Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi): Hadith 288

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ مُخَارِقٍ، عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ، يَقُولُ شَهِدْتُ مِنَ الْمِقْدَادِ بْنِ الأَسْوَدِ مَشْهَدًا، لأَنْ أَكُونَ صَاحِبَهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا عُدِلَ بِهِ، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ يَدْعُو عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَقَالَ لاَ نَقُولُ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى ‏{‏اذْهَبْ أَنْتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلاَ‏}‏ وَلَكِنَّا نُقَاتِلُ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَعَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَخَلْفَكَ‏.‏ فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَشْرَقَ وَجْهُهُ وَسَرَّهُ‏.‏ يَعْنِي قَوْلَهُ‏.‏

English Translation

Narrated Ibn Masud: I witnessed Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad in a scene which would have been dearer to me than anything had I been the hero of that scene. He (i.e. Al-Miqdad) came to the Prophet while the Prophet was urging the Muslims to fight with the pagans. Al-Miqdad said, "We will not say as the People of Moses said: Go you and your Lord and fight you two. (5.27). But we shall fight on your right and on your left and in front of you and behind you." I saw the face of the Prophet getting bright with happiness, for that saying delighted him.