Compiled by Imam Abu Isa at-Tirmidhi
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ أَبُو عَاصِمٍ النَّبِيلُ، عَنْ حَيْوَةَ بْنِ شُرَيْحٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ أَسْلَمَ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ التُّجِيبِيِّ، قَالَ كُنَّا بِمَدِينَةِ الرُّومِ فَأَخْرَجُوا إِلَيْنَا صَفًّا عَظِيمًا مِنَ الرُّومِ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِثْلُهُمْ أَوْ أَكْثَرُ وَعَلَى أَهْلِ مِصْرَ عُقْبَةُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ وَعَلَى الْجَمَاعَةِ فَضَالَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ فَحَمَلَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَلَى صَفِّ الرُّومِ حَتَّى دَخَلَ فِيهِمْ فَصَاحَ النَّاسُ وَقَالُوا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ يُلْقِي بِيَدَيْهِ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ فَقَامَ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّكُمْ تَتَأَوَّلُونَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ هَذَا التَّأْوِيلَ وَإِنَّمَا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ فِينَا مَعْشَرَ الأَنْصَارِ لَمَّا أَعَزَّ اللَّهُ الإِسْلاَمَ وَكَثُرَ نَاصِرُوهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُنَا لِبَعْضٍ سِرًّا دُونَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ أَمْوَالَنَا قَدْ ضَاعَتْ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَعَزَّ الإِسْلاَمَ وَكَثُرَ نَاصِرُوهُ فَلَوْ أَقَمْنَا فِي أَمْوَالِنَا فَأَصْلَحْنَا مَا ضَاعَ مِنْهَا . فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا مَا قُلْنَا: (وَأَنْفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ) فَكَانَتِ التَّهْلُكَةُ الإِقَامَةَ عَلَى الأَمْوَالِ وَإِصْلاَحَهَا وَتَرَكْنَا الْغَزْوَ فَمَا زَالَ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ شَاخِصًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى دُفِنَ بِأَرْضِ الرُّومِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ .
"We were in a Roman city, when a large column of Romans came out to us. So about the same number or more of the Muslims went towards them. The commander of the people of Egypt was 'Uqbah bin 'Amir, and the commenter of the (our) group was Fadalah bin 'Ubaid. One man among the Muslims reached the Roman line until he entered amidst them, so the people started screaming: 'Subhan Allah! He has thrown himself into destruction!' Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari said: 'O you people! You give this interpretation for this Ayah, while this Ayah was only revealed about us, the people among the Ansar, when Allah made Islam might, and increased its supporters. Some of us secretly said to each other, outside of the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Our wealth has been ruined, and Allah has strengthened Islam, and increased its supporters, so if we tend to our wealth then what we lost of it shall be revitalized for us." So Allah, Blessed and Most High, revealed to His Prophet (ﷺ), rebuking what we said: 'And spend in the cause of Allah, and do not throw yourselves into destruction. (2:195)' So the destruction was tending to the wealth and maintaining it.' Abu Ayyub did not cease traveling in Allah's cause, until he was buried in the land of the Romans."