This excerpt is taken from the book "Fazail al-Jihad" by Sheikh Abi Abdul Saboor Abdul Ghafoor Damni.
حدثنا محمد بن حمادة قال أخبرني أبو حصين أن ذكوان حدثه أن أبا هريرة رضى الله عنه حدثه قال جاء رجل إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال دلني على عمل يعدل الجهاد قال لا أجده قال هل تستطيع إذا خرج المجاهد أن تدخل مسجدك فتقوم ولا تفتر وتصوم ولا تفطر قال ومن يستطيع ذلك، قال أبو هريرة إن فرس المجاهد ليستن فى طوله فيكتب له حسنات.
"Hammam says that Muhammad bin Hamadah narrated a hadith to us. He says Abu Husain informed me that indeed Dhakwan narrated to them that Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated to them that a person came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: 'Tell me of an action that is equal to jihad (in reward)?' The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'I do not find any such action.' Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'Do you have the strength that when a mujahid (one who goes for jihad) sets out, you enter your mosque and remain engaged continuously in prayer, without feeling any fatigue during that time, and you keep fasting continuously, never abandoning fasting? (Can you do that?)' The person said: 'Who can do that?' Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said: 'When the mujahid's horse stamps its foot tied to the rope (on the ground), good deeds are recorded for him because of that.'"
Reference: (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim) (Narrated by Bukhari, Book of Jihad and Expedition, Chapter on the Virtue of Jihad and Expedition, Number: 2785, and the wording is his, and Muslim, Book of Leadership, Chapter on the Virtue of Martyrdom in the Cause of Allah, Number: 1876)
Explanation
Continuously fasting and constantly being engaged in prayer is an impossible task because a person is compelled to leave prayer to fulfill physical needs and to break the fast. However, when a Mujahid is not practically engaged in battle, he still continues to receive reward. In this regard, Jihad leads to greater reward. Additionally, the spoils of war are a reward for the Mujahid because he also spends them on good deeds, thereby earning more reward.
