A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was present with him and asked him, "Prophet of Allah, which deeds are best?"He replied, "Faith in Allah and striving in the path of Allah."The man asked, "And if I am unable to do that?"He said, "Then which slaves are the most rewarding to free?"He replied, "Those of the highest price and the most precious to their owners."The man asked, "And if I am unable to do that?"He said, "Then help someone in distress, or do the work of an unskilled man."The man asked, "And if I am unable to do that?"He said, "Then restrain yourself from harming others, for that is a charity you give to your own soul."
أن رجلا أتى رسول الله ﷺ وهو عنده فسأله فقال: يا نبي الله أي الأعمال أفضل؟ قال: الإيمان بالله، والجهاد في سبيل الله. قال: فإن لم أستطع ذاك، قال: فأي الرقاب أعظم أجرا؟ قال: أغلاها ثمنا وأنفسها عند أهلها، قال: فإن لم أستطع قال: فتعين ضائعا أو تصنع الأخرق، قال: فإن لم أستطع ذاك، قال: فاحبس نفسك عن الشر فإنها صدقة تصدقت بها على نفسك.
Ahmad (9038) narrated it from Affan, who said, Khalifa bin Ghalib Laythi told us, who said, Saeed bin Abu Saeed Maqburi told us, from his father, from Abu Hurairah, and he mentioned it.Ibn Abu Asim also related it in Jihad (28) through the narration of Khalifa bin Ghalib, but he only included the words, "Faith and jihad in the path of Allah."Its chain of transmission is hasan because of Khalifa bin Ghalib, for he is one whose hadith is hasan.