Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
Qurʾān Bukhārī Muslim Nasāʾī Abū Dāwūd Tirmidhī Ibn Mājah Mālik Aḥmad Dārimī Ḥākim Ibn Ḥibbān Ṭabarānī Nasāʾī's Kubrá Bayhaqī al-Luʾluʾ wa-al-Marjān Ibn Rajab's Fifty Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn Aḥmad's Zuhd Suyūṭī
abudawud:2517 – Ḥafṣ b. ʿUmar > Shuʿbah > ʿAmr b. Murrah > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá

Abu Musa said “A beduoin came to the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ and said “One man fights for reputation, one fights for being praised, one fights for booty and one for his place to be seen. (Which of them is in Allaah’s path?)”. The Apostle of Allaah ﷺ replied “The one who fights that Allaah’s word may have pre-eminence is in Allaah’s path.”  

أبو داود:٢٥١٧ – حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى

أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُقَاتِلُ لِلذِّكْرِ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِيُحْمَدَ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِيَغْنَمَ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ قَاتَلَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ أَعْلَى فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ﷻ  

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
bukhari:2810 – Sulaymān b. Ḥarb > Shuʿbah > ʿAmr > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, "A man fights for war booty; another fights for fame and a third fights for showing off; which of them fights in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "He who fights that Allah's Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause."  

البخاري:٢٨١٠ – حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ؓ قَالَ

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِلْمَغْنَمِ وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِلذِّكْرِ وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ فَمَنْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ  

bukhari:3126 – Muḥammad b. Bashhār > Ghundar > Shuʿbah > ʿAmr > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá al-Ashʿarī

A bedouin asked the Prophet, "A man may fight for the sake of booty, and another may fight so that he may be mentioned by the people, and a third may fight to show his position (i.e. bravery); which of these regarded as fighting in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "He who fights so that Allah's Word (i.e. Islam) should be superior, fights for Allah's Cause."  

البخاري:٣١٢٦ – حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَمْرٍو قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيُّ ؓ قَالَ

قَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ: الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِلْمَغْنَمِ وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُذْكَرَ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ مَنْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: «مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهْوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ۔»  

Fighting to elevate the Word of God is what is considered for His sake

bukhari:7458 – Muḥammad b. Kathīr > Sufyān > al-Aʿmash > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "A man fights for pride and haughtiness another fights for bravery, and another fights for showing off; which of these (cases) is in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "The one who fights that Allah's Word (Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause."  

البخاري:٧٤٥٨ – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ: الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَيُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً وَيُقَاتِلُ رِيَاءً، فَأَىُّ ذَلِكَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: «مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهْوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ۔»  

muslim:1904a – Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná And Ibn Bashhār And al-Lafẓ Ibn al-Muthanná > Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar > Shuʿbah > ʿAmr b. Murrah > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá al-Ashʿarī

Messenger of Allah, one man fights fgr the spoils of war; another fights that he may be remembered, and another fights that he may see his (high) position (achieved as a result of his valour in fighting). Which of these is fighting in the cause of God? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Who fights so that the word of Allah is exalted is fighting in the way of Allah.  

مسلم:١٩٠٤a – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى وَابْنُ بَشَّارٍ وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيُّ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَعْرَابِيًّا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِلْمَغْنَمِ وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُذْكَرَ وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ فَمَنْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ أَعْلَى فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ  

muslim:1904b – Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah And Ibn Numayr And ʾIsḥāq b. Ibrāhīm And Muḥammad b. al-ʿAlāʾ > Isḥāq > al-Ākharūn > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Shaqīq > Abū Mūsá

(one who fights) for displaying his valour; (a man who) fights out of his family pride and (a man who) fights for the sake of show, who amongst these fights in the way of Allah? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Who fights that the word of Allah be exalted fights in the way of Allah.  

مسلم:١٩٠٤b – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرُونَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ شَقِيقٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَيُقَاتِلُ رِيَاءً أَىُّ ذَلِكَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ  

muslim:1904d – Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Jarīr > Manṣūr > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá al-Ashʿarī

Who fights that the word of Allah be exalted fights in the way of Allah.  

