—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and had I asked him for more, he would have told me more.’”

In the two Sahīhs, it is reported that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, “Which deeds are best?” He replied, “Faith in Allah and jihad in His cause.” He was asked, “Then what?” He replied, “An accepted pilgrimage.”

In the two Sahīhs, a man said to him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of a deed equal to jihad in Allah’s cause.” He replied, “You cannot do it,” or, “You cannot sustain it.” The man said, “Then tell me what it is.” He replied, “When the one striving in Allah’s cause sets out, can you fast without breaking your fast and stand in prayer without flagging?”

The Sunan collections report from Muʿādh, may Allah be pleased with him, that when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent him to Yemen, he counselled him, saying:

“O Muʿādh, fear Allah wherever you are, follow a bad deed with a good deed to erase it, and treat people with good character.”

He also said:

“O Muʿādh, I truly love you, so never neglect to say at the close of every prayer: ‘O Allah, help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You well.’”

He also said to him, while Muʿādh was riding behind him:

“O Muʿādh, do you know Allah’s right over His servants?”

Muʿādh said, “I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘His right over them is that they worship Him and associate nothing with Him. Do you know the servants’ right upon Allah if they do that?’ I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘Their right upon Him is that He not punish them.’”

He also said to Muʿādh:

“The foundation of the matter is Islam, its pillar is prayer, and its pinnacle