Is the struggle against the self better, or is the struggle in the path of Allah better?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: Go ahead.

The questioner: ... For example, this person ... is it better that he benefits and takes ... or that ... from this salary ... which is better for him?

The Shaykh: Yes, without a doubt, the best is the struggle against the self.

The questioner: Before money?

The Shaykh: Without a doubt ... not before money, the self, then money, then the tongue.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: No, we are speaking in terms of importance, not in terms of the Quranic order. The Quranic order, if it said "then," would increase the preference, but this is merely for gathering; do you understand how? But the greatest jihad is the struggle against the self, as he (peace be upon him) said.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: No, allow me, there is a weak hadith, you have now made me need to mention it, but I wanted to mention the authentic hadith: , so now, is it stronger for a person to struggle against his self and expose it to perils and death, or to give hundreds of thousands from his pocket? The ruling on the struggle against the self is stronger; and therefore the hadith that is mentioned now in many occasions: - the struggle against the self -; this is not correct.

The questioner : .

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : .

The Shaykh: Yes, we have returned from the lesser jihad.

The questioner : .

The Shaykh: You are right, it is the jihad, what? The greatest, it is the struggle against the self. I refrained from mentioning this hadith because it is weak, but I brought its substitute, which is an authentic hadith; and it is his saying (peace be upon him): , in a narration: . Without a doubt, if we assume a strong and wealthy man; without a doubt, for this strong, wealthy man, it is more beloved to him to remain in his house, working in his trade and spending from his money, than to go to actual jihad; because this jihad involves exposing his self and dying as a martyr. And therefore, in terms of strength and preference, the struggle against the self is without a doubt better than the struggle with money.
And following them comes the struggle of the tongue; therefore he (peace be upon him) said: .
So the point is: the question you asked, without a doubt and without hesitation, is that the struggle against the self ... to die as a martyr in the path of Allah is more preferable than the struggle with money. For this reason, some of the scholars in the past formulated for some of the caliphs an expiation for an oath, where it was permissible to rule that he should feed the poor, as mentioned in the Noble Quran, but he did not do that, and instead obligated him to fast for three days, even though in the Quran: , he did not order him to fast, he did not order him to give money; because he was wealthy, extending his hand from his treasury and giving charities that cannot be counted or enumerated, so there is not in that ... for his self, whereas if he said to him: fast; this contains something of what remains for him, which is the jihad. So he preferred to order him to fast rather than give charity; because fasting for this wealthy man is more polite for him and stronger in training his self than expiating his oath from the abundant wealth he has. So the point is, without a doubt, that the struggle against the self is the foundation, and then following it comes the struggle with money.

The questioner: Some scholars say ... in this text: that you struggle your self against your desires and against sins.

The Shaykh: I mentioned the hadith to you, you are saying scholars, I mentioned the hadith to you just now.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: You must ... with me, may Allah bless you.

The questioner : Yes, yes.

The Shaykh: The Messenger says: and I said: in an addition: , but I asked you, which of the two jihads is greater for the general people, is it that the wealthy man gives, or that he gives his self in the path of Allah?

The questioner: The self.

The Shaykh: This is it, therefore this is an important issue that will have a long discussion ... it is this question ... .
So the important thing is either seeking knowledge is an individual obligation or it is a collective obligation, and it remains to be seen whether jihad is an individual obligation or a collective obligation? If an individual obligation is compared with a collective obligation, the individual obligation is given precedence over the collective obligation. And now we do not imagine that he ... goes to fight in the path of Allah while seeking the knowledge that is obligatory upon him, this obligatory one has ended for him, do you understand how? But if he wants to elevate himself with knowledge, then this is a collective obligation, not an individual obligation.