and al-Shāfiī. (1)
(2-5) It Is Better to Persist in Voluntary Worship, Even If It Is Little
Āisha reported: The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—had a mat with which he would enclose a space for himself at night and pray there, while during the day he would spread it out. People began following his prayer, and one night they gathered there. He said, “O people! Undertake only such deeds as you are able to sustain, for Allah does not tire until you tire. Indeed, the deeds most beloved to Allah are those performed consistently, even if they are few.” Whenever the household of Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—performed a deed, they made it a regular practice. Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim. (2)
I say: The hadith indicates that a Muslim should limit his worship to what he is able to sustain. It also implicitly prohibits burdening oneself with acts of worship beyond one’s capacity. (3)
(1) See *al-Hawādith wa al-Bida* by al-Turtūshī, pp. 136–137.
(2) This is an authentic hadith. Al-Bukhārī recorded it in several places, including the Book of Faith, chapter “The Deeds of Religion Most Beloved to Allah Are Those Performed Most Consistently,” hadith no. 43. Muslim also recorded it in the Book of the Prayer of Travelers and Its Shortening, hadith no. 782; the wording is his. See also *Jāmi al-Usūl*, 1/303.
(3) *Fath al-Bārī*, 1/102.
A useful point: In *Fath al-Bārī* (1/103), Ibn al-Jawzī is quoted as saying: “Consistent deeds are more beloved for two reasons:
First, one who abandons a deed after beginning it is like someone who turns away after having established a connection and thereby exposes himself to blame. For this reason, a warning has been issued concerning one who memorizes a verse and then forgets it, even though memorizing it had not previously been individually incumbent upon him.
Second, one who consistently performs good deeds remains continually devoted to service. A person who attends the door for some time each day is not like one who attends for an entire day and then ceases altogether.” End quote.
I say: His statement, “For this reason, a warning has been issued …” has been criticized on the grounds that nothing authentic has been established concerning this, as I explained in the marginal note to *Tahdhīb wa Tartīb al-Itqān* by al-Suyūtī (p. 236). Nevertheless, the insight he mentioned is valid. Allah knows best.