In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب في الاقتصاد في العبادة
Chapter on moderation in worship.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/66
Allah Almighty said:
مَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لِتَشْقَىٰ
We have not revealed the Quran to you to cause you distress.
Surat Ta Ha 20:2
And Allah said:
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
Allah intends ease for you, not hardship.
Surat al-Baqarah 2:185
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.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 43, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Anas ibn Malik reported: Some of the companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asked the wives of the Prophet about deeds that he performed in private. Some said, “I will not marry women.” And some said, “I will not eat meat.” And some said, “I will never sleep in a bed.” The Prophet praised and glorified Allah, and he said:
مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ قَالُوا كَذَا وَكَذَا لَكِنِّي أُصَلِّي وَأَنَامُ وَأَصُومُ وَأُفْطِرُ وَأَتَزَوَّجُ النِّسَاءَ فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي
What is the matter with some people who say this? I pray and I sleep, I fast and I break fasting, and I marry women. Whoever does not desire my Sunnah is not part of me.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1401, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said three times:
هَلَكَ الْمُتَنَطِّعُونَ
Ruined are the nitpickers, hairsplitters.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2670, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huriara reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ هَذَا الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ وَلَنْ يُشَادَّ الدِّينَ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا غَلَبَهُ فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا وَيَسِّرُوا وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالْغَدْوَةِ وَالرَّوْحَةِ وَشَيْءٍ مِنْ الدَّلْجَةِ
Verily, the religion is easy and no one burdens himself in religion but that it overwhelms him. Follow the right course, seek closeness to Allah, give glad tidings, and seek help for worship in the morning and evening and a part of the night.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 39, Grade: Sahih
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, entered the mosque and saw a rope between two pillars. The Prophet asked:
مَا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ
What is this rope?
They said, “This rope is for Zaynab who uses it when she becomes tired during prayer.” The Prophet said:
لَا حُلُّوهُ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ
Do not use it. Let one of you pray when you have energy. If you feel tired, sit down.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1150, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا نَعَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فَلْيَرْقُدْ حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ عَنْهُ النَّوْمُ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا صَلَّى وَهُوَ نَاعِسٌ لَا يَدْرِي لَعَلَّهُ يَسْتَغْفِرُ فَيَسُبُّ نَفْسَهُ
When one of you feels drowsy while he is praying, let him rest until his sleepiness is gone. Verily, if one of you is praying while he is drowsy, he does not know whether he is asking for forgiveness or abusing himself.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 212, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Jabir ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَكَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُ قَصْدًا وَخُطْبَتُهُ قَصْدًا
I was praying with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and his prayer was of moderate length and his sermon was of moderate length.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 866, Grade: Sahih
Abu Juhayfah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, made a fellowship between Salman and Abu Darda. Salman visited Abu Darda and found his wife Umm Darda dressed in worn-out clothing. He asked her why she was like this. She said, “Your brother Abu Darda is not interested in this world.” Then, Abu Darda entered and prepared a meal for Salman. Salman asked Abu Darda to eat with him, but he said, “I am fasting.” Salman said, “I will not eat until you eat.” So Abu Darda ate with him. When the night set in, Abu Darda stood for prayer, but Salman asked him to sleep, and Abu Darda slept. After a while, Abu Darda arose again, but Salman asked him to sleep. When it was the last hours of the night, Salman asked him to get up, and they both offered night prayers. Salman said to him:
إِنَّ لِرَبِّكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَلِنَفْسِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا وَلِأَهْلِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا فَأَعْطِ كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ
You have a duty to your Lord, you have a duty to your body, you have a duty to your family, so you should give each one its rights.
Abu Darda came to the Prophet and told him what happened, and the Prophet said:
صَدَقَ سَلْمَانُ
Salman spoke the truth.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1968, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him:
أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَصُومُ وَلَا تُفْطِرُ وَتُصَلِّي فَصُمْ وَأَفْطِرْ وَقُمْ وَنَمْ فَإِنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا وَإِنَّ لِنَفْسِكَ وَأَهْلِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَظًّا
I am told you fast and never break your fast and you never stop praying at night? Fast and break your fast, pray at night, and sleep. Verily, your eyes deserve a share of your time, and your own self and your family deserve a share of your time.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1977, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Hanzalah al-Usayyidi reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, when we are in your presence, we are reminded of Hellfire and Paradise. It is as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but when we leave you and attend to our wives, our children, and our businesses, we forget many things.” The Prophet said three times:
وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنْ لَوْ تَدُومُونَ عَلَى مَا تَكُونُونَ عِنْدِي وَفِي الذِّكْرِ لَصَافَحَتْكُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عَلَى فُرُشِكُمْ وَفِي طُرُقِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ سَاعَةً وَسَاعَةً
By the One in whose hand is my soul, if you could always remain in remembrance as you are in my presence, the angels would shake your hands on your couches and in your roads. Rather, O Hanzalah, there is a time for this and a time for that.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2750, Grade: Sahih
Ibn Abbas reported: While the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was giving a sermon, he saw a man standing and he asked about him. They said, “It is Abu Israel, who has vowed that he will stand and never sit down, he will never come into the shade, nor will he speak to anyone, and he will be fasting.” The Prophet said:
مُرْهُ فَلْيَتَكَلَّمْ وَلْيَسْتَظِلَّ وَلْيَقْعُدْ وَلْيُتِمَّ صَوْمَهُ
Tell him to speak, come into the shade, and sit down, but let him complete his fast.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6704, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
