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
bayhaqi:18497 – [Chain 1] Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū al-Ḥasan al-ʿAnazī > ʿUthmān b. Saʿīd al-Dārimī > Yaḥyá b. Yaḥyá [Chain 2] Abū Naṣr b. Qatādah And ʾAbū Bakr b. Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-ʿAṭṭār al-Ḥīrī Waʾabū Bakr Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm al-Fārisī > Abū ʿAmr b. Maṭar > Ibrāhīm b. ʿAlī al-Dhuhlī > Yaḥyá b. Yaḥyá > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abū Ḥāzim from his father > Baʿjah > Abū Hurayrah ؓ

[Machine] "From the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , that he said: Among the best livelihood for people is a man holding onto the reins of his horse in the cause of Allah, flying on its back whenever he hears a warning or a call to arms, seeking martyrdom and death for the sake of Allah. Or a man in a spoils of war in the forefront of the battlefield or in the depths of a valley, establishing prayer, giving zakat, and worshiping his Lord until certainty comes to him. There is no one among people except that they are in goodness."  

البيهقي:١٨٤٩٧ – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْعَنَزِيُّ ثنا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الدَّارِمِيُّ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى ح وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو نَصْرِ بْنُ قَتَادَةَ وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْعَطَّارُ الْحِيرِيُّ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْفَارِسِيُّ قَالُوا ثنا أَبُو عَمْرِو بْنُ مَطَرٍ ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الذُّهْلِيُّ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى أنبأ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْجَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَعَاشِ النَّاسِ رَجُلٌ مُمْسِكٌ بِعِنَانِ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ يَطِيرُ عَلَى مَتْنِهِ كُلَّمَا سَمِعَ هَيْعَةً أَوْ فَزْعَةً طَارَ عَلَيْهِ يَبْتَغِي الْقَتْلَ وَالْمَوْتَ مَظَانَّهُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ فِي غَنِيمَةٍ فِي رَأْسِ شَعَفَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّعَفِ أَوْ بَطْنِ وَادٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَوْدِيَةِ يُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَيَعْبُدُ رَبَّهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْيَقِينُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا فِي خَيْرٍ  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَحْيَى وَرَوَاهُ عَنْ قُتَيْبَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ وَيَعْقُوبَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ كِلَيْهِمَا عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَقَالَ عَنْ بَعْجَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ بَدْرٍ وَقَالَ فِي شُعْبَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشِّعَابِ

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Muslim, Ibn Mājah, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī
muslim:1889a – Yaḥyá b. Yaḥyá al-Tamīmī > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abū Ḥāzim from his father > Baʿjah > Abū Hurayrah

Of the men he lives the best life who holds the reins of his horse (ever ready to march) in the way of Allah, flies on its back whenever he hears a fearful shriek, or a call for help, flies to it seeking death at places where it can be expected. (Next to him) is a man who lives with his sheep at a hill-top or in a valley, says his prayers regularly, gives Zakat and worships his Lord until death comes to him. There is no better person among men except these two.  

مسلم:١٨٨٩a – حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْجَةَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَعَاشِ النَّاسِ لَهُمْ رَجُلٌ مُمْسِكٌ عِنَانَ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَطِيرُ عَلَى مَتْنِهِ كُلَّمَا سَمِعَ هَيْعَةً أَوْ فَزْعَةً طَارَ عَلَيْهِ يَبْتَغِي الْقَتْلَ وَالْمَوْتَ مَظَانَّهُ أَوْ رَجُلٌ فِي غُنَيْمَةٍ فِي رَأْسِ شَعَفَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّعَفِ أَوْ بَطْنِ وَادٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأَوْدِيَةِ يُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَيَعْبُدُ رَبَّهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْيَقِينُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ فِي خَيْرٍ  

ibnmajah:3977 – Muḥammad b. al-Ṣabbāḥ > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abū Ḥāzim from my father > Baʿjah b. ʿAbdullāh b. Badr al-Juhanī > Abū Hurayrah

“The best lifestyle is that of a man who holds onto the reins of his horse for the sake of Allah, riding on its back. Every time he hears a commotion he rushes towards it, seeking death wherever he thinks he can find it; and a man who tends sheep at the top of one of these peaks, or in the bottom of one of these valleys, establishing the prayer, paying the charity, and worshipping his Lord until the inevitable (death) comes to him and there is nothing between him and the people except good.”  

