Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3157
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يُحَدِّثُ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَامَ فِيهِمْ فَذَكَرَ لَهُمْ " أَنَّ الْجِهَادَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالإِيمَانَ بِاللَّهِ أَفْضَلُ الأَعْمَالِ " . فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قُتِلْتُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَيُكَفِّرُ اللَّهُ عَنِّي خَطَايَاىَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " نَعَمْ إِنْ قُتِلْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَأَنْتَ صَابِرٌ مُحْتَسِبٌ مُقْبِلٌ غَيْرُ مُدْبِرٍ إِلاَّ الدَّيْنَ فَإِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ لِي ذَلِكَ " .
Qutaybah informed us; he said: al-Layth narrated to us, from Said ibn Abi Said, from Abd Allah ibn Abi Qatadah, from Abu Qatadah, who heard him relate from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he stood among them and said: Striving in the cause of Allah and faith in Allah are the best of deeds. A man stood and said: Messenger of Allah, what do you think—if I am killed in the cause of Allah, will Allah erase my sins? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Yes, if you are killed in the cause of Allah while patient and seeking reward, advancing without retreating—except for debt, for Gabriel, peace be upon him, told me that.
Translation notes
This version precedes the question with the statement that striving in Allah’s cause and faith in Allah are the best of deeds, and then qualifies the answer with the exception for debt.