Moderation in what is done - Section 1

Anas said, “God's Messenger used to break his fast during a month so that we imagined he had not fasted during it at all, and he fasted so that we imagined he had not broken it. You did not wish to see him praying during the night without doing so, or sleeping without doing so.” Bukhari transmitted it.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُفْطِرُ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ حَتَّى يُظَنَّ أَنْ لَا يَصُومَ مِنْهُ وَيَصُومُ حَتَّى يُظَنَّ أَنْ لَا يُفْطِرَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا وَكَانَ لَا تَشَاءُ أَنْ تَرَاهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مُصَلِّيًا إِلَّا رَأَيْتَهُ وَلَا نَائِمًا إِلَّا رَأَيْتَهُ. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The acts most pleasing to God are those which are done most continuously, even if they amount to little.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى الله أدومها وَإِن قل»

She reported God’s Messenger as saying; “Choose such actions as you are capable of performing, for God does not grow weary till you do.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «خُذُوا مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يمل حَتَّى تملوا»

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “One should pray as long as he is lively, but when he slackens he should stop.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ وَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ)

‘A'isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you dozes while praying he should fall over till he has slept enough, for when one of you prays while dozing he does not know whether he may be asking pardon and vilifying himself. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا نَعَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَلْيَرْقُدْ حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ عَنْهُ النَّوْمُ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا صَلَّى وَهُوَ نَاعِسٌ لَا يدْرِي لَعَلَّه يسْتَغْفر فيسب نَفسه»

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The religion is ease, but if anyone overdoes it it gets the better of him; so keep to the right course, approximate to perfection, rejoice, and ask help in the morning, the evening, and some of the latter part of the night.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ وَلَنْ يُشَادَّ الدِّينَ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا غَلَبَهُ فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالْغَدْوَةِ وَالرَّوْحَةِ وَشَيْءٍ مِنَ الدُّلْجَةِ» . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Should anyone fall asleep and fail to recite his portion of the Qur’an or a part of it, if he recites it between the dawn and the noon prayer it will be recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن عمر رَضِي الله ع نه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ نَامَ عَنْ حِزْبِهِ أَوْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِنْهُ فَقَرَأَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَ صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ وَصَلَاةِ الظُّهْرِ كُتِبَ لَهُ كَأَنَّمَا قَرَأَهُ مِنَ اللَّيْل» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

‘Imran b. Husain reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Pray standing, but if you are unable, do it sitting; and if you are unable to do that, do it lying on your side.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَائِمًا فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ فَقَاعِدًا فَإِنْ لَمْ تستطع فعلى جنب» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

He said he asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about a man who prays sitting, and he replied, “If he prays standing that is more excellent; but one who prays sitting has half the reward of one who stands, and one who prays lying down has half the reward of one who sits.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن عمرَان بن حُصَيْن: أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ صَلَاةِ الرَّجُلِ قَاعِدًا. قَالَ: «إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ وَمَنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَلَهُ نِصْفُ أَجْرِ الْقَائِمِ وَمَنْ صَلَّى نَائِمًا فَلَهُ نصف أجل الْقَاعِد» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Abu Umama told of his hearing God’s Messenger say, “If anyone goes to bed in a state of purity and makes mention of God till drowsiness overtakes him, he will not turn round at any time during the night and ask God at that time for some of the good of this world and the next without His giving it to him.” Nawawi mentioned it in <i>Kitab al-adhkar</i> by the transmission of Ibn as-Sunni.

عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ أَوَى إِلَى فِرَاشِهِ طَاهِرًا وَذَكَرَ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَهُ النُّعَاسُ لَمْ يَتَقَلَّبْ سَاعَةً مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ فِيهَا خَيْرًا مِنْ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ» . ذَكَرَهُ النَّوَوِيُّ فِي كِتَابِ الْأَذْكَارِ بِرِوَايَةِ ابْنِ السّني

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying:

Our Lord is pleased with two men. One is a man who gets up from his blanket and his covering from among his beloved and his family to engage in prayer. God says to His angels, “Look at my servant who has got up from his bedding and his blanket from among his beloved and his family to engage in his prayer out of desire for what is with me and fear of what is with me.” The other is a man who goes out on an expedition in God’s path and is routed along with his companions, but who, knowing what responsibility will rest upon him for being routed and what reward he will receive for going back, returns with the result that his blood is spilt. God says to His angels, “Look at my servant who returned out of desire for what is with me and fear of what is with me with the result that his blood was spilt.” [Baghawi] transmitted it in <i>Sharh as-sunna</i>.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

عَجِبَ رَبُّنَا مِنْ رَجُلَيْنِ رَجُلٌ ثَارَ عَنْ وِطَائِهِ وَلِحَافِهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ حِبِّهِ وَأَهْلِهِ إِلَى صَلَاتِهِ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ لِمَلَائِكَتِهِ: انْظُرُوا إِلَى عَبْدِي ثَارَ عَنْ فِرَاشِهِ وَوِطَائِهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ حِبِّهِ وَأَهْلِهِ إِلَى صَلَاتِهِ رَغْبَةً فِيمَا عِنْدِي وَشَفَقًا مِمَّا عِنْدِي وَرَجُلٌ غَزَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَانْهَزَمَ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ فَعَلِمَ مَا عَلَيْهِ فِي الِانْهِزَامِ وَمَا لَهُ فِي الرُّجُوعِ فَرَجَعَ حَتَّى هُرِيقَ دَمُهُ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ لِمَلَائِكَتِهِ: انْظُرُوا إِلَى عَبْدِي رَجَعَ رَغْبَةً فِيمَا عِنْدِي وَشَفَقًا مِمَّا عِنْدِي حَتَّى هُرِيقَ دَمُهُ

. رَوَاهُ فِي شَرْحِ السُّنَّةِ

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr said:

I was told that God’s Messenger had said, “Prayer engaged in by a man while sitting counts as half the prayer,” so I went to him and I found him praying while sitting, and I put my hand on his head. He said, “What is the matter with you, ‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr? ’’ I replied, “I have been told, Messenger of God, that you said that prayer engaged in by a man while sitting counts as half the prayer, yet you yourself are praying while sitting.” He said, “Yes, but I am not like one of you.” Muslim transmitted it.

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: حُدِّثْتُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «صَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ قَاعِدًا نِصْفُ الصَّلَاةِ» قَالَ: فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَوَجَدْتُهُ يُصَلِّي جَالِسًا فَوَضَعْتُ يَدِي عَلَى رَأسه فَقَالَ: «مَالك يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو؟» قُلْتُ: حُدِّثْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَّكَ قُلْتَ: «صَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ قَاعِدًا عَلَى نِصْفِ الصَّلَاةِ» وَأَنْتَ تُصَلِّي قَاعِدًا قَالَ: «أَجَلْ وَلَكِنِّي لَسْتُ كَأَحَدٍ مِنْكُمْ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Salim b. Abul Ja'd told of a man of Khuza'a saying, “I wish I had prayed and been at rest.” When the people seemed to disapprove of his saying that, he replied that he had heard God’s Messenger say, “Declare that the time for prayer has come, Bilal, and give us rest by it.”* * This probably means that prayer brings peace of mind. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن سَالم بن أبي الْجَعْد قَالَ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ خُزَاعَةَ: لَيْتَنِي صَلَّيْتُ فَاسْتَرَحْتُ فَكَأَنَّهُمْ عَابُوا ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُول: «أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ يَا بِلَالُ أَرِحْنَا بِهَا» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد