Sahih Muslim Book - 33, Hadith - 4765

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى وَابْنُ بَشَّارٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ زُبَيْدٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ عَلِىٍّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بَعَثَ جَيْشًا وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَجُلاً فَأَوْقَدَ نَارًا وَقَالَ ادْخُلُوهَا. فَأَرَادَ نَاسٌ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَقَالَ الآخَرُونَ إِنَّا قَدْ فَرَرْنَا مِنْهَا. فَذُكِرَ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ لِلَّذِينَ أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا « لَوْ دَخَلْتُمُوهَا لَمْ تَزَالُوا فِيهَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ». وَقَالَ لِلآخَرِينَ قَوْلاً حَسَنًا وَقَالَ « لاَ طَاعَةَ فِى مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِى الْمَعْرُوفِ ».

It was narrated from 'Ali that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) sent an army and he appointed a man over them. He (the commander) lit a fire and said: "Enter it." Some people wanted to enter it, but others said: "We are trying to flee from this." Mention of that was made to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) and he said to those who had wanted to enter the fire: "If you had entered it, you would have remained in it until the Day of Resurrection." And he said good words to the others. He (s.a.w) said: "There is no obedience if it involves disobedience towards Allah; obedience is only in that which is right and proper."