Of the men he lives the best life who holds the reins of his horse (ever ready to march) in the way of Allah, flies on its back whenever he hears a fearful shriek, or a call for help, flies to it seeking death at places where it can be expected. (Next to him) is a man who lives with his sheep at a hill-top or in a valley, says his prayers regularly, gives Zakat and worships his Lord until death comes to him. There is no better person among men except these two.
Two more versions of the tradition narrated by 'Abdullah b. Badr and Abu Huraira, respectively, have been handed down through different chains of transmitters with negligible difference in the wording.
God laughs at the two men both of whom will enter Paradise (though) one of them kills the other. They said: Messenger of Allah, how is it? He said: One of them fights in the way of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted. and dies a martyr. Then God turns in mercy to the murderer who embraces Islam, fights in the way of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, and dies a martyr.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، قَالَ هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَضْحَكُ اللَّهُ لِرَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتُلُ أَحَدُهُمَا الآخَرَ كِلاَهُمَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ " قَالُوا كَيْفَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " يُقْتَلُ هَذَا فَيَلِجُ الْجَنَّةَ ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى الآخَرِ فَيَهْدِيهِ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ ثُمَّ يُجَاهِدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيُسْتَشْهَدُ " .
God laughs at the two men one of whom kills the other; both of them will enter Paradise. They (the Companions) said: How, Messenger of Allah? He said: One is slain (in the way of Allah) and enters Paradise. Then God forgives the other and guides him to Islam; then he fights in the way of Allah and dies a martyr.
No two such persons shall be together in Hell as if one of them is such that his presence hurts the other. It was asked: Messenger of Allah, who are they? He said: A believer who killed a disbeliever and (then) kept to the right path."
It is (offered) in the way of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: For this you will have seven hundred she-camels on the Day of Judgment all of which will be muzzled.