“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked, ‘Which deed is best?’” He then mentioned it.

I say: This chain of transmission is one whose narrators are all trustworthy and among the narrators of al-Bukhari and Muslim, apart from ʿAbd al-Malik al-Maktab, whom I was unable to identify. It is possible that he was either ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿUmayr al-Kufi, known as al-Qibti, or ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Maysarah al-Hilali al-Kufi al-Zarrad, for both are listed among the teachers of Shuʿbah ibn al-Hajjaj. Both are trustworthy, though the former is probably more likely. This report has also been corroborated: Muslim narrated it (1/63) through al-Hasan ibn ʿAbd Allah, from Abu ʿAmr al-Shaybani, with the same report but without the words, “and jihad,” and he identified the man as ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿud, may Allah be pleased with him.

Both Muslim and al-Bukhari narrated it (2/9/527) through Shuʿbah and others, from al-Walid ibn ʿAyzar, who said: I heard Abu ʿAmr al-Shaybani say: “The owner of this house narrated to us”—and he pointed to the house of ʿAbd Allah—“I asked the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ‘Which deed is most beloved to Allah?’ In another narration: ‘Which deed is best?’ He said: ‘Prayer at its proper time.’ In the other narration: ‘For its proper time.’ I said: ‘Then which?’ He said: ‘Then dutifulness to one’s parents.’ I said: ‘Then which?’ He said: ‘Jihad in the way of Allah.’ He related these to me, and had I asked him for more, he would have told me more.”

Al-Suyuti cited this hadith in al-Ziyadah ʿala al-Jamiʿ al-Saghir, on the authority of al-Bayhaqi in al-Shuʿab, from Ibn Masʿud as attributed to the Prophet, with the wording: “The best deed is prayer at its appointed time, then dutifulness to one’s parents, then ensuring that people are safe from your tongue.” He also cited the wording: “The best deed is prayer at its proper time and jihad in the way of Allah.”

It is apparent that it is authentic with the second wording, though it does not mention dutifulness to one’s parents. It is likewise authentic with the first wording, except for the words, “then ensuring that people are safe from your tongue,” for I have not seen them in any of the chains of this hadith in the two Sahihs or elsewhere, such as the Musnad (1/410–418–421–439–444–448–451). Indeed, Ibn Masʿud’s words, “Had I asked him for more, he would have told me more,” refute it, for it is a rejected addition that contradicts the narration of al-Bukhari and Muslim: “then jihad in the way of Allah.”