Sahih Muslim Book - 33, Hadith - 4869

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْوَاسِطِىُّ عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِى صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قِيلَ لِلنَّبِىِّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- مَا يَعْدِلُ الْجِهَادَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ « لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُونَهُ ». قَالَ فَأَعَادُوا عَلَيْهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ « لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُونَهُ ». وَقَالَ فِى الثَّالِثَةِ « مَثَلُ الْمُجَاهِدِ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ الْقَانِتِ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لاَ يَفْتُرُ مِنْ صِيَامٍ وَلاَ صَلاَةٍ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ الْمُجَاهِدُ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ».

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "It was said to the Prophet (s.a.w): 'What is equivalent to Jihad in the cause of Allah (glorified and exalted is He)?' He said: 'You are not able for that."' He said: "They repeated the question two or three times, and each time he (s.a.w) said: 'You are not able for that.' The third time, he said: 'The likeness of one who strives in the cause of Allah is that of one who fasts, prays Qiyam and obeys Allah, and does not falter in his fasting or prayer, until the one who is fighting in Jihad in the cause of Allah returns.'"