Book 19: Jihad

Sakhr b. Wada'a al-Ghamidi reported God’s Messenger as saying, "O God, bless my people in their early morning.” When he sent out a detachment or an army he sent them at the beginning of the day. Sakhr was a merchant, and he would send off his merchandise at the beginning of the day; and he became rich and had much wealth. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Keep to travelling by night, for the earth is traversed [more easily]* by night.” *Literally ‘the earth is folded up.' The idea is that at night the journey seems shorter. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, told that his grandfather reported God's Messenger as saying, "A single rider is a devil and a pair of riders are a pair of devils, but three are a company of riders.” Malik, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s Messenger as saying, "When three are on a journey they should appoint one of them as their commander.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, "The best number of companions is four, the best number in expeditions four hundred, and the best number in armies four thousand; and twelve thousand will not be overcome through smallness of numbers." Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Jabir told that God’s Messenger used to keep to the rear when traveling and urge on the weak. He would take someone up behind him and would make supplication for them all. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Tha'laba al-Khushani said that when the people encamped they scattered in the glens and wadis, but when God’s Messenger said, “Your scattering in these glens and wadis is only of the devil," they afterwards kept close together when they encamped to such an extent that it used to be said that if a cloth were spread over them it would cover them all. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas’ud said: At the battle of Badr there was one camel to every three men of us. Abu Lubaba and ‘Ali b. Abu Talib were the travelling companions of God’s Messenger, and when his turn to dismount came they would offer to walk instead of him, but he would reply, “You are not stronger than I am, and I am not more able to dispense with the reward* than you are." * i.e. the reward in the next world for walking part of the way. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “Do not treat the backs of your beasts as pulpits, for God most high has made them subject to you only to convey you to a town which you could not reach without difficulty; and He has appointed the earth for you, so conduct your business on it." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas said: When we encamped we did not glorify God* till we had loosened the saddles. * This is explained as meaning to perform the salat. Cf. Mirqat, iv, 218. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Buraida told that while God’s Messenger was walking a man who had an ass came to him and, moving to the back of the animal, invited him to mount, but he said, “No; you have more right to ride in front on your animal unless you grant that right to me." The man replied that he did, and so he mounted. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sa'id b. Abu Hind told that Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are camels which belong to devils and houses which belong to devils." He1 said he had seen the devils’ camels; one goes out with fine she-camels which he has fattened, neither riding any of them nor giving a lift to a tired brother whom he meets, but he had not seen the devils' houses. Sa'id used to say he thought they were those cages which concealed people2 with brocade. 1. It is commonly held that this refers to Abu Huraira. 2. A various reading has ‘which people concealed’. The cages mean the litters on camels' backs. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sahl b. Mu'adh reported his father as saying: We went on an expedition with the Prophet (ﷺ) and the people occupied so much space that they encroached on the road,* so God’s Prophet sent a man to announce among the people, “Those who occupy much space or encroach on the road will not be credited with jihad.” * This refers to times when they were encamping. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “The best time for a man to go in to his family on returning from a journey is at the beginning of the night.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.