It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Allah has prepared (reward) for those who go out (to fight) in His cause: ‘And do not go out except (to fight) for Jihad in My cause, out of faith in Me and belief in My Messengers, but he has a guarantee from Me that I will admit him to Paradise, or I will return him to his dwelling from which he set out, with the reward that he attained, or the spoils that he acquired.’ Then he said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, were it not that it would be too difficult for the Muslims, I would never have stayed behind from any expedition that went out in the cause of Allah. But I could not find the resources to give them mounts and they could not find the resources to follow me, nor would they be pleased to stay behind if I went. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, I wish I could fight in the cause of Allah and be killed, then fight and be killed, then fight and be killed.’”

It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The one who fights in the cause of Allah has a guarantee from Allah. Either He will raise him to His forgiveness and mercy, or He will send him back with reward and spoils of war. The likeness of the one who fights in the cause of Allah is that of one who fasts and prays at night without ceasing, until he returns.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Going out in the morning in the cause of Allah, or in the evening, is more virtuous than the world and what is in it.”

It was narrated from Sahl bin Sa’d As-Sa’idi that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Going out in the morning in the cause of Allah, or in the evening, is better than the world and what is in it.”

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Going out in the morning in the cause of Allah, or in the evening, is better than the world and what is in it.”

It was narrated that ‘Umar bin Khattab said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Whoever equips a warrior in the cause of Allah until he is fully equipped, he will have a reward like his, until he dies or returns.”

It was narrated from Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever equips a warrior in the cause of Allah, he will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the warrior’s reward in the slightest.”

It was narrated from Thawban that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The best Dinar that a man can spend is a Dinar that he spends on his family, a Dinar that he spends on a horse in the cause of Allah, and a Dinar that a man spends on his companions in the cause of Allah.”

It was narrated from ‘Ali bin Abu Talib, Abu Darda’, Abu Hurairah, Abu Umamah Al-Bahili, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr, Jabir bin ‘Abdullah and ‘Imran bin Husain, all of them narrating that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever sends financial support in the cause of Allah and stays at home, for every Dirham he will have (the reward of) seven hundred Dirham. Whoever fights himself in the cause of Allah, and spends on that, for every Dirham he will have (the reward of) seven hundred thousand Dirham.” Then he recited the Verse: “Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills.”[2:261]

It was narrated from Abu Umamah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever does not fight, or equip a fighter, or stay behind to look after a fighter’s family, Allah will strike him with a calamity before the Day of Resurrection.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever meets Allah with no mark on him (as a result of fighting) in His cause, he will meet Him with a deficiency.”

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: “When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was returning from the campaign of Tabuk, and had drawn close to Al-Madinah, he said: ‘In Al-Madinah there are people who, as you traveled and crossed valleys, were with you.’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, even though they are in Al-Madinah?’ He said: ‘Even though they were in Al-Madinah. They were kept behind by (legitimate) excuses.’”

It was narrated from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “in Al-Madinah there are men who, every time you crossed a valley or travelled a road, they shared with you in the reward. They were kept behind by (legitimate) excuses.”

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin Zubair said: “Uthman bin ‘Affan addressed the people and said: ‘O people! I heard a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and nothing kept me from narrating it to you except for the fact that I did not want to lose you and your companionship. So it is up to you. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: “Whoever spends a night guarding the frontier in the cause of Allah, it will be like a thousand nights spent in fasting and prayer.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever dies being prepared in the cause of Allah, will be given continuously the reward for the good deeds that he used to do, and he will be rewarded with provision, and he will be kept safe from Fattan,* and Allah will raise him on the Day of Resurrection free of fright.”

It was narrated that Ubayy bin Ka’b said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘For guarding the frontier for a day in the cause of Allah, defending the Muslims, seeking reward, apart from in the month of Ramadan, there is a reward granted greater than worshipping for a hundred years, fasting and praying. Guarding the frontier for a day in the cause of Allah, defending the Muslims, seeking reward, in the month of Ramadan, is better before Allah and brings a greater reward” – I think he said – “than worshipping for a thousand years, fasting and praying. If Allah returns him to his family safe and sound, no bad deed will be recorded for him for a thousand years, but his good deeds will be recorded, and the reward for guarding the frontier will come to him until the Day of Resurrection.”

It was narrated from ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir Al-Juhani that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “May Allah have mercy on the one who keeps watch over the troops.”

It was narrated that Sa’eed bin Khalid bin Abu Tuwail said: I heard Anas bin Malik saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Standing guard one night in the cause of Allah is better than a man fasting and praying, among his family, for a thousand years. The year is three hundred and sixty days and a day is like a thousand years.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to a man: “I advise you to fear Allah and to say the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) in every high place.”

