Reference: Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa – Volume 10, Page 518
Muhammad ibn Yahyaa adh-Dhuhalee said: I heard Yahyaa ibn Ma’een say:
Defence of the Sunnah is better than jihaad in the Path of Allaah.
So I said to Yahyaa:
[What about] the man who spends his wealth, and tires himself and makes jihaad [in the Path of Allaah] – so is he (the defender of the Sunnah) [still] better than him?
And he said:
Yes, [he is better than him] by far.