Gardens of the Righteous — Page 222
222. GARDENS OF THE RIGHTEOUS and asked: Who is the best of mankind? He answered: A believer who strives with his person and his property in the cause of Allah. The man asked: And after him? He said: A believer who worships Allah in a mountain valley and spares people all mischief (Bokhari and Muslim). 1295. Sahl ibn Sa'ad relates that the Holy Prophet said: Patrolling the frontier for a day is better than the world and all it contains. Your being allotted a strip in Paradise no wider than your horse-whip is better than the world and all it contains. Being occupied with striving in the cause of Allah for a morning or an evening is better than the world and all it contains (Bokhari and Muslim). 1296. Salman relates that he heard the Holy Prophet say: Patrolling the frontier for a day and a night is better than a month's fasting and voluntary. Prayer at night and should such a one die while engaged in such patrolling, that with which he was occupied and his provision will both be continued and he will be shielded against the trials of the grave (Muslim). 1297. Fuzalah ibn Ubaid relates that the Holy Prophet said: Death puts an end to all action, except in the case of one who patrols the frontier in the cause of Allah, for his activity continues to grow till the Day of Judgment and he is shielded against the trials of the grave (Abu Daud and Tirmidhi). 1298. Uthman relates that he heard the Holy Prophet say: Patrolling the frontier for a day in the cause of Allah is better than a thousand days of other good works (Tirmidhi). 1299. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: To him who goes forth in His cause, impelled only by the desire to strive in His cause, and by faith in Him and by his affirmation of the truth of His Messengers, Allah guarantees that He will admit him to Paradise or bring him back to the home from which he issued forth together with the reward or spoils achieved by him. . By Him in Whose hands is Muhammad's life such a one will suffer no injury in the cause of Allah but that he will appear on the Day of Judgment in the same condition in which he was on the day when he received the injury, its colour will be the colour of blood and its smell will be like the fragrance of musk. By Him in Whose hands is Muhammad's life, were it not that it would be hard upon the Muslims, I would not tarry behind any party whatever that goes forth to fight in the cause of Allah; but I have not the means to provide transportation for them nor have they and it would be hard on them to remain behind while I went forth. By Him in Whose hands is Muhammad's life, I would wish to fight in the cause of Allah and be killed, and to fight again and be killed, and to fight again and be killed (Muslim). 1300. Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: Everyone who is injured in the cause of Allah will appear on the Day of Judgment with his wound bleeding, its colour the colour of blood and its smell like the fragrance of musk (Bokhari and Muslim). 1301. Mu'az relates that the Holy Prophet said: Paradise becomes incumbent for a Muslim who fights for the cause of Allah for the briefest