“I entered the mosque and found the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sitting alone. He said, ‘O Abu Dharr, the mosque has a greeting, and its greeting is two rakʿahs. So rise and perform them.’ He said: So I rose and performed them, then returned and sat with him. I said, ‘... O Messenger of Allah, which deed is best?’ He said, ‘Faith in Allah and jihad in the way of Allah.’ He said: I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, ...’” The hadith continues at length and is very long.

I say: Its chain of transmission is fatally defective. Concerning this Ibrahim ibn Hisham, Abu Hatim said: “A liar.”

I say: However, the hadith under discussion is authentic. Muslim transmitted it (1/62) through Abu Marwah al-Laythi, from Abu Dharr, who said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which deeds are best?’ He said, ‘Faith in Allah and jihad in His way.’ I said, ‘Which slaves are best?’ He said, ‘Those most valued by their owners and highest in price.’ I said, ‘What if I cannot do that?’ He said, ‘Help a worker, or work on behalf of one who is unskilled.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what if I am unable to do some of these deeds?’ He said, ‘Then refrain from harming people, for that is a charity from you to yourself.’”

1491 — “The best of the believers in Islam are those from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe; the best jihad is that a person strives against his own self for Allah’s sake; and the best emigrants are those who strive against themselves and their desires for Allah’s sake.”

Ibn Nasr transmitted it in al-Salah (142/2), with an authentic chain of transmission, from Suwayd ibn Hujayr, from al-ʿAla’ ibn Ziyad, who said: “A man asked ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs, saying, ‘Which believers are best in Islam?’ He said ...” He then mentioned it, and at its end: “He said, ‘Did you say this, O ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr, or did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say it?’ He replied, ‘Rather, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it.’”

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission; all its narrators are trustworthy.