The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Allah said: Whoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I have declared war against him.

My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary deeds until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to him, and if he seeks My protection, I will surely protect him.

I do not hesitate over anything I am going to do as I hesitate over taking the soul of the believer: he dislikes death, and I dislike upsetting him."

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ: مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي بِشَىْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ»

«وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَىَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطُشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنِ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لأُعِيذَنَّهُ»

«وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ الْمُؤْمِنِ يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ»

from the Prophet ﷺ who narrated from his Lord, "If My slave comes nearer to me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he comes nearer to Me for a cubit, I go nearer to him for the span of outstretched arms; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.'"

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يَرْوِيهِ عَنْ رَبِّهِ قَالَ: «إِذَا تَقَرَّبَ الْعَبْدُ إِلَىَّ شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِذَا تَقَرَّبَ مِنِّي ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ بَاعًا، وَإِذَا أَتَانِي مَشْيًا أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً۔»

The Prophet ﷺ said: "There are two blessings that many people are deceived ˹into losing˺: health and free time."

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ: الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ»

that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ would stand in prayer at night until his feet became cracked, so Aishah said: “Why do you do this, O Messenger of Allah, when Allah has forgiven you what came before of your sins and what came after?” He said: “Should I not love to be a grateful servant?”

Then, when his flesh increased (i.e., he became heavier), he prayed sitting; and when he wanted to bow, he would stand, recite, then bow.

أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَقُومُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ حَتَّى تَتَفَطَّرَ قَدَمَاهُ، فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: لِمَ تَصْنَعُ هَذَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ قَالَ: «أَفَلاَ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَكُونَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا؟».

فَلَمَّا كَثُرَ لَحْمُهُ صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ قَامَ فَقَرَأَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ

When the last ten began, the Prophet ﷺ would tighten his waist-wrapper, keep his night alive, and wake his family.

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْعَشْرُ، شَدَّ مِئْزَرَهُ، وَأَحْيَا لَيْلَهُ، وَأَيْقَظَ أَهْلَهُ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah ﷻ than the weak believer, and there is good in everything. Be eager for what benefits you, seek help from Allah ﷻ, and do not be helpless. If something befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-and-such, it would have been such-and-such’; rather say, ‘It is the decree of Allah ﷻ, and whatever He willed, He did,’ for ‘if only’ opens the work of Satan."

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «الْمُؤْمِنُ الْقَوِيُّ خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الضَّعِيفِ، وَفِي كُلٍّ خَيْرٌ. احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنْفَعُكَ، وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ، وَلاَ تَعْجِزْ. وَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ شَىْءٌ فَلاَ تَقُلْ: لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَلَكِنْ قُلْ: قَدَرُ اللَّهِ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ؛ فَإِنَّ لَوْ تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَانِ».

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Hellfire is surrounded by desires, while Paradise is surrounded by undesirable things."

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: «حُجِبَتِ النَّارُ بِالشَّهَوَاتِ وَحُجِبَتِ الْجَنَّةُ بِالْمَكَارِهِ».

I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ one night. He began reciting Sūrat al-Baqarah, and I thought he would bow at the hundredth verse, but he continued. Then I thought he would recite it in one rakʿah, but he continued. Then I thought he would bow after finishing it; then he began Sūrat al-Nisāʾ and recited it, then began Āl ʿImrān and recited it. He recited in a measured, unhurried manner:

When he passed a verse containing glorification, he would glorify Allah; when he passed a verse containing a supplication, he would ask; and when he passed a verse seeking refuge, he would seek refuge.

Then he bowed and began saying, “Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent,” and his bowing was about as long as his standing. Then he said, “Allah hears whoever praises Him,” then he stood for a long time, nearly as long as his bowing. Then he prostrated and said, “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High,” and his prostration was nearly as long as his standing.

صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَافْتَتَحَ الْبَقَرَةَ فَقُلْتُ يَرْكَعُ عِنْدَ الْمِائَةِ ثُمَّ مَضَى فَقُلْتُ يُصَلِّي بِهَا فِي رَكْعَةٍ فَمَضَى فَقُلْتُ يَرْكَعُ بِهَا ثُمَّ افْتَتَحَ النِّسَاءَ فَقَرَأَهَا ثُمَّ افْتَتَحَ آلَ عِمْرَانَ فَقَرَأَهَا يَقْرَأُ مُتَرَسِّلاً

إِذَا مَرَّ بِآيَةٍ فِيهَا تَسْبِيحٌ سَبَّحَ وَإِذَا مَرَّ بِسُؤَالٍ سَأَلَ وَإِذَا مَرَّ بِتَعَوُّذٍ تَعَوَّذَ

ثُمَّ رَكَعَ فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ فَكَانَ رُكُوعُهُ نَحْوًا مِنْ قِيَامِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» ثُمَّ قَامَ طَوِيلاً قَرِيبًا مِمَّا رَكَعَ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَقَالَ: «سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى» فَكَانَ سُجُودُهُ قَرِيبًا مِنْ قِيَامِهِ

I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ one night, and he remained standing until I was about to do something bad. We said, “What were you about to do?” He said, “I was about to sit down and leave the Prophet ﷺ.”

صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ لَيْلَةً، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ قَائِمًا حَتَّى هَمَمْتُ بِأَمْرِ سَوْءٍ، قُلْنَا: وَمَا هَمَمْتَ؟ قَالَ: هَمَمْتَ أَنْ أَقْعُدَ وَأَذَرَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Three things follow the deceased: two return and one remains with him. His family, his wealth, and his deeds follow him; then his family and his wealth return, and his deeds remain."

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهُ ﷺ: «يَتْبَعُ الْمَيِّتَ ثَلاَثَةٌ، فَيَرْجِعُ اثْنَانِ وَيَبْقَى مَعَهُ وَاحِدٌ: يَتْبَعُهُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ، فَيَرْجِعُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَيَبْقَى عَمَلُهُ».

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Paradise is nearer to any of you than the leather strap of their shoe, and the same ˹is true˺ for the Hellfire."

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: «الْجَنَّةُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ شِرَاكِ نَعْلِهِ وَالنَّارُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ».

I was with Messenger of Allah ﷺ one night. and I brought him water and what he required. He said to me: "Ask ˹for anything you like˺" . I said: "I ask ˹to be in˺ your company in Paradise." He asked: "Is there anything else ˹you want˺?" I said: "That is all." He said: "Then help me for your sake ˹to achieve this˺ by performing a lot of prostrations."*

كُنْتُ أَبِيتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِوَضُوئِهِ وَحَاجَتِهِ فَقَالَ لِي: «سَلْ»، فَقُلْتُ: أَسْأَلُكَ مُرَافَقَتَكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ۔ قَالَ: «أَوَغَيْرَ ذَلِكَ؟» قُلْتُ: هُوَ ذَاكَ۔ قَالَ: «فَأَعِنِّي عَلَى نَفْسِكَ بِكَثْرَةِ السُّجُودِ».

I met Thawban, the freedman of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and said, “Inform me of a deed I may do by which Allah will admit me into Paradise”—or he said: I said, “of the deeds most beloved to Allah”—but he remained silent. Then I asked him, and he remained silent.

Then I asked him a third time, and he said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about that, and he said: "You must make abundant prostrations to Allah, for you do not prostrate to Allah a single prostration except that Allah raises you by it one degree and removes from you by it one sin."”

Madan said: Then I met Abu al-Darda and asked him, and he said to me the same as Thawban had said to me.

لَقِيتُ ثَوْبَانَ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ: أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ أَعْمَلُهُ يُدْخِلُنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ الْجَنَّةَ –أَوْ قَالَ قُلْتُ: بِأَحَبِّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ– فَسَكَتَ، ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ فَسَكَتَ.

ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُهُ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ: «عَلَيْكَ بِكَثْرَةِ السُّجُودِ لِلَّهِ، فَإِنَّكَ لاَ تَسْجُدُ لِلَّهِ سَجْدَةً إِلاَّ رَفَعَكَ اللَّهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةً، وَحَطَّ عَنْكَ بِهَا خَطِيئَةً».

قَالَ مَعْدَانُ: ثُمَّ لَقِيتُ أَبَا الدَّرْدَاءِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِي مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ لِي ثَوْبَانُ.

A Bedouin said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are the best of people?” He said, “Those whose lives are long and whose deeds are good.”

أَنَّ أَعْرَابِيًّا قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ؟ قَالَ: «مَنْ طَالَ عُمُرُهُ وَحَسُنَ عَمَلُهُ».

My uncle Anas b. an-Nadr was absent from the fighting at Badr, so he said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I was absent from the first battle in which you fought the polytheists. If Allah lets me witness battle against the polytheists, Allah will surely see what I will do.”

When the Day of Uhud came and the Muslims fell back, he said, “O Allah, I apologize to You for what these people have done,” meaning his companions, “and I disavow before You what these people have done,” meaning the polytheists. Then he advanced, and Saad b. Muadh met him. He said, “O Saad b. Muadh, Paradise, by the Lord of an-Nadr! I can smell its fragrance from this side of Uhud.” Saad said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I could not do what he did.”

