34- Ahmad relates in his Musnad, through his own chain, that a man once charged the enemy single-handedly. The people said, “He has cast himself into destruction.” ʿUmar replied, “Not so; rather, he is among those of whom Allah says, ‘And among mankind is he who sells himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is Ever-Kind to His servants’ (al-Baqarah 2:207).” 1
35- As for Allah’s words, “sells himself” (yashrī nafsahu), they mean that he offers his life for sale. The verbs sharāhu and bāʿahu both signify “to sell,” just as ishtarāhu and ibtāʿahu are synonymous in meaning “to buy.” The same usage occurs in His statement, “They sold him for a paltry price—only a few dirhams” (Yūsuf 12:20), that is, they sold him. Therefore, “sells himself” means that he gives up his very life to Allah Most High, seeking His good pleasure, by spending himself in what Allah loves and approves—even if he is killed, or if he is virtually certain that he will be killed.
(1) Ibn Jarir relates (4/249, ed. Shakir) on the authority of al-Mughira b. Shuʿba: “ʿUmar sent out an army that laid siege to a fortress. A man from the tribe of Bajila advanced, fought, and was killed. Many people said that he had ‘cast himself into destruction.’ When this reached ʿUmar, he replied, ‘They are wrong. Does not Allah say, ﴿And among mankind is he who sells himself seeking Allah’s good pleasure, and Allah is most kind to His servants﴾ (Qur’an 2:207)?’ The same isnad is cited in Kanz al-ʿUmmal (no. 11328) from Wakiʿ, ʿAbd b. Humayd, and Ibn Abi Hatim.
Al-Bayhaqi (9/46) records from Mudrik b. ʿAwf al-Aḥmasi: while he was sitting with ʿUmar, they mentioned a man who had sacrificed himself at the Battle of Nahawand. Mudrik said, ‘By Allah, Commander of the Believers, that man was my uncle. People claim he cast himself into destruction.’ ʿUmar replied, ‘They are lying; he is one of those who traded the Hereafter for this world.’
Ibn Jarir also narrates (4/249, ed. Shakir) that Hisham b. ʿAmir charged the enemy ranks until he broke through them. People exclaimed, ‘He has cast himself into destruction!’ Abu Hurayra responded by reciting, ﴿And among mankind is he who sells himself seeking Allah’s good pleasure﴾ (2:207).