Authentic hadith articleO Messenger of Allah, we consider Jihad the best deed; should we not perform Jihad? He said, "No; rather, the best Jihad is Mabrūr (accepted) Hajj
AuthenticNarrated by Al-BukhāriHadeethEnc #2759
Arabic hadith textعَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ المُؤْمِنِينَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ المُؤْمِنِينَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، نَرَى الجِهَادَ أَفْضَلَ العَمَلِ، أَفَلاَ نُجَاهِدُ؟ قَالَ: «لَا، لَكُنَّ أَفْضَلُ الجِهَادِ: حَجٌّ مَبْرُورٌ».
English translation‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) reported saying:
‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) reported saying: O Messenger of Allah, we consider Jihad the best deed; should we not perform Jihad? He said, "No; rather, the best Jihad is Mabrūr (accepted) Hajj."
ExplanationExplanation of the hadith
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to consider Jihad in the cause of Allah and fighting the enemies among the best of deeds. Therefore, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) if women should perform Jihad.
He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guided them to the best Jihad they could perform, namely the Mabrūr Hajj that conforms with the Qur’an and Sunnah and that is free of sin and ostentation.