Sahih al-Bukhari Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad)

Observing Ribāt (guarding the Muslims' frontiers) for one day in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything in it

Chapter: The superiority of guarding (Muslims from infidels)

Authentic hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 2892

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُنِيرٍ، سَمِعَ أَبَا النَّضْرِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏

رِبَاطُ يَوْمٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا عَلَيْهَا، وَمَوْضِعُ سَوْطِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا عَلَيْهَا، وَالرَّوْحَةُ يَرُوحُهَا الْعَبْدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوِ الْغَدْوَةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا عَلَيْهَا ‏"

Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sā‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Observing Ribāt (guarding the Muslims' frontiers) for one day in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything in it. The place occupied by the whip of one of you in Paradise is better than the world and everything in it. The evening or morning walk that one takes in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything in it."

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 2892, 3250, 6415), Muslim (No. 1881a, 1881b), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1648, 1664), Ibn Majah (No. 2756, 4330), Ahmad (No. 15009, 15012, 15013, 15014, 15015, 15016, 15017, 15018) and Ad-Darimi (No. 2291).

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that staying in the place between the Muslims and the disbelievers to guard the Muslims from them for one day, sincerely for the sake of Allah, is better than the world and everything in it. The area occupied by a whip that is used for fighting in the cause of Allah, in Paradise is better than the world and everything in it. And the reward and recompense of walking the amount of time from the beginning of the day until just before midday, or in the evening from midday until night, in the cause of Allah once, is better than the world and everything in it.

Lessons

The merit of observing Ribāt in the cause of Allah is that it involves risk to one's life and leads to elevating the word of Allah and supporting His religion. Therefore, the reward of one day is better than the world and everything in it.
The insignificance of this world compared to the Hereafter; because the place that a whip occupies in Paradise is better than the world and everything in it.
The merit of Jihad in the cause of Allah and the immense reward for it, because the reward of a single evening or morning walk in His cause is better than the world and everything in it.
His statement: "in the cause of Allah," indicates the importance of sincerity and that the reward is contingent upon it.

Explanation in Arabic

يخبر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن ملازمة المكان الذي بين المسلمين والكفار لحراسة المسلمين منهم ليوم واحد مُخلصًا لله خير من الدنيا وما فيها، وأن موضع السوط الذي يجاهد به في سبيل الله في الجنة خير من الدنيا وما فيها، وأن أجر وثواب السير في الوقت الذي من أول النهار إلى بداية وقت الظهر، أو الروحة: من وقت الظهر إلى الليل في سبيل الله مرة واحدة، خير من الدنيا وما فيها.

فضل الرباط في سبيل الله، لما فيه من المخاطرة بالنفس، ولما يترتب عليه من إعلاء كلمة الله ونصر دينه؛ لذا فإن ثواب يوم واحد، خير من الدنيا وما فيها.
حقارة الدنيا بالنسبة للآخرة؛ لأن موضع السوط من الجنة، خير من الدنيا وما فيها.
فضل الجهاد في سبيل الله، وعظم ثوابه؛ لأن ثواب الروحة الواحدة أو الغدوة، خير من الدنيا وما فيها.
قوله: "في سبيل الله" فيه الدلالة على أهمية الإخلاص، وأن الأجر مترتب عليه.

Classical commentary

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani — Fath al-Bari

قَوْله : ( سَمِعَ أَبَا النَّضْرِ ) هُوَ هَاشِم بْن الْقَاسِم وَالتَّقْدِيرُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ وَهِيَ تُحْذَفُ مِنْ الْخَطِّ كَثِيرًا. قَوْله : ( خَيْر مِنْ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا عَلَيْهَا ) تَقَدَّمَ فِي أَوَائِلِ الْجِهَادِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ هَذَا مُخْتَصَرًا بِلَفْظ " وَمَا فِيهَا " وَالتَّعْبِير بِقَوْلِهِ " وَمَا عَلَيْهَا " أَبْلَغُ وَتَقَدَّمَ الْكَلَامُ هُنَاكَ فِي حَدِيثِ الرَّوْحَةِ وَالْغَدْوَةِ وَكَذَا عَلَى حَدِيث " مَوْضِع سَوْطِ أَحَدِكُمْ " لَكِنْ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَنَس وَسَيَأْتِي مِنْ حَدِيثِ سَهْل بْن سَعْد أَيْضًا فِي صِفَةِ الْجَنَّةِ وَوَقَعَ فِي حَدِيثِ سَلْمَانَ عِنْدَ أَحْمَدَ وَالنَّسَائِيّ وَابْنِ حِبَّانَ " رِبَاطُ يَوْمٍ أَوْ لَيْلَة خَيْر مِنْ صِيَامِ شَهْر وَ…

Scholar	Grade	Applies to	Work
Al-Bukharid. 256 AH	Authenticصحيح	The hadith	صحيح البخاري No. 2892

Grades of other versions (4)

AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح الجامع (3482)
AuthenticShu'ayb al-Arna'ut صحيح — تخريج المسند لشعيب (22872)
Al-Daraqutni رباط في سبيل الله خير من الدنيا وما فيها لم يقل هذا غير عبد الرحمن بن عبد الله بن دينار وغيره أثبت منه وباقي الحديث صحيح — الإلزامات والتتبع (202)
AuthenticIbn Asakir حسن صحيح. — الأربعون في الجهاد (87)

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 3250

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A place in Paradise equal to the size of a lash is better than the whole world and whatever is in it."

مَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6415

I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "A (small) place equal to an area occupied by a whip in Paradise is better than the (whole) world and whatever is in it; and an undertaking (journey) in the forenoon or in the afternoon for Allah's Cause, is better than the whole world and whatever is in it."

مَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا، وَلَغَدْوَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1881a

The journey undertaken by a person in the morning (for Jihad) in the way of Allah (will merit a reward) better than the world and all that is in it.

وَالْغَدْوَةَ يَغْدُوهَا الْعَبْدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1881b

A journey undertaken in the morning or evening (fond Jihad) in the way of Allah (will merit a reward) better than the world and all that is in it.

غَدْوَةٌ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1648

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Going out in the morning in the cause of Allah is better that the world and what is in it. And the place (the size) of a whip in Paradise is better than the world and what is in it." [Abu 'Eisa said:] There are narrations on this topic from Abu Hurairah, Ibn…

"‏ غَدْوَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا وَمَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1664

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "(Ribat) Guarding the frontier for a day in the cause of Allah is better than the world and what is in it. And an afternoon the worshipper spends in the cause of Allah - or a morning - is better than the world and what is on it. And the space occupied by the…

"‏ رِبَاطُ يَوْمٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا وَمَوْضِعُ سَوْطِ أَحَدِكُمْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا وَلَرَوْحَةٌ يَرُوحُهَا الْعَبْدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ…

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

See all 26 versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 2756

“Going out in the morning in the cause of Allah, or in the evening, is better than the world and what is in it.”

"‏ غَدْوَةٌ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 4330

“A place the size of a whip in Paradise is better than this world and everything in it.”

"‏ مَوْضِعُ سَوْطٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏"

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 15009