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Text and translation
English translation
1652. Ibn ‘Abbās narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of the people? A man who takes hold of the reins of his horse in Allāh’s cause. Shall I not inform you of the one who comes after him? The man who secludes himself from the people with a small group of sheep of his, thereby fulfilling Allāh’s rights. Shall I not inform you about the worst of the people? A man who is asked by (the Name of) Allāh, but not given by Him.”[1] (Hasan)
[Abū 'Eisā said:] This Ḥadīth is Hasan Gharīb from this route. This Ḥadīth has been reported through other routes from Ibn 'Abbās, from the Prophet ﷺ.
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Footnotes
1
[1] This narration is recorded by Ahmad (1:237 and others), An-Nasā’ī (no. 2570), Ibn Hibbān (no. 604/1594 - Mawārid) and others. See Aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥah no.255. The last person: “A man who is asked by (the Name of) Allāh, but not give by Him” is also recited, alternatively with the meaning: “A man who asks...” many of the commentaries consider that to be more correct. Here, it has been translated according to the text.
Commentary
The best of all deeds is to keep oneself and one's horses ready for the call of Jihād, and the best of all men is the one who fulfills this requirement. If prevailing conditions become so unfavorable as to make it impossible for a person to live in the midst of the people and keep one's faith intact, and there is every likelihood that, far from reforming others, even his own adherence to faith is threatened, the second best thing after Jihād for him to do is to take to a life of seclusion with his small herd of sheep.
