33/29. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1878a — Jihad Compared to Constant Worship
The virtue of Martyrdom in the cause of Allah
Hadith About Jihad Compared to Fasting and Prayer
Sahih Muslim : 1878a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1878a
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي، صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا يَعْدِلُ الْجِهَادَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ " لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُونَهُ " . قَالَ فَأَعَادُوا عَلَيْهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ " لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُونَهُ " . وَقَالَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ " مَثَلُ الْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ الْقَانِتِ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لاَ يَفْتُرُ مِنْ صِيَامٍ وَلاَ صَلاَةٍ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ الْمُجَاهِدُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: What deed could be an equivalent of Jihad in the way of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted? He answered: You do not have the strength to do that deed. The narrator said: They repeated the question twice or thrice. Every time he answered: You do not have the strength to do it.When the question was asked for the third time, he said: One who goes out for Jihad is like a person who keeps fasts, stands in prayer (constantly), (obeying) Allah's (behests contained in) the verses (of the Qur'an), and does not exhibit any lassitude in fasting and prayer until the Mujahid returns from Jihad in the way of Allah, the Exalted.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1878aIn-book reference : Book 33, Hadith 165USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 20, Hadith 4636
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1878a
This hadith begins with a question: What deed could be equal to Jihad in the way of Allah? The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) answered more than once that they would not have the strength to do it. Then he explained the example. The one who goes out for Jihad is like a person who keeps fasting, stands in prayer, obeys Allah's verses, and does not grow tired of fasting or prayer until the mujahid returns. The hadith places Jihad in the way of Allah beside constant worship to show its weight. At the same time, the wording is exact: it is a comparison, not a list of every ruling connected to Jihad.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) described Jihad in the way of Allah as a very weighty deed.
- The mujahid is compared to one who fasts and prays without pause until his return.
- The companions repeated their question, showing their wish to understand good deeds.
- The hadith connects striving in Allah's way with worship and obedience.
