided) between the two.

The above tradition has also been narrated through two different chains of transmitters on the authority of Abu Sa'id Khudri and Yahya, respectively.

It has been narrated (through a still different chain of transmitters) on the authority of Abu Sa'id Khudrl that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) despatched a force to Banu Lihyan. (and said: ) One man from every two should join the force. Then he said to those who stayed behind: Those of you who will look well after the family and wealth of those who are going on the expedition will be getting half the reward of the warriors.

It has been narrated on the authority of Sulaimin b. Buraida who learnt the tradition from his father. The latter said that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: The sanctity of the wives of Mujahids is like the sanctity of their mothers for those who sit at home (i. e do not go out for Jihad). Anyone who stays behind looking after the family of a Mujahid and betrays his trust will be made to stand on the Day of judgment before the Mujahid who will take away from his meritorious deeds whatever he likes. So what do you think (will he leave anything)?