Sahih Muslim Book - 33, Hadith - 4889

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ بَعْجَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: مِنْ خَيْرِ مَعَاشِ النَّاسِ لَهُمْ، رَجُلٌ مُمْسِكٌ عِنَانَ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، يَطِيرُ عَلَى مَتْنِهِ، كُلَّمَا سَمِعَ هَيْعَةً، أَوْ فَزْعَةً طَارَ عَلَيْهِ، يَبْتَغِي الْقَتْلَ وَالْمَوْتَ مَظَانَّهُ، أَوْ رَجُلٌ فِي غُنَيْمَةٍ فِي رَأْسِ شَعَفَةٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّعَفِ، أَوْ بَطْنِ وَادٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأَوْدِيَةِ، يُقِيمُ الصَّلاَةَ، وَيُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، وَيَعْبُدُ رَبَّهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ الْيَقِينُ، لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلاَّ فِي خَيْرٍ.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Among the best of lives is that of a man who holds the reins of his horse, (ever ready) to march in the cause of Allah, flying on its back every time he hears the shout at the approach of the enemy, or a cry of alarm, seeking to be killed or to die at places where such can be expected. Or, a man who lives with his sheep at the top of one of these mountains or in the bottom of one of these valleys, establishing regular prayer, paying Zakat and worshiping his Lord till the inevitable (i.e., death) comes to him and there is nothing between him and the people except good (i.e., he is on good terms with everyone)."