Sayyiduna Ka'b bin Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by me. The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw my physical strength and vigour and said: "O Messenger of Allah! If only this were in the path of Allah!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If he has gone out to earn for his young children, then he is in the path of Allah. If he has gone out to earn for his elderly, aged parents, then he is in the path of Allah. If he has gone out to earn for himself so as to keep himself from begging, then he is in the path of Allah. But if he has gone out for showing off and boasting, then this is the path of Satan."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in all three of his books, and the narrators of al-Mu'jam al-Kabir are the narrators of the Sahih.
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب النكاح / 7709
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ صحیح
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه الطبراني فى المعجم الصغير (940) أخرجه الطبراني فى المعجم الكبير (129/19)»