Hadith Text
وَعَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي أَوْفَىٰ رضي الله عنهما أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي بَعْضِ أَيَّامِهِ الَّتِي لَقِيَ فِيهَا الْعَدُوَّ، انْتَظَرَ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا مَالتِ الشَّمْسُ قَامَ فِيهِمْ، فَقَالَ:
«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ الْعَدُوِّ، وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ الْعَافِيَةَ، فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوفِ».ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ:
«اللَّهُمَّ مُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابِ، مُجْرِيَ السَّحَابِ، هَازِمَ الْأَحْزَابِ، اهْزِمْهُمْ وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ».مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
وبالله التَّوْفِيقُ.
Full Translation
On the authority of Abu Ibrāhīm ʿAbdullāh ibn Abī Awfā (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that on one of the days when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ faced his enemy, he waited until the sun tilted, then he stood among them and said:
“O people, do not wish to meet the enemy, and ask Allah for safety. But when you meet them, then be patient, and know that the Garden is under the shade of the swords.”
Then the Prophet ﷺ said:
“O Allah, Downlader of the Book, Driver of the clouds, Defeater of the factions, defeat them and grant us victory over them.”
Agreed upon.
And with Allah is the success.
Meanings of Key Words
- لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ الْعَدُوِّ — do not wish to meet the enemy; do not seek hardship for its own sake, do not ask for battle when you can ask for safety.
- اسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ الْعَافِيَةَ — ask Allah for safety; the first request should be for protection, not for conflict.
- فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا — but when you meet them, then be patient; when the moment comes, you do not run. You hold firm.
- الْجَنَّةُ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوفِ — the Garden is under the shade of the swords; the highest reward is won through the hardest trial, through the moment where life and death are close.
- مُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابِ — Downlader of the Book; Allah sent the Qur’an, the guidance, the law.
- مُجْرِيَ السَّحَابِ — Driver of the clouds; Allah controls the rain, the clouds, the natural world.
- هَازِمَ الْأَحْزَابِ — Defeater of the factions; Allah breaks the enemies of the believers, the groups who oppose the truth.
- اهْزِمْهُمْ وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ — defeat them and grant us victory over them; the duʿāʾ for victory, not for personal revenge.
Hadith Lessons
This hadith is about the believer’s position in the face of the enemy. It is not about seeking war. It is about patience when the moment comes, and trust in Allah for the reward.
The Prophet ﷺ does not tell the people to wish for battle. He tells them to ask for safety. He does not say: “Go and fight for the sake of fighting.” He says: “Ask Allah for safety. But when you meet them, be patient.” This is the difference between seeking hardship and accepting hardship when it comes.
The most powerful line is: “The Garden is under the shade of the swords.” This is not a call to blood. It is a call to station. The highest reward is won through the hardest trial. The moment where life and death are close is the moment where the believer can reach the highest station. This is not about glory. It is about sacrifice.
The duʿāʾ at the end shows the direction of the heart. The Prophet ﷺ does not say: “Kill them.” He says: “O Defeater of the factions, defeat them and grant us victory over them.” This is not personal revenge. It is seeking Allah’s help, not his own power.
Life Example: The Struggle in Work
Imagine a person who works in a difficult environment. There is conflict. There is pressure. There is the enemy of stress, of failure, of burnout. The person wants to escape. He wants to quit. He wants to avoid the battle.
The hadith says:
- Do not wish for the battle. Ask Allah for safety.
- But when the battle comes, be patient.
- Know that the reward is under the shade of the struggle.
Example in Family
Imagine a family where there is conflict. There is tension. There is the enemy of misunderstanding, of anger, of division. The person wants to escape. He wants to leave. He wants to avoid the battle.
The hadith says:
- Do not wish for the battle. Ask Allah for safety.
- But when the battle comes, be patient.
- Know that the reward is under the shade of the struggle.
What Makes This Hadith Different
This hadith is not about seeking war. It is about patience when the moment comes. It is about trust in Allah for the reward. It is about sacrifice. The highest reward is won through the hardest trial.
Three Questions to Close With
- When I face difficulty, do I wish for the battle, or do I ask Allah for safety?
- When the battle comes, do I run, or do I hold firm and be patient?
- Do I know that the reward is under the shade of the struggle, and do I trust Allah for that reward?