Abu Bakr bin Abi Shayba أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة · The Chapters on Jihad

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

“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.’”

“The dust (of Jihad) in the cause of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never be combined in the interior of a Muslim.”

“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…

“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.’”

“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).’”

“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.’”

“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.’”

“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.’”

“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.’”

“War is deceit.”

“A man from (the tribe of) Ashja’ died in Khaibar, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Offer the funeral prayer for your companion.’ The people found that strange.* When he saw that, he said: ‘Your companion stole from the spoils of war (when fighting) in the cause of Allah.’”

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (ﷺ) distributed the war spoils on the Day of Khaibar, giving three shares to the horseman, two shares for the horse, and one share for the man.

“I fought alongside my master on the Day of Khaibar, and I was a slave. I was not given anything from the spoils of war but I was given from the least of the utensils (goods) a sword, which I dragged when I put it around my waist.”

“Among those in charge of you, after I am gone, will be men who extinguish the Sunnah and follow innovation. They will delay the prayer from its proper time.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah, if I live to see them, what should I do?” He said: “You ask me, O Ibn ‘Abd, what you should do? There is no obedience to one who disobeys Allah.”

“There should be no prizes for racing except races with camels and horses.”

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to forbid traveling with the Qur’an to the land of the enemy, lest the enemy gets hold of it.

“You have distributed it to our brothers Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib, but we are related to you (to Banu Hashim) in the same way (as Banu Muttalib).” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Rather I think that Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib are the same.”*