Hadith #560

Arabic Text

English Translation

Muʿāwiyah ibn ʿAmr narrated to us saying: Abū Isḥāq — meaning al-Fazārī — narrated to us, from Ṣafwān — meaning Ibn ʿAmr — from Abū al-Muthannā, from ʿUtbah ibn ʿAbd al-Sulamī — who was one of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ — who said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Those killed [in battle] are of three types: a believing man who fights with his self and his wealth in the cause of Allah until, when he meets the enemy, he fights them until he is killed — that is the martyr, exalted in the tent of Allah beneath His Throne; only the Prophet ﷺs surpass him, and only by the degree of prophethood. And a believing man who has burdened himself with sins and transgressions, who fights with his self and his wealth in the cause of Allah until, when he meets the enemy, he fights until he is killed — his sins and transgressions are wiped away, for the sword is an eraser of sins, and he enters through whichever gate of Paradise he wishes, for it has eight gates, while Hell has seven gates, and some are worse than others. And a hypocrite who fights with his self and his wealth until, when he meets the enemy, he fights in the cause of Allah until he is killed — that one is in the Fire, for the sword does not erase hypocrisy.' Yaʿmar ibn Bishr narrated to us, ʿAbdullāh narrated to us, Ṣafwān ibn ʿAmr informed us that Abū al-Muthannā al-Umlūkī narrated to him that he heard ʿUtbah ibn ʿAbd al-Sulamī — who was one of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ — narrating from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said: 'Those killed are of three types' — and he mentioned the same meaning.