عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَامَ فِيهِمْ، فَذَكَرَ أَنَّ الْجِهَادَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ، وَالْإيمَانَ بِاللّهِ أَفْضَلُ الْأَعْمَالِ، فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللّهِ، أَرأَيْتَ إِنْ قُتِلْتُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ تُكَفَّرُ عَنِّي خَطَايَايَ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نَعَمْ، إِنْ قُتِلْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَأَنْتَ صَابِرٌ مُحْتَسِبٌ مُقْبِلٌ غَيْرُ مُدْبِرٍ» ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «كَيْفَ قُلْتَ؟» قَالَ: أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قُتِلْتُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَتُكَفَّرُ عَنِّي خَطَايَايَ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «نَعَمْ، وَأنْتَ صَابرٌ مُحْتَسِبٌ، مُقْبِلٌ غَيْرُ مُدْبِرٍ، إلَّا الدَّيْنَ، فَإِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قَالَ لِي ذَلِكَ» رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ.
Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood among them and mentioned that jihad in the path of Allah and faith in Allah are the best of deeds. A man stood and said, "O Messenger of Allah, tell me: if I am killed in the path of Allah, will my sins be expiated for me?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Yes, if you are killed in the path of Allah while being patient, seeking [Allah's] reward, advancing and not retreating." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What did you say?" He said, "Tell me: if I am killed in the path of Allah, will my sins be expiated for me?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes, [if] you are patient, seeking reward, advancing and not retreating — except debt; for Gabriel (peace be upon him) told me that." Reported by Muslim.
الشرح · explanation
أرأيت: أي أخبرني. محتسب: أي مخلصٌ للّهِ عزَّ وجلَّ طالبٌ لِلأجرِ والمثوبةِ لا لِلرِّياءِ وَالسُّمْعَةِ. كيف قلت: أي أَعِدِ القولَ والسُّؤالَ، استعاد سؤاله ليعيد جوابه مقيدًا بما يأتي، مبالغة في عظم أمر الدَّين.
"Araʾayta (tell me)": that is, inform me. "Seeking reward (muhtasib)": that is, sincere to Allah (the Mighty and Majestic), seeking reward and recompense, not for show or reputation. "What did you say? (kayfa qulta)": that is, repeat your statement and your question. He had him repeat his question so as to restate his answer qualified by what follows, emphasizing the gravity of the matter of debt.
الدروس · lessons
أنّ للمجاهد فضيلة عظيمة وهي تكفير خطاياه كلها إلّا حقوق الآدميين. أنّ تكفير الخطايا مشروط بما ذكر في الحديث من الصبر والاحتساب والإقبال على الجهاد وترك الفرار. أنّ الأعمال لا تنفع بغير إخلاص. تنبيه كون الديون لا تكفّر محمول على من امتنع من الأداء مع تمكنه منه، وأمّا إذا قصد الوفاء ولم يجد له سبيلًا فالمرجو من كرم اللّهِ أن يُرضِي عنه خصومه كما جاء في بعض الأحاديث.
That the fighter has a great virtue: the expiation of all his sins except the rights of [other] human beings. That the expiation of sins is conditional upon what the hadith mentions: patience, seeking [Allah's] reward, advancing into battle, and not fleeing. That deeds are of no benefit without sincerity. A note: The fact that debts are not expiated is understood to apply to one who refused to repay despite being able to; but if one intended to repay and found no way to do so, then it is hoped, from the generosity of Allah, that He will satisfy his creditors on his behalf, as has come in some hadiths.