The Book on Government

This tradition has been narrated by the same authority through different chain of transmitters.

A version of the tradition narrated on the authority of 'Alqama b. Murthad has a differently worded end: It will be said to the Mujahid: Take from his noble deeds whatever you like. Then the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) turned to us and asked: What do you think (will he leave anything)? - (i. e. he will take away everything).

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Ishaq, that he heard Bara' talking about the Qur'anic verse: " Those who sit (at home) from among the believers and those who go out for Jihad in the way of Allah are not aqual" (iv. 95). (He said that) the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) ordered Zaid (to write the verse). He brought a shoulder-blade (of a slaughtered camel) and inscribed it (the verse) thereon. The son of Umm Maktum complained of his blindness to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him). (At this) descended the revelation:" Those of the believers who sit (at home) without any trouble (illness, incapacity, disability)" (iv. 95). The tradition has been handed down through two other chains of transmitters.

It has been narrated on the authority of Bara' who said: When the Qur'anic verse:" Those who sit (at home) from among mu'min" (iv. 94) was revealed, the son of Umm Maktum spoke to him (the Holy Prophet). (At this). the words:" other than those who have a trouble (illness)" were revealed.

It has been reported on the authority of Jabir that a man said: Messenger of Allah, where shall I be if I am killed? He replied: In Paradise. The man threw away the dates he had in his hand and fought until he was killed (i. e. he did not wait until he could finish the dates). In the version of the tradition narrated by Suwaid we have the words:" A man said to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him). on the day of Uhud......"

It has been reported on the authority of Bara! ' who stated: A man from Banu Nabit (one of the Ansar tribes) came to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) and said: I testify that there is no god except Allah and that thou art His bondman and Messenger. Then he went forward and fought until he was killed. The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) said: He has done a little but shall be given a great reward.

It has been reported on the authority of Anas b. Malik who said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sent Busaisah as a scout to see what the caravan of Abu Sufyan was doing. He came (back and met the Holy Prophet in his house) where there was nobody except myself and the Messenger of Allah. I do not remember whether he (Hadrat Anas) made an exception of some wives of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) or not and told him the news of the caravan. (Having heard the news), the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) came out (hurriedly), spoke to the people and said: We are in need (of men) ; whoever has an animal to ride upon ready with him should ride with us. People began to ask him permission for bringing their riding animals which were grazing on the hillocks near Medina. He said: No. (I want) only those who have their riding animals ready. So the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and his Companions proceeded towards Badr and reached there forestalling the polytheists (of Mecca). When the polytheists (also) reached there, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: None of you should step forward to (do) anything unless I am ahead of him. The polytheists (now) advanced (towards us), and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Get up to enter Paradise which is equal in width to the heavens and the earth. 'Umair b. al- Humam al-Ansari said: Messenger of Allah, is Paradise equal in extent to the heavens and the earth? He said: Yes. 'Umair said: My goodness! The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) asked him: What prompted you to utter these words (i. e. my goodness! ')? He said: Messenger of Allah, nothing but the desire that I be among its residents. He said: Thou art (surely) amona its residents. He took out dates from his bag and began to eat them. Then he said: If I were to live until I have eaten all these dates of mine, it would be a long life. (The narrator said): He threw away all the dates he had with him. Then he fought the enemies until he was killed.

The tradition has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. Qais. He heard it from his father who, while facing the enemy, reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Surely, the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of the swords. A man in a shabby condition got up and said; Abu Musa, did you hear the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say this? He said: Yes. (The narrator said): He returned to his friends and said: I greet you (a farewell greeting). Then he broke the sheath of his sword, threw it away, advanced with his (naked) sword towards the enemy and fought (them) with it until he was slain.

It has been reported on the authority of Anas b. Malik that some people came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said to him: Send with us some men who may teach us the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Accordingjy, he sent seventy men from the Ansar. They were called the Reciters and among them was my maternal uncle. Haram. They used to recite the Qur'an, discuss and ponder over its meaning at night. In the day they brought water and poured it (in pitchers) in the mosque, collected wood and sold it, and with the sale proceeds bought food for the people of the Suffa and the needy. The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) sent the Reciters with these people, but these (treacherous people) fell upon them and killed thern before they reached their destination (While dying), they said: O Allah, convey from us the news to our Prophet that we have met Thee (in a way) that we are pleased with Thee and Thou art pleased with us. (The narrator said): A man attacked Haram (maternal uncle of Anas) ) from behind and smote him with a spear which pierced him. (While dying), Haram said: By the Lord of the Ka'ba, I have met with success. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to his Companions: Your brethren have been slain grid they were saying: O Allah, convey from us to our Prophet the news that we have met Thee in a way that we are pleased with Thee and Thou art pleased with us.

