Is there a hadith that states that the deed of the young man who brought food to the worshipping sheikh in the cave is "better than the worship of that secluded one for seventy years"?
We have not come across anything that indicates the superiority of serving a youth over seventy years of i'tikaf (seclusion for worship). However, it has been established that jihad is superior to isolating oneself for worship for seventy years, and that "the standing of one of you in the way of Allah is better than his prayer in his house for seventy years." It has also been established that the virtue of serving Muslims and striving to fulfill their needs is superior to mere i'tikaf and worship, and that "the most beloved of people to Allah are those most beneficial to people," and that "the most beloved of deeds to Allah is joy that you bring to a Muslim, or a distress that you relieve from him," and that "walking with a brother to fulfill a need is more beloved than performing i'tikaf for a month in the Prophet's Mosque."
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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