Hadith 24

Sahih Bukhari

Book 56: Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad)

Chapter 13

Practising good deeds before taking part in a battle

بَابُ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ قَبْلَ الْقِتَالِ

Abu Ad-Darda said, "Indeed (the result of) your fighting is according to your deeds." The Statement of Allah عز وجل: "O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do. Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in rows (ranks) as if they were a solid structure" (V.61:2-4).
وَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ إِنَّمَا تُقَاتِلُونَ بِأَعْمَالِكُمْ. وَقَوْلُهُ: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا لاَ تَفْعَلُونَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُمْ بُنْيَانٌ مَرْصُوصٌ}.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2808
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ بْنُ سَوَّارٍ الْفَزَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْبَرَاءَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلٌ مُقَنَّعٌ بِالْحَدِيدِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُقَاتِلُ وَأُسْلِمُ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَسْلِمْ ثُمَّ قَاتِلْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَسْلَمَ ثُمَّ قَاتَلَ، فَقُتِلَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ عَمِلَ قَلِيلاً وَأُجِرَ كَثِيرًا ‏"‏‏.‏
Al-Bara:

A man whose face was covered with an iron mask (i.e. clad in armor) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Shall I fight or embrace Islam first? "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Embrace Islam first and then fight." So he embraced Islam, and was martyred. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, A Little work, but a great reward. "(He did very little (after embracing Islam), but he will be rewarded in abundance).