Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad)

Musa bin Anas, while recounting the day of Yamama, said: Anas came to Thabit bin Qais, who had uncovered his thighs and was applying hanut. Anas asked: “Uncle, what is keeping you from joining us?” He replied: “I am coming now, nephew.” He continued applying the funerary perfume—meaning the hanut—then came and sat down. The report mentions that people had fled. Thabit said: “Make way before us so that we may fight the enemy. We did not behave like this when we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. What a bad habit you have taught your peers!” Hammad also narrated it from Thabit, from Anas.

Jabir reported that the Prophet ﷺ said on the day of the Confederates: “Who will bring me news of the enemy?” Al-Zubayr said: “I will.” The Prophet asked again, “Who will bring me news of the enemy?” Al-Zubayr replied again: “I will.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every prophet had a devoted disciple, and my devoted disciple is al-Zubayr.”

Jabir bin Abdullah reported: The Prophet ﷺ called for volunteers—Ṣadaqa said, “I think this was on the day of the Trench”—and al-Zubayr volunteered. He called again, and al-Zubayr volunteered; then he called the people once more, and al-Zubayr volunteered. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Every prophet had a devoted disciple, and my devoted disciple is al-Zubayr bin al-Awwam.”

Malik bin al-Huwairith reported: As I was leaving the Prophet ﷺ, he said to me and a companion of mine: “Both of you should call the adhan and say the iqama for prayer, and let the older of you lead you.”

Abdullah bin Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Good will remain tied to the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection.”

Urwa bin al-Jaʿd reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Good will remain tied to the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection.” Sulayman also transmitted it from Shuʿba, from Urwa bin Abi al-Jaʿd. Musaddad corroborated it through Hushaym, from Husayn, from al-Shaʿbi, from Urwa bin Abi al-Jaʿd.

Anas bin Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Blessing is tied to the forelocks of horses.”

Urwa al-Bariqi reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Good will remain tied to the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection: reward and spoils.”

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever keeps a horse in the cause of Allah, believing in Allah and affirming His promise, will have its feed, drink, dung, and urine placed on his scale on the Day of Resurrection.”

Abu Qatada went out with the Prophet ﷺ, then stayed behind with some companions who were in ihram, while he himself was not. They saw a wild donkey before he did, but said nothing until he saw it. Abu Qatada mounted his horse, called al-Jarada, and asked them to hand him his whip; they refused, so he took it himself, pursued the donkey, and killed it. He ate some of it, and they ate too, but later regretted doing so. When they caught up with the Prophet ﷺ, he asked: “Do you have any of its meat with you?” Abu Qatada replied: “We have its leg.” The Prophet ﷺ took it and ate.

Sahl reported: “In our walled garden the Prophet ﷺ had a horse called al-Luhaif.” Abu Abd Allah said: “Some transmitters called it al-Lukhayf.”

Muadh reported: I was riding behind the Prophet ﷺ on a donkey called ʿUfayr. He asked: “Muadh, do you know Allah’s right over His servants, and the servants’ right over Allah?” I replied: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “Allah’s right over His servants is that they worship Him and associate nothing with Him; and the servants’ right over Allah is that He not punish anyone who associates nothing with Him.” I said: “Messenger of Allah, shall I give people this good news?” He replied: “Do not tell them, or they will rely on it.”

Anas bin Malik reported: There was an alarm in Medina, so the Prophet ﷺ borrowed a horse of ours called Mandub. When he returned, he said: “We saw no cause for alarm, and we found him as swift as the sea.”

Abdullah bin Umar reported that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say: “An ill omen is associated with three things: a horse, a woman, and a house.”

Sahl bin Saʿd al-Saʿidi reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If there is ill omen in anything, it is in a woman, a horse, or a dwelling.”

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Horses are kept for one of three people: one earns a reward, one has protection, and one bears a burden of sin. The one who earns a reward is a person who tethers a horse in the cause of Allah in a pasture or garden, letting its tether reach far. Whatever it eats within the pasture or garden is counted as good deeds for him. If it breaks loose and runs up one or two hillocks, its droppings and hoofprints are counted as good deeds for him. If it passes by a river and drinks from it, even though he did not intend to water it, that too counts as good deeds for him. Another person keeps a horse out of pride, to show off and to oppose the Muslims; it is a burden of sin for him.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about donkeys and said: “Nothing has been revealed to me about them except this comprehensive, singular verse: ‘Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.’”

Abu al-Mutawakkil al-Naji said: I went to Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari and asked him to tell me what he had heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Jabir said: I traveled with him on one of his journeys. Abu Aqil said: “I do not know whether it was a military expedition or an ʿumra.” As we were returning, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever wishes to reach his family sooner, let him hurry.” Jabir continued: We set out, and I was riding my dark, unmarked camel, with the people behind me. As I rode, it stopped. The Prophet ﷺ came up and said: “Hold on, Jabir.” He struck it once with his whip, and it sprang forward. He asked: “Will you sell the camel?” I said yes. When we reached Medina, the Prophet ﷺ entered the mosque with groups of his Companions. I went to him after tethering the camel by the paved area and said: “Here is your camel.” He came out, walked around it, and said: “The camel is ours.” Then the Prophet ﷺ sent some silver coins and said: “Give them to Jabir.” He asked: “Have you received the full price?” I said yes. He said: “The price and the camel are both yours.”

Anas bin Malik reported: There was an alarm in Medina, so the Prophet ﷺ borrowed Abu Talha’s horse, Mandub, and rode it. He said: “We saw no cause for alarm, and we found him swift as the sea.”

Abdullah bin Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ assigned two shares to a horse and one share to its rider. Malik said that shares are assigned to horses, including non-Arabian horses, based on the verse: “And horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride” (16:8), but no more than one horse receives a share.

A man asked al-Bara bin ʿAzib: “Did you flee from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the day of Hunayn?” Al-Bara replied: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not flee. The Hawazin were skilled archers. When we met them, we charged and they retreated. The Muslims then turned to the spoils, while the enemy faced us with arrows. As for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he did not flee. I saw him on his white mule, with Abu Sufyan holding its reins, as the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘I am the Prophet—this is no lie. I am the son of Abd al-Muttalib.’”