Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We did not pledge allegiance to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for death on his blessed hand; we pledged that we would not flee.
Hadith Referenceمسند الحميدي / 1312
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده صحيح
Hadith Takhrij«إسناده صحيح ، وأخرجه مسلم فى «صحيحه» برقم: 1856، وابن حبان فى «صحيحه» برقم: 4875، والنسائي فى «المجتبیٰ» برقم: 4169، والنسائي فى «الكبریٰ» برقم: 7731، 8641، والترمذي فى «جامعه» برقم: 1591، 1594، والدارمي فى «مسنده» برقم: 2498، وأحمد فى «مسنده» برقم: 14330، 15310، وأبو يعلى فى «مسنده» برقم: 1838، 1908، 2301»
´Jabir said:` "We did not give our pledge to the Messenger of Allah for death, rather we pledged not to flee (from battle)."
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
The meaning of pledging allegiance unto death is also this: that we will remain steadfast and will not flee, even if circumstances of death arise. The intent of Hazrat Jabir radi Allahu anhu is that, at the time of pledging allegiance, we did not say, "even if we die." We only said that we will not flee. However, in meaning and outcome, there is no difference. Some people have also used the word "death," saying that we will not flee, even if death comes, as is explicitly stated in the following narration.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 4163