89 – Third narration:
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man said to the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Uhud, “Messenger of Allah, if I am killed, where will I be?” He replied, “In Paradise.” The man thereupon threw away the dates he had been holding and fought until he was killed. Agreed upon.

Explanation
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) relates from Jabir ibn ʿAbd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Uhud, “Messenger of Allah, what if I fight until I am killed?” He answered, “You will be in Paradise.” The man then threw aside the dates he had with him, advanced, fought, and was killed.

This ḥadith demonstrates how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would rush toward righteous deeds without delay. Such was their consistent disposition, and for that reason Allah granted them honor in this world and in the Hereafter.

A parallel instance is the Prophet’s address on the festival day: after delivering the sermon to the men, he descended, came to the women, exhorted them to give charity, and they immediately began removing their earrings and rings, casting them into Bilal’s cloak for him to collect and present to the Prophet ﷺ. They did not hesitate to give; they even gave from their personal ornaments.

Among the benefits of Jabir’s narration is that whoever is killed in the way of Allah is in Paradise. But who exactly is the one killed “in the way of Allah”? The one killed in the way of Allah is the person who