for that is precisely what he meant when he said: “The deeds most loved by Allah are those performed consistently, even if they are few.” This wording is agreed upon, narrated from Aisha. This is an additional proof that it is disliked to complete a full recitation of the Quran in fewer than three nights, because one fears a slackening of resolve and the inability to keep it up except with hardship—exactly what happened to Abd Allah ibn Amr, who, in his old age, used to say: “I wish I had accepted the concession of the Messenger of Allah.” Therefore, O Muslims, accept the concession of the Messenger of Allah, which is in fact from Allah Himself; for “Allah loves that His concessions be accepted just as He loves that His strict commands be observed,” as is established in the sound hadith. How true is the word of Allah, who described His noble Messenger as “gentle and merciful toward the believers” (Quran 9:128). (1) This sentence is a fragment of the hadith of Ibn Amr, reported by Ahmad and others, as its documentation has already been given. Al-Mundhiri reproduces this fragment in al-Targhib (1/46) from the hadith of Abd Allah ibn Umar—thus with a ḍammah on the ‘ayn and no waw after the ra; the omission is probably scribal or typographical—then remarks: “It was transmitted by Ibn Abi Asim and by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.” Al-Tahawi also records it in Mushkil al-Athar (2/88), and Ahmad (2/210) brings it through the chain Shuʿbah → Husayn → Mujahid → Abd Allah ibn Amr. Al-Tahawi further relates it via Hushaim: Husayn narrated it to us with the same wording. Ahmad likewise reports it, and the phrasing cited above is his.