be moderate.

For this reason the Prophet ﷺ said, “The one who overdrives his mount will neither cross any land nor spare the mount’s back.” The person meant here is the traveler who pushes his animal night and day without respite; such a man ends up covering no distance and preserving neither the animal’s back. Rather, he wears it out—leaving himself powerless, exhausted, depleted, and compelled to stop.

Thus moderation in worship is one of the Prophet’s sunnahs. Servant of Allah, do not make things hard upon yourself; proceed gently, step by step. As mentioned earlier, the most beloved deeds to Allah are the ones performed regularly, even if they are few. So give yourself ease: neither neglect nor overdo, for the best guidance is the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ. I ask Allah to make me and you among those who follow his guidance, treading his path and his Sunnah.

144 – Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The extremists have perished,” repeating it three times. Narrated by Muslim.

The extremists (al-mutanattiʿūn): those who delve too deeply and impose undue strictness where no strictness has been ordained.

Explanation
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—cites the ḥadīth of ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd that the Prophet ﷺ declared three times, “The extremists have perished.” Perdition is the opposite of survival; in other words, they have destroyed themselves and incurred loss.