In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب المحافظة عَلَى مَا اعتاده من الخير
Chapter on safeguarding good habits
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/222
Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ
Indeed, Allah would never change a people’s state unless they change what is within themselves
Surat al-Ra’d 13:11
And Allah said:
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَاثًا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
Do not be like the woman who foolishly unravels her yarn after it is firmly spun, by taking your oaths as a means of deceiving one another in favour of a stronger group. Surely, Allah tests you through this. And on the Day of Judgment He will certainly make your differences clear to you.
Surat al-Nahl 16:92
And Allah said:
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ
Has the time not yet come for believers’ hearts to be humbled at the remembrance of Allah and what has been revealed of the truth, and not be like those given the Scripture before, those who were spoiled for so long that their hearts became hardened. And many of them are still rebellious.
Surat al-Hadid 57:16
And Allah said:
ثُمَّ قَفَّيْنَا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِم بِرُسُلِنَا وَقَفَّيْنَا بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْإِنجِيلَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ رَأْفَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا فَآتَيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ
Then in the footsteps of these prophets, We sent Our messengers, and after them We sent Jesus, son of Mary, and granted him the Gospel, and instilled compassion and mercy into the hearts of his followers. As for monasticism, they made it up, We never ordained it for them, only seeking to please Allah, yet they did not even observe it strictly. So We rewarded those of them who were faithful. But most of them are rebellious.
Surat al-Hadid 57:27
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me:
يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لَا تَكُنْ مِثْلَ فُلَانٍ كَانَ يَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ فَتَرَكَ قِيَامَ اللَّيْلِ
O Abdullah, do not be like a man who would stand for prayer at night but later abandoned the night prayer.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1152, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ أَحَدًا عَمَلُهُ
Follow the right course, be devoted, and give glad tidings. Verily, none of you will enter Paradise by his deeds alone.
They said, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said:
وَلَا أَنَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِيَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَحَبَّ الْعَمَلِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ
Not even myself, unless Allah grants me His mercy. Know that the most beloved deed to Allah is done regularly, even if it is small.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6464, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَا دُووِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ
O people, you must only perform deeds you are capable of doing. By Allah, Allah will not give up on you unless you give up. Verily, the most beloved deeds to Allah are those performed regularly, even if they are few.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
وَكَانَ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا عَمِلُوا عَمَلًا أَثْبَتُوهُ
When the household of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, committed to a deed, they would be determined in it.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 43, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
