Mishkat al-Masabih #3762
Jihad
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
وَعَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «سَيِّدُ الْقَوْمِ فِي السَّفَرِ خَادِمُهُمْ فَمَنْ سَبَقَهُمْ بِخِدْمَةٍ لَمْ يَسْبِقُوهُ بِعَمَلٍ إِلَّا الشَّهَادَةَ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي «شعب الْإِيمَان»
Sahl b. Sa'd reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The lord of the people on a journey is their servant,* and he who precedes them in service will not be preceded by them on account of any deed but martyrdom.”
* This is said to mean either that the leader must look after the interests of his followers, or that even the humblest member who serves the others is rewarded by God as if he were the dealer.
Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #3762 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of Jihad.