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What is best deed in Islam?
It is narrated by Abu Hurairah (May ALLAH be pleased with) that ALLAH’s Messenger was asked, “What is the best deed?” He replied. “To believe in ALLAH and His Messenger (Mohammad (peace be upon him)) . The questioner then asked. “What is the next (in goodness)?” He replied, “To participate in Jihad (holy fighting) in the way of ALLAH. The questioner again asked, “What is the next (in goodness)?” He replied, “To perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) Mabrur [which is accepted by Allah and is performed with the intention of seeking ALLAH’s pleasure only and not for show off and without committing any sin and in accordance with the Sunnah (ways) of the Prophet ].
Meaning of the Hadith
Literal and Islamic Meaning
Afzal
In this hadith, the arabic word ‘afzal’ is used. Its meaning is ‘better’. It means the worship which is more rewarding near Almighty ALLAH.
Jihad
And the word ‘jihad’ is mentioned. Its literal meaning is to struggle. In Islamic terminology, it refers to fighting with disbelievers for protection and victory of Islam. Performing jihad for spreading Islam is a communal obligation (If enough members (soldiers) in the Muslim community discharge the obligation, the remaining Muslims are freed from the responsibility before ALLAH). And if disbelievers attack on an Islamic country, then to ward them off, it is obligatory on every individual to fight with them.
Hajjun mabroorun
The literal meaning of haj is to make intention. And its Islamic meaning is to make intention to visit the Holy Kaaba.
It is obligatory to perform Haj once in life. The condition for it is, the muslim must have enough amount with him for travelling to Makkah and have sufficient wealth for the maintenance of his family and is healthy.
Mabrur is that haj which a person performs haj sincerely for the pleasure of Almighty ALLAH, feeds the poor, speaks goodness, and remains protected from sins.
Sign of Haj mabrur
Sign of Haj mabrur is the person will become more pious than before.
Answer to Objection on ‘limited deeds are said to be best’ in Hadiths?
There is an objection on this hadith that in one of the narrations of Ibne Masood the best deed is to feed people and greet every muslim. And in the narration of Abu Moosa, the best quality of a muslim is other muslims remain safe from his tongue and hands. And in the narration of Abu zar’s hadith, best Islam is to believe in ALLAH and perform jihad in his way.
- The answer to this objection is the superiority is based on different situations and different personalities. For example, whoever is capable of performing jihad, for him jihad is better than other worship like serving healthy parents. Whereas if a person’s parents are old and sick, and if he goes for jihad leaving them alone, they may expire, for him it is more necessary and better to serve his parents rather than going for jihad. During the attack and dominating war of disbelievers over muslims, it is much better to perform jihad compared to other worships. Or a situation arises when jihad is not obligatory at all on a person but haj became compulsory on him, in that case for him it is necessary and best to perform haj. In short, superiority cannot be assigned to deeds independently and certainly.
- Second answer to it is, whichever deeds the messenger of ALLAH classified as best belongs to a family of ‘best deeds’. It means, to prevent muslims from harming, feeding people, greeting muslims, etc,. are all among best deeds. It does not mean that only these deeds are the best.
Kaunsa amal afzal hai?
Imam Bukhari riwayat karte hain keh hamein Ahmed bin Younus aur Moosa bin Ismaeel ne hadith bayan ki, in dono ne kaha: Hamein Ibrahim bin Sa’ad ne hadith bayan ki, inhone kaha, hamein Ibne Shihaab ne az Sae’ed bin musayyab az Hazrat Abu Huraira (radiallahu a’nhu) hadith bayan ki keh RasoolALLAH (sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) se suwal kiya gaya keh kaunsa amal afzal hai? Apne farmaya: ALLAH par iman laana aur iske Rasool par. Kaha phir kaunsa amal afzal hai? Aap ne farmaya, ALLAH ki raah mein jihad karna. Kaha, phir kaunsa amal afzal hai? Apne farmaya Haj e mabroor.
Tashreeh
Hadith mazkoor ke alfaz ke lughwi aur sharayi mana
Is hadith mein afzal ka lafz hai. Issay murad hai jis ibadat ka ALLAH ta’ala ke nazdeek zyada sawab ho aur jihad lafz hai. Iska lughwi mana mushaqqat hai aur iska sharayi mana hai, ALLAH ke deen ki hifazat aur sarbulandi ke liye kuffar se qital karna (ladna), tableegh e islam ke liye jihad karna farz e kifaya hai. Aur agar kuffar islami mulk par hamla karein toh inse dafa’a ke liye jihad karna farz e ain hai. Aur isme Haj e mabroor ka lafz hai. Haj ka lughwi mana hai qasad karna aur sharayi mana hai, baitullah ki ziyarat ka qasad karna. Isme do farz hain: Wuqoofe Arafat aur tawaf e ziyarat.
Haj karna zindagi mein ek baar farz hai. Iski shart yeh hai keh musalman ke paas itni raqam ho jisse Makkah mukarrama tak aane jaane ka safar hosake. Aur itne arsay ke liye iska aur iske ahl o ayal ki kifalat ka kharch ho aur woh sehat mand ho. Mabroor woh haj hai jisme Haj karne wala ikhlas ke saath faqat ALLAH ki raza ke liye kare, logon ko khana khilaye aur unse achi baatein kare, gunah se bache aur Haj dunya ke faiday ke husool ki khwaish mein na ho.
Haj e mabrur ki alamat
Haj e mabrur ki alamat yeh hai keh aadmi haj ke baad pehle se zyada deendar hojaye.
Is aitraaz ka jawab ke apne muta’ddad ibaadaat ko afzal amal farmaya hai
Is hadith par yeh aitraaz hai keh Hazrat Ibne Masood ki riwayat mein apne farmaya, afzal islam khana khilana hai aur har shaks ko salam karna hai. Aur hazrat Abu Moosa ki riwayat mein hai, afzal islam logon ko apni zuban aur haath ke zarar se mehfooz rakhna hai. Aur hazrat Abu zar ki hadith mein hai, afzal islam ALLAH par iman laana aur uski raah mein jihad karna hai.
- Is aitraaz ka ek jawab yeh hai keh yeh afzaliyat mukhtalif ahwaal aur mukhtalif ashkhaas ke aitbar se hai masalan jo shaks jihad ka ahl hai uske liye jihad karna deegar ibaadat se afzal hai aur jis shaks ke walidein be-sahara hain, agar woh inko chodkar jihad ke liye jayega toh iske walidein zaaya hojayenge uske liye walidein ki khidmat karna jihad se afzal hai. Aur jab kuffar ka musalmano ke shehar par hamla aur ghalba ho toh tamam ibaadaat se jihad karna afzal hai. Ya aisi surat paida hojaye keh jihad farz hi na ho aur ek shaks par haj farz hochuka hai toh uske liye haj hi afzal hoga. Mukhtasar yeh hai keh aamaal mein fazeelat ki tarteeb kulli aur qatayi nahi muqarrar ki jasakti.
- Dosra jawab yeh hai keh jin ibaadaat ko apne afzalul amal farmaya hai ussay murad hai: Yeh afzal aamaal ke qabeel se hain, yani logon ko apne zarar se mehfooz rakhna, inko khana khilana, salam karna, waghaira yeh sab afzal aamaal hain. Yeh matlab nahi hai keh sirf yehi afzal amal hain.
