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.
muslim:1904dIsḥāq 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:١٩٠٤dوَحَدَّثَنَا 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  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān
bukhari:123ʿUthmān > Jarīr > Manṣūr > Abū Wāʾil > Abū Mūsá

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! What kind of fighting is in Allah's cause? (I ask this), for some of us fight because of being enraged and angry and some for the sake of his pride and haughtiness." The Prophet ﷺ raised his head (as the questioner was standing) and said, "He who fights so that Allah's Word (Islam) should be superior, then he fights in Allah's cause."  

البخاري:١٢٣حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا الْقِتَالُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَنَا يُقَاتِلُ غَضَبًا وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً فَرَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ رَأْسَهُ قَالَ وَمَا رَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ رَأْسَهُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَائِمًا فَقَالَ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ﷻ  

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

bukhari:7458Muḥammad 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:٧٤٥٨حَدَّثَنَا 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:1904bAbū 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:١٩٠٤bحَدَّثَنَا 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  

nasai:3136Ismāʿīl 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:٣١٣٦أَخْبَرَنَا 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  

abudawud:2517Ḥafṣ 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:٢٥١٧حَدَّثَنَا 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  

tirmidhi:1646Hannād > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Shaqīq b. Salamah > Abū Mūsá

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about a man who fights out of bravery, one who fights out of protection (for himself or others), and one who fought to be seen. Which of them is in the cause of Allah ? He said: 'Whoever fought so that the Word of Allah is supreme, then he is in Allah's cause.'"  

[Abu 'Eisa said:] There is something on this topic from 'Umar. This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.
الترمذي:١٦٤٦حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ شَقِيقِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

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

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عُمَرَ وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
ibnmajah:2783Muḥammad 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:٢٧٨٣حَدَّثَنَا 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:19543Abū 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:١٩٥٤٣حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ شَقِيقٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَرَأَيْتَ الرَّجُلَ يُقَاتِلُ شَجَاعَةً وَيُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَيُقَاتِلُ رِيَاءً فَأَيُّ ذَلِكَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ؟ قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ ﷻ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ﷻ  

ahmad:19631Abū 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:١٩٦٣١حَدَّثَنَا 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  

ahmad:19739Ziyād b. ʿAbdullāh / al-Bakkāʾī > Manṣūr > Shaqīq b. Salamah > Abū Mūsá al-Ashʿarī

Who fights that the word of Allah be exalted fights in the way of Allah. (Using translation from Muslim 1904d)   

أحمد:١٩٧٣٩حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ يَعْنِي الْبَكَّائِيَّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورٌ عَنْ شَقِيقِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ

سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَهُوَ مُنَكِّسٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا الْقِتَالُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ تَعَالَى؟ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَنَا يُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَيُقَاتِلُ غَضَبًا فَلَهُ أَجْرٌ؟ قَالَ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَائِمًا مَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّقَالَ مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ﷻ  

ahmad:19740Ḥasan b. Mūsá > Zuhayr > Manṣūr b. al-Muʿtamir > Abū Wāʾil

[Machine] Abu Musa asked a man, or a man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting, leaning back. He said, "What is fighting in the cause of Allah? For indeed, one of us fights out of zeal and anger, so does he still get reward?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ raised his head towards him, and if he had not been standing or sitting down, the doubt of Zuhair would not have made him raise his head towards him. So he said, "Whoever fights so that the word of Allah becomes supreme, then he is fighting in the cause of Allah."  

أحمد:١٩٧٤٠حَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَنْصُورُ بْنُ الْمُعْتَمِرِ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ قَالَ قَالَ

أَبُو مُوسَى سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَوْ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ جَالِسٌ مُنَكِّسٌ فَقَالَ مَا الْقِتَالُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ﷻ؟ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَنَا يُقَاتِلُ حَمِيَّةً وَغَضَبًا فَلَهُ أَجْرٌ؟ قَالَ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ وَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَائِمًا أَوْ كَانَ قَاعِدًا الشَّكُّ مِنْ زُهَيْرٍ مَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ 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:4636al-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:٤٦٣٦أَخْبَرَنَا 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»  

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