It was narrated from Hammad bin Zaid from Thabit, that the Prophet (ﷺ) was mentioned before Anas bin Malik and he said: “He was the best of people, the most generous of people, the most courageous of people. The people of Al-Madinah became alarmed one night, and he was the first of them to investigate the noise and din. He was riding a horse belonging to Abu Talhah, bareback, with no saddle. His sword was hanging from his neck and he was saying: ‘O people, do not be afraid,’ sending them back to their houses. Then he said of the horse, ‘We found it like a sea,’ or, ‘It is a sea.’”*

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “If you are called to arms then go forth.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The dust (of Jihad) in the cause of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never be combined in the interior of a Muslim.”

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever goes out in the cause of Allah will have the equivalent of the dust that got on him, in musk, on the Day of Resurrection.”

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that his maternal aunt Umm Harim bint Milhan said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) slept near me one day, then he woke up smiling. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what has made you smile?’ He said: ‘People of my nation who were shown to me (in my dream) riding across this sea like kings on thrones.’ I said: ‘Supplicate to Allah to make me one of them.’” So he prayed for her. Then he slept again, and did likewise, and she said the same as she said before, and he replied in the same manner. She said: “Pray to Allah to make me one of them,” and he said: “You will be one of the first ones.” He said: “Then she went out with her husband, ‘Ubadah bin Samit, as a fighter, the first time that the Muslims crossed the sea with Mu’awiyah bin Abu Sufyan. On their way back, after they had finished fighting, they stopped in Sham. An animal was brought near for her to ride it, but it threw her off, and she died.”

It was narrated from Abu Darda’ that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “A military expedition by sea is like ten expeditions by land. The one who suffers from seasickness is like one who gets drenched in his own blood in the cause of Allah.”

It was narrated that Sulaim bin ‘Amr said: I heard Abu Umamah saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “The martyr at sea is like two martyrs on land, and the one who suffers seasickness is like one who gets drenched in his own blood on land. The time spent between one wave and the next is like a lifetime spent in obedience to Allah. Allah has appointed the Angel of Death to seize souls, except for the martyr at sea, for Allah Himself seizes their souls. He forgives the martyrs on land for all sins except debt, but (He forgives) the martyr at sea all his sins and his debt.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Even if there was only one day left of this world, Allah would make it last until a man from my household took possession of (the mountain of) Dailam and Constantinople.”

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The horizons will be opened to you, and you will conquer a city called Qazvin. Whoever is stationed there for forty days or forty nights, will have pillars of gold in Paradise, with green chrysolite and topped by a dome of rubies. It will have seventy thousand doors, at each door will be a wife from among the wide-eyed houris.’”

It was narrated that Mu’awiyah bin Jahimah As-Sulaimi said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I want to go for Jihad with you, seeking thereby the Face of Allah and the Hereafter.’ He said: ‘Woe to you! Is your mother still alive?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Go back and honor her.’ Then I approached him from the other side and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I want to go for Jihad with you, seeking thereby the Face of Allah and the Hereafter.’ He said: ‘Woe to you! Is your mother still alive?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Go back and honour her.’ Then I approached him from in front and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I want to go for Jihad with you, seeking thereby the Face of Allah and the Hereafter.’ He said: ‘Woe to you! Is your mother still alive?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Go back and serve her, for there is Paradise.’”

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said: “A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have come seeking to go out in Jihad with you, seeking thereby the Face of Allah and the Hereafter. I have come even though my parents are weeping.’ He said: ‘Go back to them and make them smile as you have made them weep.’”

It was narrated that Abu Musa said: “The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about a man who fights to prove his courage, or out of pride and honour for his close relatives, or to show off. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever fights so that the Word of Allah may be supreme is the one who (is fighting) in the cause of Allah.’”

It was narrated that Abu ‘Uqbah, who was the freed slave of some Persian people, said: “I was present with the Prophet (ﷺ) on the Day of Uhud. I struck a man from among the idolaters and said: ‘Take that! And I am a Persian slave!’ News of that reached the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: ‘Why did you not say: “Take that! And I am an Ansari slave!?”

‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said: “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: ‘There is no band of warriors that fights in the cause of Allah and acquires war spoils, but they have been given two thirds of their reward, but if they do not get any spoils of war, then they will have their reward in full (in the Hereafter).’”

It was narrated from ‘Urwah Al-Bariqi that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Goodness is tied to the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection.”

