The Book on Government — Hadith 4745

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي، قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يُحَدِّثُ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَامَ فِيهِمْ فَذَكَرَ لَهُمْ ‏"‏ أَنَّ الْجِهَادَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالإِيمَانَ بِاللَّهِ أَفْضَلُ الأَعْمَالِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قُتِلْتُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ تُكَفَّرُ عَنِّي خَطَايَاىَ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ إِنْ قُتِلْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَأَنْتَ صَابِرٌ مُحْتَسِبٌ مُقْبِلٌ غَيْرُ مُدْبِرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ كَيْفَ قُلْتَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قُتِلْتُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَتُكَفَّرُ عَنِّي خَطَايَاىَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ نَعَمْ وَأَنْتَ صَابِرٌ مُحْتَسِبٌ مُقْبِلٌ غَيْرُ مُدْبِرٍ إِلاَّ الدَّيْنَ فَإِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ لِي ذَلِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

English Translation

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Qatada that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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.