عن أبي عبدِ الرحمنِ عبدِ اللّهِ بنِ مسعودٍ رضي اللّهُ عنه قال: سأَلتُ النبيَّ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّمَ: أَيُّ الْعملِ أَحبُّ إلى اللّهِ تَعالى؟ قال: «الصَّلاةُ على وقْتِهَا» قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ أَيٌّ؟ قال: «بِرُّ الْوَالِدَيْنِ» قلتُ: ثُمَّ أَيٌّ؟ قال: «الجِهَادُ في سبِيلِ اللّهِ» متفقٌ عليه.
On the authority of Abu Abd al-Rahman Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Which deed is most beloved to Allah Most High?" He said: "Prayer at its proper time." I said: "Then what?" He said: "Dutifulness to one's parents." I said: "Then what?" He said: "Jihad in the path of Allah." [Agreed upon.]
الشرح · explanation
الصلاة على وقتها: قيل في أول وقتها، وقيل في وقتها. برّ الوالدين: الإحسان إليهما، وترك عقوقهما.
"Prayer at its proper time": it is said—at the beginning of its time; and it is said—within its appointed time. "Dutifulness to parents (birr al-walidayn)": being kind to them and abstaining from disobedience to them.
الدروس · lessons
اقتران برّ الوالدين بالصلاة والجهاد دليل على أهميته وعظمته في الإسلام. أنّ أفضل حقوق اللّه الخالصة بعد الشهادتين الصلاة، وأفضل حقوق الناس حقّ الوالدين، وأفضل أنواع التضحية الجهاد؛ لأنّه الوسيلة للمحافظة على حقّ اللّه وحقّ الناس.
The pairing of dutifulness to parents with prayer and jihad is evidence of its great importance and lofty rank in Islam. The greatest of the rights owed purely to Allah after the two testimonies of faith is prayer; the greatest right owed to people is the right of one's parents; and the greatest form of sacrifice is jihad—because it is the means by which both the right of Allah and the rights of people are preserved.