‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told that a man came to God’s Messenger and asked his permission to take part in jihad. He asked him if his parents were still alive, and when he replied that they were, he told him to exert himself* on their behalf.
*The point is not so clear in English as in Arabic. Jihad, while being the word for fighting against infidels, also means to strive or to exert oneself in general. The man wished to take part in jihad, and when the Prophet (ﷺ) heard that his parents were still alive he said fa-fihima fa-jahid (exert yourself on their behalf.)
(Bukhari and Muslim.) A version has, “Return to your parents and look after them well.”
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone believes in God and His Messenger, observes the prayer and fasts during Ramadan, God will assuredly bring him into paradise whether he has engaged in jihad in Go…
He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who engages in jihad in God’s path is like him who fasts and spends the night in prayer, who assiduously recites God’s verses and does not slacken from fasting and prayer until…
He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God answers the prayer for forgiveness of him who goes out in His path, being led to do so by nothing but faith in Him and belief in His Messengers, promising to bring him back wit…
He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, were it not that men among the believers are not satisfied with remaining behind me when I cannot get mounts for them, I would not stay behind when…
Sahl b. Sa'd reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Being stationed on the frontier in God’s path for a day is better than the world and what is on it.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)
Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A morning or an evening expedition in God’s path is better than the world and what it contains.”
(Bukhari and Muslim.)