Hadith:The greater jihad is the jihad on oneself?

Question: What do you say about the hadîth that reads: The greater jihad is the jihad on oneself? Answered by the Fatwa Department Research Committee - chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî

There is a weak hadîth related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad. The lesser jihad refers to armed struggle while the greater jihâd refers to self-struggle.”Al-Albânî, in his Silsilah al-Ahâdîth al-Da`îfah, volume 5 page 478, says: This hadîth is false.
Al-Hafiz al-Irâqî said in Takhrîj al-Ahyâ’ (2/6): “Related by al-Bayhaqî from the hadîth of Jâbir, and said there is a weak line of transmission for this hadîth. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajr mentioned what al-Bayhaqî said, in his book Takhrîj al-Kashâf (4/114. No. 33) then said: This hadîth is from the narration of Îsa b. Ibrâhîm through Yahyâ b. Ya`lâ through Layth b. Abi Sulaym. These three people are weak.

Imam al-Nisâ’î mentioned this hadith in al-Kunâ from the narration of Ibrâhîm b. Abi `Ablah one of the successors of the people of Syria.”Al-Albânî also says: “Îsa b. Ibrâhîm is al-Barakî. Ibn hajar says about him in al-Taqrîb: “He is truthful but falls into doubt”, so calling him weak is a bit unfair. Ibn Hajr confirms that the statement is actually the statement of this Ibrâhîm. Al-Sûyûtî said in al-Durar (page 70): “Ibn Hajr said in Tasdîd al-Qaws that it is a famous statement, but it is merely the saying of Ibrâhîm b. Abî `Ablah as related in al-Kunâ by al-Nasâ’î.”Ibn Taymiyah said about this hadîth: “It is baseless.” Islaamdoon Editor