deeds are best?”

He replied: “Faith in Allah and His Messenger.”

He was asked: “Then what?”

He replied: “Then jihad in His cause.”

He was asked: “Then what?”

He replied: “Then an accepted Hajj.”

It has also been reported:

“A military expedition in Allah’s cause is better than seventy pilgrimages.”

Muslim reported in his Sahīh, on the authority of Salmān al-Fārisī, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Guarding the frontiers for a day and a night in Allah’s cause is better than fasting for a month and spending its nights in prayer. Whoever dies while guarding the frontiers dies as one engaged in jihad; his provision from Paradise will continue to reach him, and he will be safe from the one who puts him to trial.”

In the Sunan collections, it is reported on the authority of ‘Uthmān that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“One day guarding the frontiers in Allah’s cause is better than a thousand days spent in any other place.”

‘Uthmān related this from the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explaining that he told them this in order to convey the Sunnah.

Abū Hurayrah said:

“I would rather guard the frontiers for one night in Allah’s cause than spend the Night of Decree in prayer beside the Black Stone.”

The virtues of guarding the frontiers and keeping watch in Allah’s cause are too numerous to be contained on this sheet. And Allah knows best.