It has been Deported on the authority of Anas who said: My uncle and I have been named after him was not present with the Messenger of Allah (mav peace be upon him) on the Day of Badr. He felt distressed about it. He would say: I have missed the first battle fought by the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and if God now gives me an opportunity to see a battlefield with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), God will see what I do therein. He was afraid to say more than this (lest he be unable to keep his word with God). He was present with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on the Day of Uhud. He met Sa'd b. Mu'adh (who was retreating). Anas said to him: O Abu 'Amr, where (are you going)? Woe (to thee)! I find the smell of Paradise beside the Uhud mountain. (Reprimanding Sa'd in these words) he went forward and fought thein (the enemy) until he was killed. (The narrator says). More than eighty wounds inflicted with swords, spears and arrows were found on his body. His sister, my aunt, ar-Rubayyi', daughter of Nadr, said: I could not recognise my brother's body (it was so badly mutilated) except from his finger-tips. (It was on this occasion that) the Qur'anic verse:" Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with God. Of them some have completed their vow (to the extreme), and some still wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least" (xxxiii. 23). The narrator said that the verse had been revealed about him (Anas b. Nadr) and his Companions.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Musa Ash'ari that a desert Arab came to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, one man fights fgr the spoils of war; another fights that he may be remembered, and another fights that he may see his (high) position (achieved as a result of his valour in fighting). Which of these is fighting in the cause of God? The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Who fights so that the word of Allah is exalted is fighting in the way of Allah.

It has been narrated (through another chain of transmitters) on the authority of Abu Musa who said. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was asked which of the men fights in the way of Allah: (one who fights) for displaying his valour; (a man who) fights out of his family pride and (a man who) fights for the sake of show, who amongst these fights in the way of Allah? The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Who fights that the word of Allah be exalted fights in the way of Allah.

It has been narrated (through yet another chain of transmitters) on the same authority, i. e. Abu Musa, who said: We, came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: Messenger of Allah, one of us hho fights to display his valour... (followed by the same words as we have in the previous tradition).

It has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters on the same authority, i. e. Abu Musa Ash'ari, that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) about fighting in the way of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, a man who fights out of rage or out of family pride. He raised his head towards him-and he did so because the man was standing and said: Who fights that the word of Allah be exalted fights in the way of Allah.

It has been narrated on the authority of Sulaiman b. Yasar who said: People dispersed from around Abu Huraira, and Natil, who was from the Syrians. said to him: O Shaikh, relate (to us) a tradition you have heard from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He said: Yes. I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: The first of men (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgment will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought (before the Judgment Seat). Allah will make him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) will Allah say: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I fought for Thee until I died as a martyr. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You fought that you might be called a" brave warrior". And you were called so. (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell. Then will be brought forward a man who acquired knowledge and imparted it (to others) and recited the Qur'an. He will be brought And Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Then will Allah ask: What did you do (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Qur'an seeking Thy pleasure. Allah will say: You have told a lie. You acquired knowledge so that you might be called" a scholar," and you recited the Qur'an so that it might be said:" He is a Qari" and such has been said. Then orders will be passed against him and he shall be dragged with his face downward and cast into the Fire. Then will be brought a man whom Allah had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them and (admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then) ask: What have you done (to requite these blessings)? He will say: I spent money in every cause in which Thou wished that it should be spent. Allah will say: You are lying. You did (so) that it might be said about (You):" He is a generous fellow" and so it was said. Then will Allah pass orders and he will be dragged with his face downward and thrown into Hell.

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

It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: A troop of soldiers who fight in tile way of Allah and get their share of the booty receive in advance two-thirds of their reward in the Hereafter and only one-third will remain (to their credit). If they do not receive any booty, they will get their full reward.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abdullah b. Amr (through a different chain of transmitters) that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: A troop of soldiers, large or small, who fight (in the way of Allah), get their share of the booty and return safe and sound, receive in advance two-thirds of their reward (only one-third remaining to their credit to be received in the Hereafter) ; and a troop of soldiers, large or small, who return empty-handed and are afflicted or wounded, will receive their full reward (in the Hereafter).

