Hadith: ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I asked for the permission of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to make Jihad, so he said: Your Jihad is pilgrimage

عن عائشة أم المؤمنين رضي الله عنها قالت: استأذنت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الجهاد، فقال: «جهادكن الحج».
[صحيح] - [رواه البخاري]

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I asked for the permission of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to make Jihad, so he said: "Your Jihad is pilgrimage."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari]

Explanation

‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to allow her to make Jihad with him, for she wanted to attain the virtue of Jihad. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told her that making Jihad and fighting the enemies is not ordained for women due to their weak physical constitution, soft hearts, and lack of ability to sustain dangers. Nevertheless, they may treat the wounded, water the thirsty, and do pertinent chores. Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I took part in seven battles with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in which I guarded their luggage, made food for them, treated the wounded, and care for the sick." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told ‘Ā’ishah that performing Hajj is the Jihad of women. Hajj and ‘Umrah are similar to Jihad in certain aspects. They require travel, staying away from one's home and family, exposure to dangers, fatigue, and expenditure. Anas reported that Umm Sulaym took on a dagger on the Day of Hunayn. She said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "I took it on so that if anyone of the polytheists draws near to me, I will tear his paunch open" [Muslim]. This Hadīth indicates the permissibility of fighting for women, although this fighting is defensive, meaning that she may not proceed toward the enemy and seek to confront them on the battlefield.