حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الْعَتَكِيُّ، وَأَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ فُضَيْلُ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي الرَّبِيعِ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ زَيْدٍ - حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ سِتُّونَ امْرَأَةً فَقَالَ لأَطُوفَنَّ عَلَيْهِنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ فَتَحْمِلُ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ فَتَلِدُ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ غُلاَمًا فَارِسًا يُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَلَمْ تَحْمِلْ مِنْهُنَّ إِلاَّ وَاحِدَةٌ فَوَلَدَتْ نِصْفَ إِنْسَانٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لَوْ كَانَ اسْتَثْنَى لَوَلَدَتْ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ غُلاَمًا فَارِسًا يُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏
Translation
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Zinad with the same chain of transmitters with a variation of (these words)

" Every one of them giving birth to a child, who would have fought in the cause of Allah."

Comment

Hadith Text & Context

The statement "Every one of them giving birth to a child, who would have fought in the cause of Allah" is part of a hadith from Sahih Muslim, specifically in The Book of Oaths (Kitab al-Aiman). This narration describes the immense reward and status of women who patiently endure hardship and remain steadfast in their faith, with their offspring becoming righteous warriors for Allah's cause.

Scholarly Commentary (Tafsir)

Classical scholars explain that this hadith highlights the profound spiritual station of pious women. Their steadfastness and righteous upbringing of children are considered a form of jihad. The phrase "fought in the cause of Allah" (qatala fi sabil Allah) signifies not merely physical combat but encompasses all forms of striving for Allah's pleasure, including spiritual struggle, defending the faith, and upholding justice.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes that such descriptions demonstrate how a mother's piety directly influences her descendants, creating a legacy of faith. The "child" mentioned represents righteous progeny who contribute to the strength and preservation of the Muslim community.

Legal & Spiritual Implications

This narration establishes that women's roles in nurturing future generations of believers are divinely rewarded equivalent to military jihad in merit. Al-Nawawi comments that such women attain the reward of martyrs without necessarily dying in battle, emphasizing the spiritual value of motherhood in Islam.

The hadith also illustrates Islam's holistic view of worship, where domestic duties and child-rearing, when performed with righteous intention, become acts of worship comparable to the highest forms of religious service.