Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him) recited this verse { فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِی الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ مَنْ شَائَ اللَّہُ } then said: In this verse, the people who are excepted are the martyrs; they are those who receive sustenance around Allah’s Throne, and they are those who have hung swords around their necks.

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Jubair bin Nafeer (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that when the grief of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) exceeded all bounds at the martyrdom of Hazrat Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Battle of Mu'tah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hazrat Masih (peace be upon him) will find among this Ummah some people who are like you or even better than you (he said this three times). Allah Almighty will never leave this Ummah helpless and without support, whose beginning is with me and whose end is with Hazrat Masih (peace be upon him)."

Hazrat Abu Bakr bin Hafs narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said in the Battle of Badr: { سابقوا إلَی مَغْفِرَۃٍ مِنْ رَبِّکُمْ وَجَنَّۃٍ عَرْضُہَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ } "That is, hasten towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth." (Hazrat Mas'ar says that either this was a verse from Surah Aal-e-Imran or Surah Al-Hadid). Upon hearing this statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Ibn Qushaym (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is the reward for a person who fights these disbelievers and is martyred?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "His reward is Paradise." Ibn Qushaym (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Paradise in exchange for this world is enough for me." He had some dates in his hand; he threw the dates away, advanced, and was martyred while fighting the enemy.

Hazrat Naeem bin Abi Hind (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that in the Battle of Qadisiyyah, a man prayed by mentioning his wife's name: "O Allah, my wife (may Allah have mercy on her) is dark-skinned and short in stature. Today, marry me to one of the maidens of Paradise." Then he advanced and was martyred. Later, when his companions passed by his body, they saw that he had been martyred while fighting a great champion.

Hazrat Saad bin Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that in the Battle of Qadisiyyah, people saw a man whose hands and feet were cut off, he was writhing in pain and reciting this verse: "He will be with those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor from among the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions." A man asked him, "Who are you, O servant of Allah?" He replied, "I am an Ansari."

Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that in a battle, a woman's son and her husband passed away. She came to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "You are Allah's Messenger and Allah Almighty has revealed to you. If both of them were hypocrites, then we will neither weep for them nor find comfort regarding them. If they were not hypocrites, then please tell us something about them." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that they were not hypocrites. They were presented with the fruits of Paradise and the angels welcomed them. The woman said, "Then it is necessary that I do not weep." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "And listen! You will also be with them."

Hazrat Awn bin Abdullah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that during the Battle of Qadisiyyah, people passed by a man whose stomach was split open and his intestines were protruding. He said to a man, "Put my intestines back inside so that I may advance a little further, the length of one or two spears, in the path of Allah." So he did so.

Hazrat Ibn Abi Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the martyrs will be in domes in the gardens of Paradise. In front of them, there will be a spectacle of a fish and a camel from which they will derive pleasure. When they need something to eat, one of them will kill the other. They will eat it and experience the taste of everything present in Paradise.

Hazrat Yazid bin Shajrah, may Allah have mercy on him, says that swords are the keys to Paradise. When a person advances towards the enemy, the angels say, "O Allah! Help him." If he retreats, the angels say, "O Allah! Forgive him." With the very first drop of blood that falls from the wound caused by the sword, all his sins are forgiven. Two houris descend from Paradise for him and say, "We are for you." He says to both of them, "I am for you."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: "Which deed is better or most virtuous?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "To have faith in Allah and His Messenger." He was asked: "Then which deed is most virtuous?" He said: "Jihad in the way of Allah." Then he was asked: "Which deed is most virtuous?" He replied: "An accepted Hajj."

It is narrated from Hazrat Yahya bin Abi Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The best of martyrs are those who, standing in a row, fight against the enemy. They do not turn their faces away and are martyred. These people will enjoy themselves in the lofty chambers of Paradise. Their Lord will look at them and smile. The nation at whom your Lord smiles, He does not take account from them.

Hazrat Qais bin Abi Hazim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that in the Battle of Yarmouk, a man was presenting himself for death and his wife was trying to stop him. That man said, "Take her away from me. She has no importance in the purpose that I have before me at this time." Then, pointing towards a mountain, he said, "If it were up to me, I would move it from its place in a single day. If you are able to obtain my body, then bury it." Hazrat Qais (may Allah be pleased with him) says that later we saw that this man was among those martyred in that battle.

Hazrat Ibn Ahmas, may Allah have mercy on him, says that I said to Hazrat Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, that a Prophetic saying narrated by you has reached me. He said: State it, I think I have never attributed any false statement to the Prophet. I said that you have narrated that there are three types of people whom Allah loves. He said: I have heard and narrated this, that among the three people whom Allah loves, one is the person who fights against a group, and when that group begins to prevail, he continues to fight them until he is martyred, or Allah grants victory because of him. The second is the person who travels with people at night, and when they all become tired and lie down, he stands up to pray and then wakes the people to move forward. The third is the person whose neighbor is a bad person, and he patiently endures his neighbor’s troubles.

