He said that God’s messenger was asked what action was most excellent and replied that it was faith in God and His messenger. He was asked what came next and replied that it was jihad in God’s path. He was asked what came next and replied that it was a pilgrimage which was accepted. Bukhari and Muslim.
The Excellence of Fundamental Acts of Worship
This hadith from Mishkat al-Masabih 2506 establishes a hierarchy of virtuous deeds in Islam, beginning with the foundation of faith (iman) in Allah and His Messenger, followed by jihad in Allah's cause, then the accepted pilgrimage (hajj mabroor).
The Primacy of Correct Belief
The Prophet ﷺ placed faith as the foremost excellence because all actions depend upon sound belief (aqeedah). Without proper iman, no deed is accepted by Allah, as the Quran states: "Whoever disbelieves, his work has become worthless" (5:5).
The Station of Jihad
Jihad follows faith in excellence, encompassing both the struggle against one's lower self (jihad al-nafs) and physical striving in Allah's path. Scholars note this includes speaking truth before tyrannical rulers, supporting Islamic causes, and military jihad when obligatory.
The Accepted Pilgrimage
Hajj mabroor refers to pilgrimage performed according to the Sunnah, free from sin and ostentation. Ibn Abdul-Barr commented that its sign is that one returns better than before and persists in righteousness. Some scholars held its reward is nothing less than Paradise.
Scholarly Insights
Imam Nawawi explained this hierarchy shows deeds have varying degrees of excellence based on time, place, and circumstance. Ibn Hajar noted faith is continuous, jihad is occasional, while hajj is once in a lifetime for most, yet hajj's position after jihad demonstrates its immense virtue.
Al-Qurtubi emphasized that "accepted" means compliant with Shariah conditions, sincerely for Allah alone, not followed by sin, and accompanied by lawful provision.