Muslim records, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though there is good in each of them. Be keen on what benefits you; seek Allah’s help and do not give up. If something befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-and-such, it would have been this or that.’ Instead say, ‘It is Allah’s decree, and He does whatever He wills,’ for the phrase ‘if only’ opens the door to Satan’s work.”

Al-Bukhārī and Muslim also relate, from Abū Hurayrah and ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (may Allah be pleased with them both), that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“When a judge exerts his ijtihād (independent reasoning) and reaches the correct verdict, he receives two rewards; but if he exerts his ijtihād and errs, he still receives one reward.”

Allah, exalted is He, says:

“Those of you who spent and fought before the Conquest are not equal with those who spent and fought afterwards; they are higher in rank than those who spent and fought later, yet to all Allah has promised the finest reward.”

And He says:

“Those believers who stay behind—apart from those who are incapacitated—are not equal to those who strive in Allah’s path with their wealth and their lives. Allah has granted those who strive with their wealth and their lives a degree above those who stay behind. To each Allah has promised the finest reward, yet Allah has preferred those who strive over those who stay behind with a tremendous reward: degrees from Him, and forgiveness, and mercy. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

And He says:

“Do you consider providing water for the pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque to be equal to believing in Allah and the Last Day and striving in Allah’s path? They are not equal in Allah’s sight, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people—those who believed, emigrated, and strove in Allah’s path with their wealth and their lives …”