In the path of Allah: i.e., fighting the idolaters.

ashʿath raʾsuhu (“with dishevelled hair”): an adjective describing ʿabd, declined with a fatḥa in place of a kasrah because the word is diptote; raʾsuhu is the subject. The phrase means that his hair is unkempt, for jihad has kept him from the comfort of oiling and combing it.

mughbarrat qadamāh (“dust-covered feet”): a second adjective modifying ʿabd, with qadamāh as the subject, signifying that dust and soil cling to his feet—unlike the pampered who live in ease.

al-ḥirāsah (“standing guard”), with a kasrah on the ḥāʾ: he serves in protecting the army, neither slack nor inattentive.

fī al-sāqah (“with the rear guard”): he also takes his turn at the back of the army, rotating wherever the needs of jihad require.

in istaʾdhana (“if he seeks permission”): that is, to enter upon the commanders.

lam yuʾdhan lahu (“permission is not granted”): because he holds no status with them; he works neither for worldly gain nor to curry favour with rulers.

wa-in shafaʿa (“and if he intercedes”): should circumstances oblige him to mediate in a matter beloved to Allah and His Messenger, such as fulfilling people’s needs,

lam yushaffaʿ (“his intercession is not accepted”), with a fatḥa on the geminated fāʾ: his plea finds no acceptance from the commanders and the like.

Overall meaning of the hadith: In this narration the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) portrays two men—one pursuing this world, the other pursuing the hereafter. Of the worldly seeker he said declaratively, “Ruined and cast back, and if a thorn should prick him, may he find no one to extract it,” meaning that when misfortune strikes he can neither escape it nor succeed; he attains neither the goal he seeks nor deliverance from what he dreads, and thus he becomes