Sahih al-Bukhari

Sahih al-Bukhari 2810

Arabic hadith text

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 ‏"‏‏.‏

Translation

Sulayman ibn Harb narrated to us; Shuʿba narrated to us, from ʿAmr, from Abu Waʾil, from Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: A man came to the Prophet and said, “One man fights for spoils, another fights for renown, and another fights to show his position. Which of them is fighting in Allah’s cause?” He replied, “Whoever fights so that Allah’s word is supreme is fighting in Allah’s cause.”

Translation notes
  • The answer defines the intention that makes the fighting “in Allah’s cause.”