What ordinary work is ranked against
Two comparisons, and both of them are the hardest things on the list.
السَّاعِي عَلَى الأَرْمَلَةِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، أَوْ كَالَّذِي يَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَيَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ
As-sāʿī ʿalā-l-armalati wa-l-miskīni ka-l-mujāhidi fī sabīli-Llāh, aw ka-lladhī yaṣūmu-n-nahāra wa yaqūmu-l-layl
The one who works to provide for a widow and for the poor is like a man striving in the path of Allah, or like one who fasts the day and stands the night.
Where this comes from
Sāʿī is the one who goes back and forth, running the errands. It is unglamorous, repetitive work, and it is put level with the two things people admire most.
The full narration
Narrated Safwan bin Salim:The Prophet (ﷺ) said "The one who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior fighting for Allah's Cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all the night." Narrated Abu Huraira that the Prophet (ﷺ) said as above
Source
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī · 6006
- Agreed upon as authentic (al-Bukhārī / Muslim)