This excerpt is taken from the book Fazail al-Jihad by Sheikh Abi Abdul Saboor Abdul Ghafoor Damni.
عن سهل بن سعد الساعدي رضى الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: رباط يوم فى سبيل الله خير من الدنيا وما فيها وموضع سوط أحدكم من الجنة خير من الدنيا وما فيها والروحة يروحها العبد فى سبيل الله أو الغدوة خير من الدنيا وما فيها.
"Sahl bin Sa'd Sa'idi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, guarding the frontier (border) one day (against the enemy) is better than the world and all that is in it, and a single lash of the whip of Paradise in your place is better than the world and all that is in it, and whoever sets out in the path of Allah (Jihad) in the evening or in the morning, this is better than the world and all that is in it.'"
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim) (Narrated by Bukhari, Book of Jihad and Expedition, Chapter on the Virtue of Guarding One Day in the Way of Allah, Number: 2892 / Muslim, Book of Leadership, Chapter on the Virtue of Setting Out in the Morning and Evening in the Way of Allah, Number: 1881, summarized)
Explanation
Several points are mentioned in this hadith:
➊ Guarding the border of the Islamic state adjacent to the land of the enemies for just one day is better than the world and everything in it. This is because the Islamic state is a great blessing from Allah Almighty for the Muslims, where Muslims live freely according to Islamic ways and customs. Protecting the borders of this state is also part of Jihad, and the one who practically participates in it is a Mujahid. If he performs this service sincerely for the pleasure of Allah, even if only for one day, he deserves a great reward from Allah.
➋ One whip in Paradise is better than the world and everything in it.
➌ Spending time in the cause of Allah (Jihad) in the first part of the day or in the latter part of the day is also better than the world and everything in it.
➍ From the mentioned hadith, it is also understood that going out in the cause of Allah in the morning or evening refers to Jihad fi Sabilillah because the word Ribaat appears at the beginning of the hadith, and Ribaat is generally used for Jihad fi Sabilillah.
