Who is the best of men? He replied: A man who fights in the way of Allah spending his wealth and staking his life. The man then asked: Who is next to him (in excellence)? He said: Next to him is a believer who lives in a mountain gorge worshipping hid Lord and sparing men from his mischief.  

أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يُجَاهِدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِمَالِهِ وَنَفْسِهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ مُؤْمِنٌ فِي شِعْبٍ مِنَ الشِّعَابِ يَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ رَبَّهُ وَيَدَعُ النَّاسَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ  

A man asked: Messenger of Allah, which of men is the best? He said: A believer who fights staking his life and spending his wealth in the way of Allah. He asked: Who is next to him (in excellence)? He said: Next to him is a man who lives an isolated life in a mountain gorge, worshipping his Lord and sparing men from his mischief.  

رَجُلٌ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ مُؤْمِنٌ يُجَاهِدُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ثُمَّ رَجُلٌ مُعْتَزِلٌ فِي شِعْبٍ مِنَ الشِّعَابِ يَعْبُدُ رَبَّهُ وَيَدَعُ النَّاسَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ  

A version of the tradition narrated on the authority of Ibn Shihab has a little differently worded ending. i. e." A man in a mountain valley." but did not mention" next to him a man who...."  

وَرَجُلٌ فِي شِعْبٍ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ ثُمَّ رَجُلٌ  

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.  

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  

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a slight variation of wording.  

عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَقَالَ عَنْ بَعْجَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَدْرٍ وَقَالَ فِي شِعْبَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشِّعَابِ خِلاَفَ رِوَايَةِ يَحْيَى  

Two more versions of the tradition narrated by 'Abdullah b. Badr and Abu Huraira, respectively, have been handed down through different chains of transmitters with negligible difference in the wording.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ بَعْجَةَ وَقَالَ فِي شِعْبٍ مِنَ الشِّعَابِ