Masruq said: We asked 'Abdallah b. Mas'ud about this verse, “Do not consider those who have been killed in God’s path to be dead; nay, they are alive in the presence of their Lord and are being supplied with provision" (Al-Qur’an; 3:169). He replied that he had asked about that, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Their spirits are in the crops of green birds which have lamps suspended from the Throne, which go where they wish in paradise and then return to those lamps. Their Lord looks down on them and asks whether they desire anything, and they ask in reply what they could wish when they can go where they like in paradise. He does that with them three times, and when they see that they will not be left alone without asking something, they tell their Lord that they wish Him to return their spirits to their bodies so that they may be killed in His path once again. Then when He sees that they lack nothing they are left without further questioning."
Muslim transmitted it.
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone believes in God and His Messenger, observes the prayer and fasts during Ramadan, God will assuredly bring him into paradise whether he has engaged in jihad in Go…
He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who engages in jihad in God’s path is like him who fasts and spends the night in prayer, who assiduously recites God’s verses and does not slacken from fasting and prayer until…
He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God answers the prayer for forgiveness of him who goes out in His path, being led to do so by nothing but faith in Him and belief in His Messengers, promising to bring him back wit…
He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, were it not that men among the believers are not satisfied with remaining behind me when I cannot get mounts for them, I would not stay behind when…
Sahl b. Sa'd reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Being stationed on the frontier in God’s path for a day is better than the world and what is on it.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A morning or an evening expedition in God’s path is better than the world and what it contains.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)