Riyad as-Saliheen, Book of Jihad

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "Which deed is the best?" He ﷺ replied, "Faith in Allah and His Messenger." He ﷺ was asked, "What is next?" He ﷺ replied, "Jihad (holy fighting) in the Cause of Allah." Then he was asked: "What is after that (in goodness)?" He ﷺ replied, "Hajj Mabrur (which is accepted by Allah)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: سئل رسول الله ﷺ أي العمل أفضل؟ قال: "إيمان بالله ورسوله" قيل: ثم ماذا؟ قال: "الجهاد في سبيل الله" قيل: ثم ماذا؟ قال: "حج مبرور". ((متفق عليه))

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Which action is dearest to Allah?" He ﷺ replied, "Performing As-Salat (the prayer) at its earliest fixed time." I asked, "What is next (in goodness)?" He ﷺ said, "Kindness towards parents." I asked, "What is next (in goodness)?" He ﷺ said, "To participate in Jihad in the Cause of Allah."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن ابن مسعود، رضي الله عنه قال: قلت يا رسول الله أي العمل أحب إلى الله تعالى؟ قال: "الصلاة على وقتها" قلت: ثم أي؟ قال: "بر الوالدين" قلت ثم أي: قال: "الجهاد في سبيل الله" ((متفق عليه))

Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked: "Which deed is the best?" He ﷺ replied, "Faith in Allah and Jihad (fighting, struggle) in the Cause of Allah."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أبي ذر رضي الله عنه قال: قلت يا رسول الله أي العمل أفضل؟ قال:
"الإيمان بالله والجهاد في سبيله" ((متفق عليه))

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Verily! Setting out in the early morning or in the evening in order to fight in Allah's way is better than the world and what it contains."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أنس رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله ﷺ قال:
"لغدوة في سبيل الله أو روحة خير من الدنيا وما فيها" ((متفق عليه))

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "Who is the best among men?" He ﷺ replied, "A believer who strives in the way of Allah with his wealth and life." The man asked again, "Who is next to him (in excellence)?" He ﷺ said, "Next to him is a man who is engaged in worshipping his Rubb in a mountain valley, leaving the people secure from his mischief."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه قال: أتى رجل رسول الله ﷺ فقال: أي الناس أفضل؟ قال: "مؤمن يجاهد بنفسه وماله في سبيل الله" قال: ثم من؟ قال: "مؤمن في شعب من الشعاب يعبد الله ويدع الناس من شره" ((متفق عليه))

Sahl bin Sa'd (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Observing Ribat (e.g., guarding the Islamic frontier for the sake of Allah) for a single day is far better than the world and all that it contains. A place in Jannah as small as the whip of your horse is far better than the world and all that it contains. An endeavour (fighting) in the Cause of Allah in the evening or in the morning is far better than the world and all that it contains."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن سهل بن سعد رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: "رباط يوم في سبيل الله خير من الدنيا وما عليها، وموضع سوط أحدكم من الجنة خير من الدنيا وما عليها، والروحة يروحها العبد في سبيل الله تعالى، أو الغدوة خير من الدنيا وما عليها. ((متفق عليه))

Salman (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying, "Observing Ribat in the way of Allah for a day and a night is far better than observing Saum (fasting) for a whole month and standing in Salat (prayer) in all its nights. If a person dies (while performing this duty), he will go on receiving his reward for his meritorious deeds perpetually, and he will be saved from Al- Fattan."

[Muslim].

وعن سلمان رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول:
"رباط يوم وليلة خير من صيام شهر وقيامه، وإن مات فيه أجري عليه عمله الذي كان يعمل، وأجري عليه رزقه، وأمن الفتان" ((رواه مسلم)).

Fadalah bin 'Ubaid (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The actions of every dead person come to a halt with his death except the one who is on the frontier in Allah's way (i.e., observing Ribat). This latter's deeds will be made to go on increasing for him till the Day of Resurrection, and he will be secure from the trials in the grave."

[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

وعن فضالة بن عبيد رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: "كل ميت يختم على عمله إلا المرابط في سبيل الله فإنه ينمى له عمله إلى يوم القيامة، ويؤمن فتنة القبر” ((رواه أبو داود والترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)).

'Uthman (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: "Spending a day on the frontier in Allah's way is better than one thousand days in any other place."

[At-Tirmidhi].

وعن عثمان رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول:
"رباط يوم في سبيل الله خير من ألف يوم فيما سواه من المنازل" ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Allah guarantees that he who goes out to fight in His way believing in Him and affirming the truth of His Messenger, will either be admitted to Jannah or will be brought back to his home (safely) from where he has set out, with whatever reward or share of booty he may have gained. By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, if a person is wounded in the way of Allah, he will come on the Day of Resurrection with his wound in the same condition as it was on the day when he received it; its colour will be the colour of blood but its smell will be the smell of musk. By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, if it were not to be too hard upon the Muslims, I would not lag behind any expedition to fight in the Cause of Allah, but I have neither abundant means to provide them conveyance (horses) nor all other Muslims have it, and it will be hard on them to remain behind when I go forth (for Jihad). By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, I love to fight in the way of Allah and get killed, to fight again and get killed and to fight again and get killed."

[Muslim].

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: "تضمن الله لمن خرج في سبيله لا يخرجه إلا جهاد في سبيلي، وإيمان بي وتصديق برسلي فهو علي ضامن أن أدخله الجنة، أو أرجعه إلى منزله الذي خرج منه بما نال من أجر، أو غنيمة، والذي نفس محمد بيده ما من كلم يكلم في سبيل الله إلا جاء يوم القيامة كهيئته يوم كلم، لونه لون دم، وريحه ريح مسك، والذي نفس محمد بيده لولا أن يشق على المسلمين ما قعدت خلاف سرية تغزو في سبيل الله أبدا، ولكن لا أجد سعة فأحملهم ولا يجدون سعة عليهم أن يتخلفوا عني، والذي نفس محمد بيده لوددت أن أغزو في سبيل الله فأقتل، ثم أغزو فأقتل ثم أغزو فأقتل" ((رواه مسلم وروى البخاري بعضه)).
(("الكلم" الجرح.))