Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ أَخْبَرَنَا مَهْدِيُّ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ رَجَاءِ بْنِ حَيْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ أَنْشَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَزْوًا فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ادْعُ اللَّهَ لِي بِالشَّهَادَةِ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْهُمْ وَغَنِّمْهُمْ فَغَزَوْنَا فَسَلِمْنَا وَغَنِمْنَا ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ غَزْوًا آخَرَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ادْعُ اللَّهَ لِي بِالشَّهَادَةِ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْهُمْ وَغَنِّمْهُمْ فَغَزَوْنَا فَسَلِمْنَا وَغَنِمْنَا ثُمَّ أَنْشَأَ غَزْوًا آخَرَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتَيْتُكَ تَتْرَى ثَلَاثًا أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَدْعُوَ اللَّهَ لِي بِالشَّهَادَةِ فَقُلْتَ اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْهُمْ وَغَنِّمْهُمْ فَغَزَوْنَا فَسَلِمْنَا وَغَنِمْنَا فَمُرْنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَمْرٍ يَنْفَعُنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ قَالَ عَلَيْكَ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا مِثْلَ لَهُ قَالَ وَكَانَ أَبُو أُمَامَةَ لَا يَكَادُ يُرَى فِي بَيْتِهِ الدُّخَانُ بِالنَّهَارِ فَإِذَا رُئِيَ الدُّخَانُ بِالنَّهَارِ عَرَفُوا أَنَّ ضَيْفًا اعْتَرَاهُمْ مِمَّا كَانَ يَصُومُ هُوَ وَأَهْلُهُ قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكَ أَمَرْتَنِي بِأَمْرٍ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ قَدْ نَفَعَنِي بِهِ فَمُرْنِي بِأَمْرٍ آخَرَ قَالَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ لَا تَسْجُدُ لِلَّهِ سَجْدَةً إِلَّا رَفَعَكَ اللَّهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةً وَحَطَّ عَنْكَ بِهَا خَطِيئَةً.
English Translation
Yazid told us, Mahdi ibn Maymun informed us, from Muhammad ibn Abi Ya'qub, from Raja' ibn Hayw, from Abu Umamah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, set out on an expedition, so I came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah for me for martyrdom." He said: "O Allah, bring them safely home and grant them spoils." So we fought, and returned safely and gained spoils. Then he set out on another expedition, so I came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah for me for martyrdom." He said: "O Allah, bring them safely home and grant them spoils." So we fought, and returned safely and gained spoils. Then he set out on another expedition, so I came to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I have come to you repeatedly, three times, asking you to pray to Allah for me for martyrdom, and you said, 'O Allah, bring them safely home and grant them spoils.'" So we fought, and returned safely and gained spoils. "So command me, O Messenger of Allah, with something by which Allah may benefit me." He said: "You must fast, for there is nothing like it." He said: Abu Umamah was scarcely ever seen with smoke in his house by day; and when smoke was seen by day, they knew that a guest had come upon them, because he and his household would be fasting. He said: So I came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, "O Messenger of Allah, you have commanded me with something, and I hope Allah has benefited me by it; so command me with another thing." He said: "Know that you do not prostrate to Allah with a single prostration, but Allah raises you thereby a degree and removes from you thereby a sin."