An Arabi came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about migration.The Prophet ﷺ said, "Woe to you, the matter of migration is difficult. Do you own any camels?"He replied, "Yes."The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Do you pay their charity?"He replied, "Yes."The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Do you lend them out for others to benefit from their milk?"He replied, "Yes."The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Do you milk them on the day they come to water?"He replied, "Yes."The Prophet ﷺ said, "Then work from beyond the seas, for Allah will never let any of your deeds go to waste."
جاء أعرابي إلى النبي ﷺ فسأله عن الهجرة فقال: ويحك إن الهجرة شأنها شديد فهل لك من إبل؟ قال: نعم، قال فتعطي صدقتها؟ قال: نعم، قال: فهل تمنح منها؟ قال: نعم قال: فتحلبها يوم ورودها؟ قال: نعم قال: فاعمل من وراء البحار فإن الله لن يترك من عملك شيئا.
Bukhari related it in the Virtues of the Ansar (3923), and Muslim in Leadership (1865), both through Walid bin Muslim, who said, "Uzai narrated to us from Zuhri, from Ata bin Yazid Laythi, from Abu Saeed," and he mentioned it. The wording given is Bukhari's.His statement, "So work from beyond the seas," is an exaggeration meant to inform him that his deeds will not be lost wherever he may be. Fath al-Bari (7/259).