Is this narration authentic?
هَلُمَّ إِلَى جِهَاد لَا شَوْكَة فِيهِ: الْحَج
Answer
Imam Tabarani (rahimahullah) has recorded this narration. ‘Allamah Mundhiri and Hafiz Haythami (rahimahumallah) have declared the narrators reliable (thiqat).
(Al Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 2910, Al Mu’jamul Awsat, Hadith: 4299, Targhib, vol. 2 pg. 164, Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 3 pg. 206. Also see: Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq, Hadith: 8809, 9283)
The complete narration is as follows:
A man once came to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and said, “I am a coward and I am weak.” Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Go for that jihad which has no weapons/fighting, i.e. Hajj’”
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar,
This is one among several Hadiths that cite Hajj as a form of Jihad.
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar