(1) Al-Bukhari, no. 39, on the authority of Abu Hurayra: “Religion is ease; no one tries to force religion upon himself but it overwhelms him. Therefore keep to moderation, draw near to perfection, rejoice, and seek help with a devotion in the early morning, the late afternoon and a little of the last part of the night.” A second wording recorded by al-Bukhari, no. 6463, also from Abu Hurayra: “Keep to moderation and draw near; set out in the early morning, the late afternoon and a little of the night. Follow a middle course, follow a middle course, and you will reach your goal.” The phrase “al-qasd al-qasd tablugh” – that is, keep to the balanced, middle road – is explained in Fath al-Bari, 11/298. (2) Al-Bukhari, no. 6465, and Muslim, no. 782/215, from Aisha; the wording cited here follows Abu Dawud, no. 1368. The imperative “aklifū”, read with either a fatḥa or a ḍamma on the lām, is, according to Ibn al-Tin, properly vocalised with fatḥa, though we have received it with ḍamma. It means to carry something through to its utmost; one says “kuliftu bi-sh-shay’” when one becomes passionately attached to it (Fath al-Bari, 11/298-299). (3) Al-Tirmidhi, no. 2453, records from Abu Hurayra the Prophet’s saying: “Everything has a period of enthusiasm, and every period of enthusiasm is followed by slackening. If the one who slackens still keeps to moderation and proximity, hope for him; but if people start pointing at him, stay away from him.” Al-Tirmidhi judged it “hasan sahih gharib.” Ahmad, 2/188; Ibn Hibban, no. 11; and al-Tahawi in Sharh Mushkil al-Athar, no. 1236, transmit from Abdullah b. Amr: “Every deed has a period of enthusiasm, and every enthusiasm is followed by slackening. Whoever’s enthusiasm coincides with my sunnah has succeeded, while whoever’s slackening leads him elsewhere has perished.”