The Famous Saying: "We returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad": What is the validity of its chain of narration and its meaning?

The questioner : What is the ruling on the famous saying regarding the greater jihad and the lesser jihad, the validity of the chain of narration for this saying, and its meaning?

The Shaykh : The hadith: "We returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad" is not authentic in terms of its chain of narration. As for its meaning, I do not consider it correct either. This is because, although struggling against the self is undoubtedly a very important matter in Islam, to the extent that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , it is not hidden from any Muslim that a person going out to fight in the cause of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is not equal in the intensity of jihad to one who remains in his home in his country, among his family and wives, no matter how righteous, pious, and struggling against his own self he may be. Therefore, this jihad while he is in his homeland is not equal to the jihad of one who left his country to fight in the cause of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). As is said in some lands, he has placed his blood in his hand; he does not equal the one who directly exposed himself to death in the cause, like the one who struggles against his self in the general jihad mentioned in the hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, I do not consider the meaning of that hadith to be correct: "We returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad."