Moderation in Acts of Worship

The esteemed scholars—may Allah be pleased with them—are kindly requested to resolve the following confusion, which has caused evident harm to worshippers:

One of them heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say:

“The prayer most beloved to Allah is the prayer of David, and the fasting most beloved to Allah is the fasting of David. He would sleep half the night, spend a third of it in prayer, and sleep the remaining sixth. He would fast one day and not fast the next.”

He therefore made a commitment to Allah to fast one day and not fast the next, and continued doing so for a year or more. He is married, has dependants, and works for a living, which requires him to maintain his health. He then developed an ambition to memorize the Quran, so alongside this strenuous regimen he began learning portions each day and repeating them.

In addition, he then became intent on pursuing his spiritual goal, spending most of the night in prayer, and striving and persevering extensively in worship. Thus, he suffered the combined burden of the dryness caused by fasting, diminished strength for his work, the dryness caused by frequent repetition, and the dryness arising from his intense resolve. He is also a young man with the heat of youth. All of this together impaired his mind, causing absent-mindedness, headaches, and dullness