I asked the Prophet, "What is the best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and to fight for His Cause." I then asked, "What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?" He replied, "The manumission of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master." I said, "If I cannot afford to do that?" He said, "Help the weak or do good for a person who cannot work for himself." I said, "If I cannot do that?" He said, "Refrain from harming others for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good." (Using translation from Bukhārī 2518)
"أفْضَلُ الْعَمَل: إيمانٌ بالله وجهادٌ في سبيلِ الله، قيل: فأيُّ الرقاب أفْضَلُ؟ قال: أنفَسُهَا عنْدَ أَهْلِها، وأغلاها ثمنًا، قيل: فإِنْ لم أَجِدْ؟ قال: تُعينُ صانِعًا، أو تَصْنَعُ لأخْرَقَ قال: فإِن لم أَستطع؟ قال: كُفَّ أذَاكَ عن الناسِ؛ فإِنَّها صدقةٌ تَصَدَّقُ بها على نَفْسِكَ".