English translation
2782. Narrated 'Abdullāh bin Mas'ūd رضي الله عنه: I asked Allāh's Messenger ﷺ, “O Allāh's Messenger! What is the best deed?” He replied, “To offer the Ṣalāt (prayers) at their early stated fixed times.” I asked, “What is next in goodness?” He replied, “To be good and dutiful to your parents.” I further asked, “What is next (in goodness)?” He replied, “To participate in Jihād in Allāh's Cause.” I did not ask Allāh's Messenger ﷺ anymore and if I had asked him more, he would have told me more. (1) Al-Jihād (Holy fighting) in Allāh's Cause (with full force of numbers and weaponry), is given the utmost importance in Islām, and is one of its pillars (on which it stands). By Jihād Islam is established, Allāh's Word is made superior. [His Word being (Lā ilāha illallāh which means none has the right to be worshipped but Allāh)], and His religion (Islām) is propagated. By abandoning Jihād, (may Allāh protect us from that). Islam and the Muslims fall into an inferior position, their honour is lost, their land is stolen, their rule and authority vanish. Jihād is an obligatory duty in Islam, on every Muslim, and he who tries to escape from this duty or does not in his innermost heart wish to fulfil this duty, dies with one of the qualities of a hypocrite.