وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعَثَ إِلَى مُؤْتَةَ فَاسْتَعْمَلَ زَيْدًا فَإِنْ قُتِلَ زَيْدٌ فَجَعْفَرٌ فَإِنْ قُتِلَ جَعْفَرٌ فَابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَتَخَلَّفَ ابْنُ رَوَاحَةَ فَجَمَّعَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَرَآهُ فَقَالَ مَا خَلَّفَكَ قَالَ أُجَمِّعُ مَعَكَ قَالَ لَغَدْوَةٌ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 2317
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) sent an army to Mu'tah and he appointed Zaid in charge of it. If Zaid was killed, Ja'far [was to assume command]. If Ja'far was killed, Ibn Rawahah [was to assume command]. Ibn Rawahah stayed behind and prayed Jumu'ah with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who saw him and said, What kept you behind?" He said: 1 wanted to pray Jumu'ah with you. He said: "To go out in the morning (to fight, for the sake of Allah) and come back in the evening is better than this world and everything in it."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020