ابن ماجة:٣٩٧٧ – حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ بَعْجَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَدْرٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ خَيْرُ مَعَايِشِ النَّاسِ لَهُمْ رَجُلٌ مُمْسِكٌ بِعِنَانِ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَيَطِيرُ عَلَى مَتْنِهِ كُلَّمَا سَمِعَ هَيْعَةً أَوْ فَزْعَةً طَارَ عَلَيْهِ إِلَيْهَا يَبْتَغِي الْمَوْتَ أَوِ الْقَتْلَ مَظَانَّهُ وَرَجُلٌ فِي غُنَيْمَةٍ فِي رَأْسِ شَعَفَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشِّعَافِ أَوْ بَطْنِ وَادٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأَوْدِيَةِ يُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَيَعْبُدُ رَبَّهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْيَقِينُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ فِي خَيْرٍ  

nasai-kubra:8779 – Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Yaʿqūb > Abū Ḥāzim > Baʿjah b. Badr al-Juhanī > Abū Hurayrah

“The best lifestyle is that of a man who holds onto the reins of his horse for the sake of Allah, riding on its back. Every time he hears a commotion he rushes towards it, seeking death wherever he thinks he can find it; and a man who tends sheep at the top of one of these peaks, or in the bottom of one of these valleys, establishing the prayer, paying the charity, and worshipping his Lord until the inevitable (death) comes to him and there is nothing between him and the people except good.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3977)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٨٧٧٩ – أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ بَعْجَةَ بْنِ بَدْرٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «خَيْرُ مَا عَاشَ النَّاسُ لَهُ رَجُلٌ مُمْسِكٌ بِعِنَانِ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ كُلَّمَا سَمِعَ هَيْعَةً أَوْ فَزْعَةً طَارَ عَلَى مَتْنِ فَرَسِهِ فَالْتَمَسَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْقَتْلَ فِي مَظَانِّهِ أَوْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ شُعْبَةٍ فِي هَذِهِ الشِّعَابِ أَوْ فِي بَطْنِ وَادٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَوْدِيَةِ فِي غَنِيمَةٍ لَهُ يُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَيَعْبُدُ اللهَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْيَقِينُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا فِي خَيْرٍ»  

قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: {وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ} [الحجر: 99]

nasai-kubra:11213 – Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Yaʿqūb > Abū Ḥāzim > Baʿjah b. Badr al-Juhanī > Abū Hurayrah

“The best lifestyle is that of a man who holds onto the reins of his horse for the sake of Allah, riding on its back. Every time he hears a commotion he rushes towards it, seeking death wherever he thinks he can find it; and a man who tends sheep at the top of one of these peaks, or in the bottom of one of these valleys, establishing the prayer, paying the charity, and worshipping his Lord until the inevitable (death) comes to him and there is nothing between him and the people except good.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3977)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١١٢١٣ – أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ بَعْجَةَ بْنِ بَدْرٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «خَيْرُ مَا عَاشَ النَّاسُ لَهُ رَجُلٌ يُمْسِكُ بِعِنَانِ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ كُلَّمَا سَمِعَ هَيْعَةً أَوْ فَزْعَةً طَارَ عَلَى مَتْنِ فَرَسِهِ فَالْتَمَسَ الْمَوْتَ فِي مَظَانِّهِ أَوْ رَجُلٌ فِي شُعْبَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشِّعَابِ أَوْ فِي بَطْنِ وَادٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَوْدِيَةِ فِي غُنَيْمَةٍ لَهُ يُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ وَيَعْبُدُ اللهَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْيَقِينُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا فِي خَيْرٍ»  

suyuti:23623a –
Request/Fix translation

  

السيوطي:٢٣٦٢٣a –

"مِنْ خَيرِ مَعَاشِ النَّاسِ: رَجُلٌ مُمْسِكٌ عِنَانَ فَرَسِهِ في سَبيلِ الله، يَطِيرُ عَلَى مَتْنِهِ، كُلَّمَا سَمِعَ هَيْعَةً أُوْ فَزْعَةً طَارَ عَلَيهِ، يَبْتَغِي القَتْلَ وَالمَوتَ مَظَانَّهُ، أَوْ رَجُل في غُنَيمَة في رَأسِ شَعَفَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّعَفِ، أَوْ بَطنِ وَادٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأَوْدِيَةِ، يُقِيمُ الصَّلاةَ، وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، وَيَعْبُدُ رَبَّهُ حَتَّى يَأتِيَه اليَقِينُ، لَيسَ مِنَ النَّاس إلا في خَيرٍ".  

[م] مسلم [هـ] ابن ماجة عن أبي هريرة