It has been narrated on the authority of Umar b. al-Khattab that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: (The value of) an action depends on the intention behind it. A man will be rewarded only for what he intended. The emigration of one who emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (may peace be upon him) is for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (may peace be upon him) ; and the emigration of one who emigrates for gaining a worldly advantage or for marrying a woman is for what he has emigrated.

It has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters on the authority of Sufyan who said that he heard 'Umar b. al-Khattab relate (this tradition) from the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) while he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit.

It has been narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) said: Who seeks martyrdom with sincerity shall get its reward, though he may not achieve it.

It has been reported on the authority of Sahl b. Aba Umama b. Sahl b. Hunaif who learned the tradition from his father who (in turn) learned it from his grandfather-that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Who sought martyrdom with sincerity will be ranked by Allah among the martyrs even if he died on his bed. In his version of the tradition Abd Tahir did not mention the words:" with sincerity".

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: One who died but did not fight in the way of Allah nor did he express any desire (or determination) for Jihid died the death of a hypocrite. 'Abdullah b. Mubarak said: We think the hadith pertained to the time of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him).

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir who said: We were with the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) on an expedition. He said: There are some people in Medina. They are with you whenever you cover a distance or cross a valley. They have been detained by illness.

In a version of the tradition narrated on the authority of A'mash, we have the words: " They will share with you the reward (for Jihid)."

It has been reported on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to visit Umm Haram daughter of Milhan (who was the sister of his foster-mother or his father's aunt). She was the wife of 'Ubada b. Samit, One day the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) paid her a visit. She entertained him with food and then sat down to rub his head. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) dozed off and when he woke up (after a while), he was laughing. She asked: What made you laugh. Messenger of Allah? He said: Some people from my Umma were presented to me who were fighters in the way of Allah and were sailing in this sea. (Gliding smoothly on the water), they appeared to be kings or like kings (sitting) on thrones (the narrator has a doubt about the actual expression used by the Holy Prophet). She said: Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah that He may include me among these warriors. He prayed for her. Then he placed his head (down) and dozed off (again). He woke up laughing, as before. (She said) I said: Messenger of Allah, what makes you laugh? He replied: A people from my Umma were presented to me. They were fighters in Allah's way. (He described them in the same words as he had described the first warriors.) She said: Messenger of Allah, pray to God that He may include me among these warriors. He said: You are among the first ones. Umm Haram daughter of Milhan sailed in the aea in the time of Mu'awiya. When she came out of the sea and (was going to mount a riding animal) she fell down and died.

It has been narrated on the authority of Umm Haram (and she was the aunt of Anas) who said: The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) came to us one day and had a nap in our house. When he woke up, he was laughing. I said: Messenger of Allah, what made you laugh? He said: I saw a people from my followers sailing on the surface of the sea (looking) like kings (sitting) on their thrones. I said: Pray to Allah that He may include me among them. He said: You will hip among them. He had a (second) ntip, woke up and was laughing. I asked him (the reason for his laughter). He gave the same reply. I said: Pray to Allah that He may include me among them. He said: You are among the first ones. Anas said: 'Ubada b. Samit married her. He joined a naval expedition and took her along with him. When she returned, a mule was brought for her. While mounting it she fell down, broke her neck (and died).

It has been reported on the authority of Umm Haram daughter of Milhan (through another chain of transmitters). She said: One day the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) slept (at a place) near me. He woke up smiling. She said: Messenger of Allah. what made thee laugh? He said: A people from my followers were presented to me. They were sailing on the surface of this green sea... (here follows the tradition that has gone before).

It has been reported by 'Abdullah b. 'Abd al-Rahman that he heard Anas b. Malik say: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) paid a visit to Milhan's daughter, maternal aunt of Anas (and the sister of the Holy Prophet's foster-mother). He placed his head near her (from this point onward, the narrator carried on the previous tradition to its end).

It has been narrated on the authority of Salman who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: Keeping watch for a day and a night is better (in point of reward) than fasting for a whole month and standing in prayer every night. If a person dies (while, performing this duty), his (meritorious) activity will continue and he will go on receiving his reward for it perpetually and will be saved from the torture of the grave.