{Do you consider giving water to the pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque as equal to believing in Allah and the Last Day} [Surat at-Tawbah: 19] to the end of the verse

Explanation

An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) mentioned that he was sitting near the pulpit of the Prophet (ﷺ) when he heard a man say: I do not mind doing no other deed after becoming Muslim except giving water to the pilgrims. And another man said: I do not mind doing no other deed after becoming Muslim except maintaining and serving the Sacred Mosque. Then another said: Jihad in the cause of Allah is better than what you both have said. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with them) rebuked them for raising their voices near the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)—and it was Friday morning. Then he said: When I have prayed the Friday prayer, I will go in and ask the Prophet (ﷺ) about the matter in which you have differed. So Allah Almighty revealed: {Do you consider giving water to the pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque as equal to believing in Allah and the Last Day and striving for Allah’s cause? They are not equal before Allah, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 19]

Lessons

• Good deeds vary in virtue and reward.
• Deeds differ in virtue according to what the Shariah has prescribed—not according to people's personal opinions or judgments.
• The virtue of Jihad in the cause of Allah on the condition of believing in Allah and in the Last Day.
• An-Nawawi said: This Hadīth indicates the dislike of raising one's voice in mosques, whether on Friday or at other times, and that one should not raise his voice for teaching or anything else when people are gathered for prayer because it causes distraction and disturbance to those praying and remembering Allah.