Hadith 597

Riyad as-Salihin

Book 0: The Book of Miscellany

Chapter 69

Desirability of Seclusion at times of corruption committed by the people of the World

باب استحباب العزلة عند فساد الناس والزمان أو الخوف من فتنة فى الدين ووقوع فى حرام وشبهات ونحوها

Riyad as-Salihin 597
وعن أبي سعيد الخدرى رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رجل‏:‏ أى الناس أفضل يا رسول الله‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏"‏مؤمن مجاهد بنفسه وماله فى سبيل الله‏"‏ قال‏:‏ ثم من‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ ‏"‏ رجل معتزل فى شعب من الشعاب يعبد ربه‏"‏ وفى رواية‏:‏ ‏"‏يتقي الله، ويدع الناس من شره‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

Someone asked Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Who is the best man?" He (ﷺ) answered, "A believer who strives in the Cause of Allah with his life and his wealth." The man asked: "Who is the next?" He said, "One who retires into a narrow valley and worships his Rubb."Another narration is: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "One who fears Allah and safeguards people against his own mischief."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].