The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and addressed the people, mentioning that faith in Allah and striving in the path of Allah are among the best of deeds in Allah's sight.A man stood up and asked, "Messenger of Allah, if I am killed in the path of Allah, patient and seeking reward, advancing and not retreating, will Allah forgive my sins?"He replied, "Yes. What did you say?"The man repeated, "If I am killed in the path of Allah, patient and seeking reward, advancing and not retreating, will Allah forgive my sins?"He replied, "Yes. What did you say?"The man asked again, "If I am killed in the path of Allah, patient and seeking reward, advancing and not retreating, will Allah forgive my sins?"He answered, "Yes, except for debt. Jibreel just whispered that to me."
أن رسول الله ﷺ قام فخطب الناس ثم ذكر: أن الإيمان بالله والجهاد في سبيل الله من أفضل الأعمال عند الله، فقام رجل فقال: يا رسول الله إن قتلت في سبيل الله وأنا صابر محتسب مقبل غير مدبر يكفر الله عني خطاياي؟ قال: نعم فكيف قلت؟ قال: إن قتلت في سبيل الله وأنا صابر محتسب مقبل غير مدبر يكفر الله عني خطاياي؟ قال: نعم كيف قلت؟ قال: إن قتلت في سبيل الله وأنا صابر محتسب مقبل غير مدبر يكفر الله عني خطاياي؟ قال: نعم إلا الدين، فإن جبريل سارني بذلك.
Ahmad narrated it (8075, 8371) through two paths from Abdul-Hameed bin Jafar Ansari, "Iyad bin Abdullah bin Abu Sarh told me, from Abu Hurairah," and he mentioned it. Its chain is hasan because of Abdul-Hameed bin Jafar, for his hadith is hasan. Haythami said, "Ahmad narrated it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih." Majma al-Zawaid (4/128).As for what Nasai narrated (3155) through Muhammad bin Ajlan, from Saeed Maqburi, from Abu Hurairah, in similar fashion, this is a mistake. Rather, it is as Layth narrates it, from Saeed Maqburi, from Abdullah bin Abu Qatada, from his father, from the Prophet ﷺ. Abu Hatim Razi stated this, as found in Ilal Hadith (1/327). Tirmidhi (1712) and Daraqutni in Ilal (8/144) also confirmed as correct the narration of whoever narrated it from Saeed Maqburi, from Abdullah bin Abu Qatada, from his father. The hadith of Abu Qatada was narrated by Muslim, as mentioned previously.