مسلم:١٩٠٤d – وَحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنِ الْقِتَالِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ﷻ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ غَضَبًا وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً قَالَ فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ وَمَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَائِمًا فَقَالَ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ  

nasai:3136 – Ismāʿīl b. Masʿūd > Khālid > Shuʿbah > ʿAmr b. Murrah > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá al-Ashʿarī

"A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'A man fights for fame, or he fights for the spoils of war, or he fights to show off. Who is the one who is fighting in the cause of Allah?' He said: 'The one who fights so that the word of Allah will be supreme is the one who is fighting in the cause of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.'"  

النسائي:٣١٣٦ – أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ مُرَّةَ أَخْبَرَهُمْ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيُّ قَالَ

جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُذْكَرَ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِيَغْنَمَ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ فَمَنْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ﷻ  

ibnmajah:2783 – Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. Numayr > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Shaqīq > Abū Mūsá

“The Prophet ﷺ was asked about a man who fights to prove his courage, or out of pride and honour for his close relatives, or to show off. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever fights so that the Word of Allah may be supreme is the one who (is fighting) in the cause of Allah.’”  

ابن ماجة:٢٧٨٣ – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ شَقِيقٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَيُقَاتِلُ رِيَاءً فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ  

ahmad:19596 – Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar And ʿAffān > Shuʿbah > ʿAmr b. Murrah > ʿAffān > ʿAmr b. Murrah > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá al-Ashʿarī

Messenger of Allah, one man fights fgr the spoils of war; another fights that he may be remembered, and another fights that he may see his (high) position (achieved as a result of his valour in fighting). Which of these is fighting in the cause of God? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Who fights so that the word of Allah is exalted is fighting in the way of Allah. (Using translation from Muslim 1904a)  

أحمد:١٩٥٩٦ – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ وَعَفَّانُ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ قَالَ عَفَّانُ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ مُرَّةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيُّ

أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِلْمَغْنَمِ وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُذْكَرَ وَالرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ فَمَنْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ﷻ  

ahmad:19631 – Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Shaqīq > Abū Mūsá

(one who fights) for displaying his valour; (a man who) fights out of his family pride and (a man who) fights for the sake of show, who amongst these fights in the way of Allah? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Who fights that the word of Allah be exalted fights in the way of Allah. (Using translation from Muslim 1904b)  

أحمد:١٩٦٣١ – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ شَقِيقٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَيَقَاتِلُ رِيَاءً فَأَيُّ ذَلِكَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ تَعَالَى؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ﷻ  

ذِكْرُ وَصْفِ الْغَزْوِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي يَأْجُرُ اللَّهُ مَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ

ibnhibban:4636 – al-Faḍl b. al-Ḥubāb > Muḥammad b. Kathīr al-ʿAbdī > Sufyān > al-Aʿmash > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "A man fights for pride and haughtiness another fights for bravery, and another fights for showing off; which of these (cases) is in Allah's Cause?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "The one who fights that Allah's Word (Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah's Cause." (See Hadith No. 65, Vol. 4) (Using translation from Bukhārī 7458)  

ابن حبّان:٤٦٣٦ – أَخْبَرَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ الْعَبْدِيُّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَيُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً وَيُقَاتِلُ رِيَاءً فَأَنَّى ذَلِكَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ «مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ»  

nasai-kubra:4329 – Ismāʿīl b. Masʿūd > Khālid > Shuʿbah > ʿAmr b. Murrah > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá al-Ashʿarī

"A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'A man fights for fame, or he fights for the spoils of war, or he fights to show off. Who is the one who is fighting in the cause of Allah?' He said: 'The one who fights so that the word of Allah will be supreme is the one who is fighting in the cause of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3136)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٤٣٢٩ – أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ مُرَّةَ أَخْبَرَهُمْ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا وَائِلٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيُّ قَالَ

جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُقَاتِلُ لِيُذْكَرَ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِلْمَغْنَمِ وَيُقَاتِلُ لِيُرَى مَكَانُهُ فَمَنْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ؟ قَالَ «مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ»