39/29. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4195 — Two Kinds of Military Campaign
The Stern Warning Against Disobeying The Imam
Jihad Intention: Seeking Allah or Seeking Reputation
Sunan an-Nasai : 4195
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4195
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَقِيَّةُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَحِيرٌ، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ مَعْدَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي بَحْرِيَّةَ، عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْغَزْوُ غَزْوَانِ فَأَمَّا مَنِ ابْتَغَى وَجْهَ اللَّهِ وَأَطَاعَ الإِمَامَ وَأَنْفَقَ الْكَرِيمَةَ وَاجْتَنَبَ الْفَسَادَ فَإِنَّ نَوْمَهُ وَنُبْهَتَهُ أَجْرٌ كُلُّهُ وَأَمَّا مَنْ غَزَا رِيَاءً وَسُمْعَةً وَعَصَى الإِمَامَ وَأَفْسَدَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَرْجِعُ بِالْكَفَافِ " .
Mu'adh bin Jabal Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: "Military campaigns are of two types: as for the one who seeks the Face of Allah, obeys the imam, spends what is precious and avoids mischief, whether he is asleep or awake, he is earning reward. But as for the one who fights in order to show off and gain a reputation, and disobeys the imam and spreads mischief in the land, he comes back empty-handed." (Da 'if)
[1] An-Nisā' 4:59.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4195In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 47English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4200
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4195
This hadith about intention in military campaigns, graded weak in the supplied text, contrasts two kinds of participation. One person seeks the Face of Allah, obeys the imam, spends something precious, and avoids mischief. For that person, both sleeping and waking are described as reward. The other person fights to show off and gain a reputation, disobeys the imam, and spreads corruption in the land. The narration says that this person returns without even breaking even. The contrast is built from intention and conduct together. A claimed religious goal is not presented as enough when the person seeks praise, rejects discipline, or causes harm. Readers searching for the hadith about fighting for show should also note its stated grading and keep the teaching within the wording provided.
What we learn from this hadith
- Seeking Allah’s pleasure is contrasted with seeking public praise.
- Obedience, generous spending, and avoiding mischief are joined with the good intention.
- Showing off, disobedience, and spreading corruption are joined with the blameworthy path.
- The supplied text identifies this narration as weak.
