Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2548
sahih

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A pious slave gets a double reward." Abu Huraira added: By Him in Whose Hands my soul is but for Jihad (i.e. holy battles), Hajj, and my duty to serve my mother, I would have loved to die as a slave.

حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، سَمِعْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، يَقُولُ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ لِلْعَبْدِ الْمَمْلُوكِ الصَّالِحِ أَجْرَانِ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْلاَ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْحَجُّ وَبِرُّ أُمِّي، لأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَمُوتَ وَأَنَا مَمْلُوكٌ ‏

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References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 49, Hadith 31
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 46, Hadith 724 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Prophet ﷺ keenly urged slaves to obey their masters, for Allah, Exalted is He, does not allow a doer’s good deed to go unrewarded. When a slave shoulders great burdens and duties and carries them out as due, aspiring to the reward of Allah, Exalted is He, He shall reward him handsomely. In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺsaid, "A pious slave gets a double reward,” meaning the slave who serves his master duly and fulfills his rights over him, and also honors the rights of Allah over him, i.e., worship, earns a double reward; one for his service to his master and aspiring to the rewards of Allah, Exalted is He, and the second is for his worship, like any obedient servant of Allah who fulfills the rights of his Lord over him. It was also said that such a slave earns a double reward if he serves his master with what constitutes obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, such as the service of the needy and weak people, when his master commands him to do so. Afterward, Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, but for Jihaad, Hajj, and my duty to serve my mother, I would have loved to die as a slave.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that had not it been for the (abundant rewards of) Jihaad, Hajj, and dutifulness towards one’s mother, observed by a free Muslim man, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would have loved and chosen to die as a slave to earn such great rewards. The reward of a good slave is after that of Jihaad, Hajj, and dutifulness towards one’s parents, because a slave is unable to perform such great acts of worship except with the permission of his master, who may hinder or prevent him from performing them. .
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