Messenger of Allah, one man fights fgr the spoils of war; another fights that he may be remembered, and another fights that he may see his (high) position (achieved as a result of his valour in fighting). Which of these is fighting in the cause of God? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Who fights so that the word of Allah is exalted is fighting in the way of Allah.
Sahih Muslim Book 33, Hadith 214
← Previous Hadith My uncle and I have been named after him was not present with the Messenger of Allah (mav peace be upon him) on the Day of Badr. He felt distressed about it. He would say: I have missed the first battle fought by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and if God now gives me an opportunity to see a battlefield with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), God will see what I do therein. He was afraid to say more than this (lest he be unable to keep his word with God). He was present with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the Day of Uhud. He met Sa'd b. Mu'adh (who was retreating). Anas said to him: O Abu 'Amr, where (are you going)? Woe (to thee)! I find the smell of Paradise beside the Uhud mountain. (Reprimanding Sa'd in these words) he went forward and fought thein (the enemy) until he was killed. (The narrator says). More than eighty wounds inflicted with swords, spears and arrows were found on his body. His sister, my aunt, ar-Rubayyi', daughter of Nadr, said: I could not recognise my brother's body (it was so badly mutilated) except from his finger-tips. (It was on this occasion that) the Qur'anic verse:" Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with God. Of them some have completed their vow (to the extreme), and some still wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least" (xxxiii. 23). The narrator said that the verse had been revealed about him (Anas b. Nadr) and his Companions.

Sahih Muslim Book 33, Hadith 213 Next Hadith → (one who fights) for displaying his valour; (a man who) fights out of his family pride and (a man who) fights for the sake of show, who amongst these fights in the way of Allah? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Who fights that the word of Allah be exalted fights in the way of Allah.

Sahih Muslim Book 33, Hadith 215