Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 2269
وَعَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَلَا أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ أَعْمَالِكُمْ وَأَزْكَاهَا عِنْدَ مَلِيكِكُمْ؟ وَأَرْفَعِهَا فِي دَرَجَاتِكُمْ؟ وَخَيْرٍ لَكُمْ مِنْ إِنْفَاقِ الذهبِ والوَرِقِ؟ وخيرٍ لكم مِنْ أَنْ تَلْقَوْا عَدُوَّكُمْ فَتَضْرِبُوا أَعْنَاقَهُمْ وَيَضْرِبُوا أَعْنَاقَكُمْ؟» قَالُوا: بَلَى قَالَ: «ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ» . رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَأَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ إِلَّا أَنَّ مَالِكًا وَقفه على أبي الدَّرْدَاء
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu al-Darda’ (may God be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘Shall I tell you of the best of your deeds, the purest with your Sovereign, the highest in your ranks, and better for you than spending gold and silver or meeting your enemy and striking their necks while they strike yours?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He replied, ‘The remembrance of God.’ Malik, Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah transmitted it; Malik’s version stops at Abu al-Darda’. The Arabic source grades it sahih (al-Albani).
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Malik’s report is described as mawquf on Abu al-Darda’, while the other transmissions are attributed to the Prophet in the source.