This excerpt is taken from the book Fazail al-Jihad by Sheikh Abi Abdul Saboor Abdul Ghafoor Damni.
عن أبى هريرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سئل أى العمل أفضل قال إيمان بالله ورسوله قيل ثم ماذا قال الجهاد فى سبيل الله قيل ثم ماذا قال حج مبرور.
"Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that indeed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked: Which deed is the best? He (peace be upon him) said: 'To believe in Allah and His Messenger.' It was said: Then what? (meaning, which deed is next best) He (peace be upon him) said: 'To strive (jihad) in the way of Allah.' It was said: Then what? He (peace be upon him) said: 'An accepted Hajj.'"
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim) (Narrated by Bukhari, Book of Faith, Chapter: Whoever said faith is action and word, Number: 26 / Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter: Clarification that faith in Allah is best, Number: 83)
Some Derived Benefits
In this hadith, several deeds are described as the most virtuous:
Belief in Allah and His Messenger:
Belief in Allah Almighty means that only He is considered Allah, the Worshipped, and the Doer, and all His attributes are accepted. Belief in the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, means that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is accepted as the true and final Messenger of Allah Almighty, obedience is given to him, his exemplary conduct is adopted, and no trust is placed in the words or actions of any follower after him.
Jihad fi Sabeelillah:
This means that for the dominance of Allah Almighty’s religion, struggle is continued in terms of life, wealth, and speech, and any obstacles encountered in this regard are confronted in the best manner.
Hajj Mabroor:
This refers to the Hajj that is performed according to the Sunnah and where every effort is made to avoid fights, quarrels, and sins; therefore, it is also called an accepted Hajj.
Maratib-e-Amaal:
From the mentioned Hadith, the status and rank of deeds in terms of degree and superiority are also understood, that the most excellent deed is to believe in Allah Almighty and His Messenger Allah, and then come the ranks of other deeds.
