It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: "Which deed is better or most virtuous?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "To have faith in Allah and His Messenger." He was asked: "Then which deed is most virtuous?" He said: "Jihad in the way of Allah." Then he was asked: "Which deed is most virtuous?" He replied: "An accepted Hajj."

It is narrated from Hazrat Yahya bin Abi Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The best of martyrs are those who, standing in a row, fight against the enemy. They do not turn their faces away and are martyred. These people will enjoy themselves in the lofty chambers of Paradise. Their Lord will look at them and smile. The nation at whom your Lord smiles, He does not take account from them.

Hazrat Qais bin Abi Hazim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that in the Battle of Yarmouk, a man was presenting himself for death and his wife was trying to stop him. That man said, "Take her away from me. She has no importance in the purpose that I have before me at this time." Then, pointing towards a mountain, he said, "If it were up to me, I would move it from its place in a single day. If you are able to obtain my body, then bury it." Hazrat Qais (may Allah be pleased with him) says that later we saw that this man was among those martyred in that battle.

Hazrat Ibn Ahmas, may Allah have mercy on him, says that I said to Hazrat Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, that a Prophetic saying narrated by you has reached me. He said: State it, I think I have never attributed any false statement to the Prophet. I said that you have narrated that there are three types of people whom Allah loves. He said: I have heard and narrated this, that among the three people whom Allah loves, one is the person who fights against a group, and when that group begins to prevail, he continues to fight them until he is martyred, or Allah grants victory because of him. The second is the person who travels with people at night, and when they all become tired and lie down, he stands up to pray and then wakes the people to move forward. The third is the person whose neighbor is a bad person, and he patiently endures his neighbor’s troubles.

Hazrat Mudrik bin ‘Awf Ahmasi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I was with Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) when a messenger from Nu‘man bin Muqarrin (may Allah have mercy on him) arrived. Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him about the condition of the Mujahideen, so he informed that such and such persons had been martyred, and some others had also been martyred whom I do not know. That person said,“O Commander of the Faithful! There was also a man who was offering himself for death.”Upon this, Hazrat Mudrik bin ‘Awf (may Allah have mercy on him) said,“O Commander of the Faithful! By Allah, he was my maternal uncle. People think that he brought destruction upon himself with his own hands.”Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said,“They are lying; he is among those who have purchased the Hereafter in exchange for this world.”

Sulaiman (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when a person walks in the path of Allah, his sins are placed upon his head and then they fall off just as a cluster of dates falls off.

Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that spending one morning in the path of Allah is better than performing ten Hajj.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that fighting once in the path of Allah is better than performing Hajj fifty times.

Hazrat Mak’hool (may Allah have mercy on him) says that there are one hundred ranks in battle. The distance between two ranks is as much as the space between the sky and the earth. Allah Almighty has made these ranks for those who strive in His path.

Hazrat Abu Dhuha (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the first verse of Surah Al-Bara’ah was revealed:“Go forth! Whether you are light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah.”