Hadith #165
Arabic Text
وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعَثَ إِلَى مُؤْتَةَ فَاسْتَعْمَلَ زَيْدًا فَإِنْ قُتِلَ زَيْدٌ فَجَعْفَرٌ فَإِنْ قُتِلَ جَعْفَرٌ فَابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَتَخَلَّفَ ابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَجَمَّعَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَرَآهُ فَقَالَ مَا خَلَّفَكَ قَالَ أُجَمِّعُ مَعَكَ قَالَ لَغَدْوَةٌ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا
English Translation
And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent an expedition to Mu'tah and appointed Zayd (ibn Harithah) as commander. If Zayd was killed, then Ja'far (ibn Abi Talib). If Ja'far was killed, then Ibn Rawahah. Ibn Rawahah stayed behind and attended the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. the Prophet ﷺ saw him and said: "What kept you back?" He said: "I wanted to attend the Friday prayer with you." He said: "A morning or evening march in the cause of Allah is better than the world and everything in it."
Topics
Quran References
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Book 9, Hadith 165
Sunnah.com ref: Musnad Ahmad 2203
Islam.wiki ID: IWH-38593