The Best of Livelihoods for People
16 - ʿAbd Allāh narrated to us, saying: Saʿīd ibn Sulaymān al-Aḥwal al-Makhzūmī narrated to us, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Abī Ḥāzim narrated to us, from his father, from Baʿja ibn ʿAbd Allāh, from Abū Hurayra, who said: The Messenger of Allāh, Peace and blessings of God be upon him, said: "Indeed, among the best livelihoods of people for them is a man holding the reins of his horse, flying on its back; whenever he hears a battle cry or alarm, he flies on its back seeking death or killing in its place; or a man on top of one of these mountain peaks or in the bottom of one of these valleys, who establishes the Prayer, gives Zakat, and worships his Lord until certainty comes to him, interacting with people in no way except in a good cause." (1)
Notes
- (1) Sahih (Authentic).
It was transmitted by Muslim (1889/125), al-Nasāʾī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā (11767), Ibn Mājah (3977), Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr in his Sunan (2736), Abū ʿAwāna (5/57–59), Ibn Manda in al-Īmān (459), al-Bayhaqī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā (9/159) and in al-Shuʿab (9596), and al-Qushayrī in al-Risāla (p. 50), from the route of Abū Ḥāzim, with it.
His statement: "Livelihood of people": maʿāsh is living, i.e., life.
Al-Nawawī said: "And its implied meaning — and God knows best — is: among the best conditions of their living is a man holding..."
His statement: "Holding the reins of his horse": that is, prepared, waiting, and personally dedicated to striving in the cause of God.
And "flew upon its back", that is, he moves very swiftly upon its back as if he were flying.
And "frightening sound": the noise made upon the arrival of the enemy.
And "or alarm": rushing forth to face the enemy.
And "seeking death and being killed in its places": meaning, he seeks it in the places where it is expected, out of his intense desire for martyrdom.
This translation was produced with AI assistance and is part of an ongoing human-review process. Found a mistake? Use the feedback option in the reader menu.
