Abu Kabshah al-Saluli heard Sahl bin al-Hanzaliyyah (may Allah be pleased with him) mention that on the day of Hunayn they travelled with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until evening. The time of prayer came, and a horseman came and said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I went ahead of you and climbed such-and-such a mountain, and suddenly (I saw that) Banu Hawazin had gathered their parents, livestock and goats at Hunayn. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) smiled and said: "In sha' Allah (if Allah wills), this will be booty for the Muslims tomorrow." Then he said: "Who will guard us tonight?" Anas bin Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I will keep guard. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Mount." So he mounted his horse and came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Climb to the top of this mountain in front, (so that) no one attacks us tonight from your side." When morning came, he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed two rak'ahs, then asked: "Have you sensed (any sign of) your horseman?" A man said: We have not. Then the iqamah for the prayer was called. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) kept turning to look toward that valley, until he (peace and blessings be upon him) completed the prayer and said: "Rejoice, your horseman has come." We were looking between the trees when suddenly he came, stood by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and gave the greeting of peace. He said: I reached the top of this valley as you (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded. When morning came, I looked over both valleys and did not see anyone. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Did you come down during the night?" He said: I did not come down except for prayer or to relieve myself. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have made (Paradise) obligatory (for yourself); there is no harm upon you if you do not do (further) deeds after this."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18443
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Shall I not tell you of a night more excellent than Laylat al-Qadr?" Then he said: "Keeping guard in a land of fear, (where the guard) may not return to his family."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18444
Sayyiduna Abu Rayhanah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on a campaign. We climbed a hilltop and were struck by severe cold; we dug pits, got into them, and covered our heads with leather shields. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw the people in this state, he said: "Is there anyone who will guard us tonight? I will supplicate to Allah for him with a supplication through which he will attain excellence." A man from the Ansar stood up and said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I will keep guard. He (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for him. Sayyiduna Abu Rayhanah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I too will keep guard; and he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave me a different supplication from that of the Ansari. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hellfire is forbidden for the eye that shed tears out of fear of Allah, and the fire of Hell is also forbidden for the eye that stays awake keeping guard in the path of Allah." The narrator says: I forgot the third thing. Abu Shurayh (may Allah have mercy on him), who is Abd al-Rahman bin Shurayh, says: I heard from them afterwards: "The fire of Hell is also forbidden for the eye that is kept away from what Allah has made forbidden, or the eye that is gouged out in the path of Allah."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18445
Qays bin al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy on the one who keeps guard."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18446
This hadith has also been narrated through Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18447