Hazrat Mudrik bin ‘Awf Ahmasi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I was with Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) when a messenger from Nu‘man bin Muqarrin (may Allah have mercy on him) arrived. Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him about the condition of the Mujahideen, so he informed that such and such persons had been martyred, and some others had also been martyred whom I do not know. That person said, “O Commander of the Faithful! There was also a man who was offering himself for death.” Upon this, Hazrat Mudrik bin ‘Awf (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “O Commander of the Faithful! By Allah, he was my maternal uncle. People think that he brought destruction upon himself with his own hands.” Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “They are lying; he is among those who have purchased the Hereafter in exchange for this world.”

Sulaiman (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when a person walks in the path of Allah, his sins are placed upon his head and then they fall off just as a cluster of dates falls off.

Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that spending one morning in the path of Allah is better than performing ten Hajj.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that fighting once in the path of Allah is better than performing Hajj fifty times.

Hazrat Mak’hool (may Allah have mercy on him) says that there are one hundred ranks in battle. The distance between two ranks is as much as the space between the sky and the earth. Allah Almighty has made these ranks for those who strive in His path.

Hazrat Abu Dhuha (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the first verse of Surah Al-Bara’ah was revealed: “Go forth! Whether you are light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah.”

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding the verse of the Holy Qur'an { الَّذِینَ یُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَہُمْ بِاللَّیْلِ وَالنَّہَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِیَۃً } says that it means spending on horses in the way of Allah.

Hazrat Sahl bin Ajlan Bahili, may Allah have mercy on him, regarding the verse of the Holy Qur'an: { الَّذِینَ یُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَہُمْ بِاللَّیْلِ وَالنَّہَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلاَنِیَۃً }, says that it means spending on horses in the way of Allah. Then he said that whoever ties a horse in the way of Allah and there is no element of show or desire for fame in it, then he will be among those who spend their wealth day and night in the way of Allah.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the dust from the path of Allah and the smoke of Hell cannot be gathered in one nostril. It is as impossible for a person who weeps out of fear of Allah to enter Hell as it is for milk to return to the udders.

Hazrat Salim bin Abi Ja'd (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that some of the noble Companions saw the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a dream. They saw that Hazrat Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) was in the form of an angel and there was blood on his feet. Hazrat Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting on a throne in front of him. Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha (may Allah be pleased with him) was also sitting with them, but both of them were facing away from Hazrat Ibn Rawaha (may Allah be pleased with him).

Hazrat Rabee’ bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) says that once the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was walking when a boy from the Quraysh was walking a little off the path. Upon seeing him, the Prophet inquired about him, “Is this not such-and-such boy?” The people said, “Yes, it is him.” The Prophet called him and asked, “Why are you walking off the path?” He replied, “I want to avoid the dust.” The Prophet said, “Do not walk off the path, for by the One in whose hand is the life of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), this dust is the fragrance of Paradise.”

Hazrat Abu Awam (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that once Hazrat Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) could not go for jihad for some reason in a particular year. Then he recited this verse of the Holy Qur'an: { انْفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاَ } "Go forth, whether light or heavy." After that, he continued to perform Hajj for a year and used to say that after this verse, no kind of concession remains.

Hazrat Abu Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the very first verse of Surah Al-Bara’ah to be revealed was: { انْفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاَ }

Hazrat Abu Salih (may Allah have mercy on him) says that by { انْفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاَ } is meant that both the young and the old should go out.

Hazrat Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) explained this with reference to the young and the old, and Hazrat Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) explained this with reference to the intelligent and the ignorant.

Hazrat Hakam (may Allah have mercy on him) interpreted the Qur'anic verse { انْفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاَ } as referring to the busy and the free.

Hazrat Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him) explained its interpretation from both the young and the old.

Hazrat Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) says regarding { انْفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالاَ } that among us are the sick, the needy, the weak, and the busy.

Hazrat Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) says that by this is meant the young and the old.

It is narrated from Hazrat Mak'hool (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts for one day in the way of Allah is kept a hundred years' distance away from Hell.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When a person fasts in the way of Allah, because of this, seventy autumns (years) distance is placed between him and Hell.

The same statement is also narrated from Hazrat Abu Saeed (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Hazrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts for one day in the way of Allah, Allah Almighty will distance him from Hell by seventy years.

Hazrat Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that whoever fasts for one day in the way of Allah, Allah Almighty will distance him from Hell by a trench, and the distance of that trench is equal to the space between the earth and the sky.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that there is a palace in Paradise called 'Adn. It has five thousand doors. At each door, there are five thousand curtains. Only a Prophet, a Siddiq, or a Martyr will enter it.

Hazrat Masrooq (may Allah have mercy on him) says regarding the verse of the Holy Qur’an { أُولَئِکَ ہُمَ الصِّدِّیقُونَ وَالشُّہَدَائُ } that it is specific to the martyrs.

Hazrat Mak’hool (may Allah have mercy on him) says that it is specific to the martyrs.