Narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), he was delivering a sermon on the pulpit when he said: I am going to narrate to you a hadith, I myself heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Previously, the only thing that prevented me from narrating this hadith to you was your abundance. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Standing guard for one night in the way of Allah is better than standing in prayer for a thousand nights and fasting during their days.

Narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: O people! Come quickly, I am also going to be quick, so the people gathered at an early time. Then he said: O people! I am going to narrate to you a hadith such that since I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), until today I have not spoken about it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, standing guard for one day in the way of Allah is better than a thousand days of worship. So let a man stand guard wherever he wishes. Have I conveyed this message to you? The people said: Yes. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Allah! Bear witness.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Guarding for one day is better than fasting and standing in prayer for a month.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sulaiman Khair (may Allah be pleased with him) that he related to Sayyiduna Shurahbil bin Simt (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was stationed at a frontier post on the coast. He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever stays at the frontier for one day or one night, he will have a reward equal to the fasting of one month for those who remain behind, and whoever dies during this ribat (guarding the frontier), Allah Almighty will continue to grant him the reward of his deeds, that is, the reward of his prayers, fasting, and spending wealth; he will be protected from the trial of the grave and will remain in security from the great terror.

(Second chain) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Guarding the frontier for one day and night in the way of Allah is like fasting and standing in prayer for a month. In another narration, there are additional words: It is like the fasting person who does not break his fast and like the one who stands in prayer and does not become lazy, and if he dies in this state, his reward will continue for him until he is resurrected, and he will be safe from the trial of the grave.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Fadala bin Ubaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever dies upon any of these ranks will be raised on the Day of Resurrection upon that same rank. Haiwah, the narrator, said: By "rank" he (the Prophet) meant staying at the frontier post and Hajj, etc.

It is narrated from Sayyida Umm Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever keeps watch over any of the frontier areas of the Muslims for three days, it will suffice him as the reward of one year of ribat (guarding the frontier).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever dies in the state of ribat (guarding the frontier in the way of Allah), he will be saved from the trial of the grave, will be granted security from the great terror, will be provided sustenance from Paradise morning and evening, and the reward of a person in ribat will be written for him until the Day of Resurrection.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever keeps watch in the path of Allah to protect the Muslims, and his action is voluntary, not due to compulsion from the ruler, then he will not see the Fire with his own eyes, except to fulfill the oath, because Allah the Exalted has said: And there is none among you but will pass over it (the Fire).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Fadala bin Ubaid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The deeds of every deceased person are ended, except for the person who dies in the state of ribat (guarding) in the way of Allah; his deeds continue to increase until the Day of Resurrection, and he remains safe from the trial of the grave.