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MADRASA AL-HIDAYA |
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MUSLIM SCHOOL OF RIGHT GUIDANCE |
Bismillāh ar-Rahmān ar-Rahīm
MANBA‘ AL-IMDĀD: A FOUNTAIN OF HELP
A Compendium of the talks of:
AL-HABĪB AHMAD MASH-HŪR BIN TĀHĀ AL-HADDĀD
Rady Allāhu ‘Anhu
Compiled by his grandson:
As-Sayyid Muhammad bin Mustafā Bū Numay
Rahmatullāhi ‘alayh
DARS 34: PERSIST IN YOUR GOOD DEED EVEN IF IT IS LITTLE
In the words of my master, my grandfather, may Allah spread his benefit when he explained his (the Prophet’s) Saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “Do good deeds according to your ability because Allah does not weary (from rewarding good deeds) unless you get tired”.
My grandfather explained, may Allah be pleased with him.
What is meant by ability? It means the ability to do it regularly. For example, if you pray 100 raka‘āt or 50 raka‘āt (optional Prayer) everyday for a few days and then leave it. No! Take for yourself a good deed according to your ability. What is intended by this Saying is to do a good deed regularly. And regularity in a good deed is not possible except by one’s ability to do it, and joy in it. And do not exceed the limit because if the limit of anything is exceeded, it is thrown back to its opposite. So when the limit is passed in worship, in Prayer and other acts (of worshipping Allah), you get tired and finally irritated and you do not get the relish in worship.
So the Wise Lawgiver has assigned well-known times for worship and especially for Salah (Prayer). He has not assigned for us to pray whole day long. He has given us five times obligatory Prayer at its appointed time and He has given us Supererogatory Prayers and additional sequenced supplications at their appointed times. He has given us two rak‘a before Fajr, two rak‘a before Zuhr (according to Shafi‘ī school of law), and two rak‘a after it, and four raka‘āt before ‘Asr, and two rak‘a after Maghrib, and two rak‘a before ‘Īshā’ and two after it. And if you have the strength to stand up for more worship, He has given you twenty raka‘āt Salat Awwabin after Maghrib, and three raka‘āt or eleven raka‘āt of Witr after ‘Ishā’. And He has appointed for you Qiyami’l-layl (to stand up for worship at night before dawn). There are various times other than these for us to relax. And Allah does not weary (from rewarding good deeds) unless you get tired.
So Allah’s door is always open, but you should not pray one day and leave it the next day. This is to get tired and cut off the good deed. And the deed that is most loved by Allah is the one in which its doer persists and does not stop it. Persistently doing a good deed even if it is a little makes a person beloved of Allah because he persists and is abiding in his service. But as for one who prays 200 raka‘āt at one time, then leaves it for a day or goes to sleep or is lazy and does not pray it, and does not persist in it, then he burdens himself, and
Allah does not task anyone but to the extent of his strength. (2:286)
So the one who persists in a good deed that is little, is better than the one who does a lot of it and then stops it. The learned scholars have talked at length on this topic. A little that is done regularly is better than doing a lot that is then stopped. And the religion is easy.