The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْقَارِيُّ - حَىٌّ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ - عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْتَقَى هُوَ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ فَاقْتَتَلُوا . فَلَمَّا مَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِ وَمَالَ الآخَرُونَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِمْ وَفِي أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلٌ لاَ يَدَعُ لَهُمْ شَاذَّةً إِلاَّ اتَّبَعَهَا يَضْرِبُهَا بِسَيْفِهِ فَقَالُوا مَا أَجْزَأَ مِنَّا الْيَوْمَ أَحَدٌ كَمَا أَجْزَأَ فُلاَنٌ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَمَا إِنَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ " . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ أَنَا صَاحِبُهُ أَبَدًا . قَالَ فَخَرَجَ مَعَهُ كُلَّمَا وَقَفَ وَقَفَ مَعَهُ وَإِذَا أَسْرَعَ أَسْرَعَ مَعَهُ - قَالَ - فَجُرِحَ الرَّجُلُ جُرْحًا شَدِيدًا فَاسْتَعْجَلَ الْمَوْتَ فَوَضَعَ نَصْلَ سَيْفِهِ بِالأَرْضِ وَذُبَابَهُ بَيْنَ ثَدْيَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَحَامَلَ عَلَى سَيْفِهِ فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ فَخَرَجَ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . قَالَ " وَمَا ذَاكَ " . قَالَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي ذَكَرْتَ آنِفًا أَنَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَأَعْظَمَ النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا لَكُمْ بِهِ فَخَرَجْتُ فِي طَلَبِهِ حَتَّى جُرِحَ جُرْحًا شَدِيدًا فَاسْتَعْجَلَ الْمَوْتَ فَوَضَعَ نَصْلَ سَيْفِهِ بِالأَرْضِ وَذُبَابَهُ بَيْنَ ثَدْيَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَحَامَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ " إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فِيمَا يَبْدُو لِلنَّاسِ وَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فِيمَا يَبْدُو لِلنَّاسِ وَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ " .
None served us better today than this man Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked: Verily he is one of the denizens of Fire. One of the people (Muslims) said: I will constantly shadow him. Then this man went out along with him. He halted whenever he halted, and ran along with him whenever he ran. He (the narrator) said: The man was seriously injured. He (could not stand the pain) and hastened his own death. He placed the blade of the sword on the ground with the tip between his chest and then pressed himself against the sword and killed himself. Then the man (following him) went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: I bear testimony that verily thou art the Messenger of Allah, He (the Holy Prophet) said: What is the matter? He replied: The person about whom you just mentioned that he was one among the denizens of Fire and the people were surprised (at this) and I said to them that I would bring (the news about him) and consequently I went out in search of him till I (found him ) to be very seriously injured. He hastened his death. He placed the blade of the sword upon the ground and its tip between his chest and then pressed himself against that and killed himself. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked: A person performs the deeds which to the people appear to be the deeds befitting the dweller of Paradise, but he is in fact one of the denizens of Hell. And verily a person does an act which in the eyes of public is one which is done by the denizens of Hell, but the person is one among the dwellers of Paradise.
Narrated by It is reported on the authority of Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi that there was an encounter between the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the polytheists, and they fought (against one another). At the conclusion of the battle the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) bent his steps towards his army and they (the enemies) bent their steps towards their army. And there was a person (his name was Quzman and he was one of the hypocrites) among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who did not spare a detached (fighter of the enemy) but pursued and killed him with the sword. They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said:
Context
In this narration, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ discusses a battle where a companion's actions were questioned regarding his fate in the afterlife. The Prophet's ﷺ statement about outward appearances versus inner realities serves as a profound reminder of the complexities of faith and actions.
Modern Application
This hadith encourages individuals to reflect on their true intentions and actions rather than solely focusing on external perceptions. It promotes authenticity in one's faith and behavior.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Day of Judgment and Prophetic Warning because it warns against misjudging others based on their actions and emphasizes the importance of inner faith.
And those who have believed in Allah and His messengers - those are [in the ranks of] the supporters of truth and the martyrs, with their Lord. For them is their reward and their light. But those who have disbelieved and denied Our verses - those are the companions of Hellfire.
So is one who pursues the pleasure of Allah like one who brings upon himself the anger of Allah and whose refuge is Hell? And wretched is the destination.
And whoever turns his back to them on such a day, unless swerving [as a strategy] for war or joining [another] company, has certainly returned with anger [upon him] from Allah, and his refuge is Hell - and wretched is the destination.
And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits - He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment.
Then is he who will shield with his face the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection [like one secure from it]? And it will be said to the wrongdoers, "Taste what you used to earn."
This hadith is #213 from Sahih Muslim, in the Book of The Book of Faith. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It is reported on the authority of Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi that there was an encounter between the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the polytheists, and they fought (against one another). At the conclusion of the battle the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) bent his steps towards his army and they (the enemies) bent their steps towards their army. And there was a person (his name was Quzman and he was one of the hypocrites) among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who did not spare a detached (fighter of the enemy) but pursued and killed him with the sword. They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said:.