What is the authenticity of the hadith: “We returned from the greater jihad to the lesser jihad”? And a discussion of the hadith: “Paradise is under the feet of mothers.”

The questioner : The greater jihad and the lesser jihad: what is its authenticity? .

The Shaykh : Weak.

The questioner : Weak.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : Because many scholars rely on it in sermons and in mosques, saying that you must strive against your own self and you must...

The Shaykh : It is the striving against the self, and there is no doubt that this is something commanded. However, the hadith circulating on people’s tongues that he (peace be upon him) said, after returning from the jihad against the disbelievers: , meaning this is the striving against the self; this wording is not authentic. But what is authentic from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is that he said: . And in another narration: , .

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Meaning: the true mujahid is the one who strives against his desires for the sake of Allah, and without a doubt, the jihad against the disbelievers is part of this striving.
Yes.
I mean, there are hadiths that are not established from the Messenger (peace be upon him) in terms of narration, but a way out and a meaning can be found for them through knowledge. For example, one of the hadiths that is sometimes placed at the beginning of gatherings: . This hadith is weak from the perspective of hadith science and is not authentic, but its meaning is correct; because it is reported in "Sunan al-Nasa'i" with a sound chain that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, I have come from Yemen = -- where is the paper that was here -- = and I left my mother crying. So he (peace be upon him) said: . This gives the meaning of the famous hadith, but the famous hadith is not sound in its chain, and this one is sound in its chain. Also, I want to say: is not authentic in terms of narration, but the jihad against the enemies is part of the jihad against the self; otherwise, a person who is not striving against his own self would make up any excuse not to go to the jihad in the path of Allah. And we know from recent Islamic history, in the time of the Turks, that an innovation occurred; which was that students of knowledge were permitted and exempted from fighting. Therefore, attempts were made there to issue a certificate to a person who did not understand anything of knowledge, stating that he is a student of knowledge, in order to escape the jihad in the path of Allah. And the reality is that the true students of knowledge are the ones who must strive in the path of Allah truly.

The questioner : Or he would dress in the attire of scholars; therefore, we find in many villages people who wear what resembles..., until now some of the elderly... Yes, that is right.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : So that they are exempted from the jihad.

The Shaykh: Correct.