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There is goodness in the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There is goodness in the forelocks of horses” – or he said: “There is goodness tied in the forelocks of horses.” Suhail (one of the narrators) said: “I am not certain of” – “until the Day of Resurrection. And horses are of three types: those that bring reward to a man, those that are a means of protection for a man, and those that are a burden (of sin) for a man. As for those that bring reward, a man keeps them in the cause of Allah and keeps them constantly ready (for Jihad), so they do not take any fodder into their stomachs but a reward will be written for him, and if he puts them out to pasture, they do not eat anything but reward will be written for him. If he gives them to drink from a flowing river, for every drop that enters their stomachs there will be reward,” (continuing) until he mentioned reward in conjunction with their urine and droppings, and even when they run here and there by themselves, for each step they take a reward will be written for him – ‘As for those that are a means of protection, a man keeps them because they are a source of dignity and adornment, but he does not forget the rights of their backs and stomachs (i.e., their right not to be overworked and their right to be fed) whether at times of their difficulty or ease. As for those that bring a burden (of sin), the one who keeps them for purposes of wrongdoing or for pomp and show before people, is the one for whom they bring a burden of sin.”

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah Al-Ansari that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The best of horses are those that are deep black, with a blaze on the forehead, white marks on the legs and white nose and upper lip, and with no whiteness on the right foreleg. If not deep-black, then reddish-brown, with these markings.”

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Prophet (ﷺ) used to dislike horses that had three legs with white markings on them, and one leg the same color as the rest of the body.”

It was narrated that Tamim Ad-Dari said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Whoever ties a horse in the cause of Allah, then feeds it with his own hand, he will have one merit for every grain.’”

Mu’adh bin Jabal narrated that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: “Any Muslim who fights in the cause of Allah for the time between two milkings of a she-camel, he will be guaranteed Paradise.”

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: “I was present in a war, and ‘Abdullah bin Rawahah said:

O soul of mine! I see that you do
Not want to go to Paradise.
I swear by Allah that you surely
Will enter it, willingly or
Unwillingly.’”

It was narrated that ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah said: “I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which Jihad is best?’ He said: ‘(That of a man) whose blood is shed and his horse is wounded.’”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There is no one who is wounded in the cause of Allah – and Allah knows best of who is wounded in His cause – but he will come on the Day of Resurrection with his wounds looking as they did on the day he was wounded; their color will be the color of blood but their smell will be the fragrance of musk.”

Isma’il bin Abu Khalid said: “I heard ‘Abdullah bin Abu Awfa say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) supplicated to Allah against the Confederates (Al-Ahzab) and said: ‘O Allah, Who has sent down the Book and is Swift in bringing to account, destroy the Confederates. O Allah, destroy them and shake them.’”

Sahl bin Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif narrated from his father, from his grandfather that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever asks Allah for martyrdom, sincerely from his heart, Allah will cause him to reach the status of the martyrs even if he dies in his bed.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah: “Mention of the martyrs was made in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: ‘The earth does not dry of the blood of the martyr until his two wives rush to him like two wet nurses who lost their young ones in a stretch of barren land, and in the hand of each one of them will be a Hullah* that is better than this world and everything in it.’”

It was narrated from Miqdam bin Ma’dikarib that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The martyr has six things (in store) with Allah: He is forgiven from the first drop of his blood that is shed; he is shown his place in Paradise; he is spared the torment of the grave; he is kept safe from the Great Fright; he is adorned with a garment of faith; he is married to (wives) from among the wide-eyed houris; and he is permitted to intercede for seventy of his relatives.”

It was narrated from Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: “When ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram was killed, on the Day of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘O Jabir, shall I not tell you what Allah said to your father?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Allah does not speak to anyone except from behind a screen, but He spoke to your father face to face and said: “O My slave, ask Me and I shall give you.” He said: “O my Lord, bring me back to life so that I may be killed for Your sake a second time.” He said: “I have already decreed that they will not return (to the world after death).” He said: “O Lord, convey (the good news about my state) to those whom I have left behind.” So Allah revealed this Verse: ‘Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah.’”[3:169]

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah concerning the Verse: “Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision,”[3:169] that he said: “We asked about that, and (the Prophet (ﷺ)) said: ‘Their souls are like green birds that fly wherever they wish in Paradise, then they come back to lamps suspended from the Throne. While they were like that, your Lord looked at them and said, “Ask me for whatever you want.” They said: “O Lord, what should we ask You for when we can fly wherever we wish in Paradise?” When they saw that they would not be left alone until they had asked for something, they said: “We ask You to return our souls to our bodies in the world so that we may fight for Your sake (again).” When He saw that they would not ask for anything but that, they were left alone.’”