Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad-zuhd:1025ʿAbdullāh from my father > Ḥajjāj > Ḥarīz b. ʿUthmān > al-Mashyakhah > Abū Baḥriyyah > Muʿādh b. Jabal

[Machine] "What action did a human being do that saved him from the punishment of Allah, other than the remembrance of Allah?" They said, "O Abu Abdullah, not even Jihad in the path of Allah?" He said, "No, unless he is struck with his sword until it is cut off, because Allah says in His book, 'And the remembrance of Allah is greater'" (Surah Al-Ankabut 45).  

الزهد لأحمد:١٠٢٥حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ حَدَّثَنَا حَرِيزُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْمَشْيَخَةِ عَنْ أَبِي بَحْرِيَّةَ عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ قَالَ

مَا عَمِلَ آدَمِيٌّ عَمَلًا أَنْجَى لَهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ قَالُوا يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَلَا الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ﷻ قَالَ وَلَا إِلَى أَنْ يُضْرَبَ بِسَيْفِهِ حَتَّى يَنْقَطِعَ؛ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ {وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ} [العنكبوت 45]  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Ṭabarānī
tabarani:17550[Chain 1] ʿUbayd b. Ghannām > Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah [Chain 2] al-Ḥusayn b. Isḥāq al-Tustarī > ʿUthmān b. Abū Shaybah > Abū Khālid al-Aḥmar > Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > Abū al-Zubayr > Ṭāwūs > Muʿādh

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No action that a person does can save them from the punishment of Allah more than the remembrance of Allah." They said, "Not even jihad in the cause of Allah?" He said, "Not unless you strike with your sword until it breaks, three times."  

الطبراني:١٧٥٥٠حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ غَنَّامٍ ثنا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ ثنا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ قَالَا ثنا أَبُو خَالِدٍ الْأَحْمَرُ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ طَاوُوسٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «مَا عَمِلَ آدَمِيٌّ عَمَلًا أَنْجَى لَهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللهِ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللهِ» قَالُوا وَلَا الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ؟ قَالَ «وَلَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَضْرِبَ بِسَيْفِكَ حَتَّى يَنْقَطِعَ» ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