Anas said: We found on him more than eighty wounds from sword-strikes, spear-thrusts, or arrow-shots. We found that he had been killed and that the polytheists had mutilated him, and no one recognized him except his sister, by his fingertips. Anas said: We used to think, or suppose, that this verse was revealed about him and those like him: “Among the believers are men who have been true to what they pledged to Allah,” (Ahzab 33:23) to the end of the ayah.

And he said: His sister, who was called al-Rubayyi, broke the incisor of a woman, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered retaliation. Anas said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, by the One who sent you with the truth, her incisor will not be broken.” They then accepted compensation and left retaliation, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Among the servants of Allah are those who, if they swear an oath by Allah, He fulfills it for them.”

غَابَ عَمِّي أَنَسُ بْنُ النَّضْرِ عَنْ قِتَالِ بَدْرٍ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، غِبْتُ عَنْ أَوَّلِ قِتَالٍ قَاتَلْتَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، لَئِنِ اللَّهُ أَشْهَدَنِي قِتَالَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ لَيَرَيَنَّ اللَّهُ مَا أَصْنَعُ.

فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ أُحُدٍ وَانْكَشَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ، قَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا صَنَعَ هَؤُلاَءِ»، يَعْنِي أَصْحَابَهُ، «وَأَبْرَأُ إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا صَنَعَ هَؤُلاَءِ»، يَعْنِي الْمُشْرِكِينَ. ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ فَاسْتَقْبَلَهُ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ. فَقَالَ: «يَا سَعْدُ بْنَ مُعَاذٍ، الْجَنَّةَ، وَرَبِّ النَّضْرِ! إِنِّي أَجِدُ رِيحَهَا مِنْ دُونِ أُحُدٍ». قَالَ سَعْدٌ: فَمَا اسْتَطَعْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا صَنَعَ.

قَالَ أَنَسٌ: فَوَجَدْنَا بِهِ بِضْعًا وَثَمَانِينَ ضَرْبَةً بِالسَّيْفِ، أَوْ طَعْنَةً بِرُمْحٍ، أَوْ رَمْيَةً بِسَهْمٍ، وَوَجَدْنَاهُ قَدْ قُتِلَ، وَقَدْ مَثَّلَ بِهِ الْمُشْرِكُونَ، فَمَا عَرَفَهُ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ أُخْتُهُ بِبَنَانِهِ. قَالَ أَنَسٌ: كُنَّا نَرَى أَوْ نَظُنُّ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ نَزَلَتْ فِيهِ وَفِي أَشْبَاهِهِ ﴿ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ ﴾ إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ.

وَقَالَ: إِنَّ أُخْتَهُ وَهْىَ تُسَمَّى الرُّبَيِّعَ كَسَرَتْ ثَنِيَّةَ امْرَأَةٍ، فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالْقِصَاصِ، فَقَالَ أَنَسٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لاَ تُكْسَرُ ثَنِيَّتُهَا، فَرَضُوا بِالأَرْشِ وَتَرَكُوا الْقِصَاصَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «إِنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ».

When the ayah of charity was revealed, we used to hire ourselves out to carry loads. Then a man came and gave a large amount in charity, so they said, "He is showing off." Another man came and gave a saʿ in charity, so they said, "Allah has no need of this man's saʿ." Then there was revealed: "Those who criticize the willing givers among the believers regarding charities, and those who find nothing except their own effort..." (Tawbah 9:79) to the end of the ayah.

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الصَّدَقَةِ كُنَّا نُحَامِلُ، فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَتَصَدَّقَ بِشَىْءٍ كَثِيرٍ، فَقَالُوا: مُرَائِي. وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَتَصَدَّقَ بِصَاعٍ، فَقَالُوا: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنْ صَاعِ هَذَا. فَنَزَلَتِ ﴿ الَّذِينَ يَلْمِزُونَ الْمُطَّوِّعِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَجِدُونَ إِلاَّ جُهْدَهُمْ ﴾ الآيَةَ.

from the Prophet ﷺ, in what he relates from Allah ﷻ that He said:

“(1) O My servants, I have forbidden wrongdoing/oppression for Myself, and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another. (2) O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I guide, so seek guidance from Me and I will guide you. (3) O My servants, all of you are hungry except those whom I feed, so ask Me for food and I will feed you. (4) O My servants, all of you are unclothed except those whom I clothe, so ask Me for clothing and I will clothe you.”

“(5) O My servants, you commit sins by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek My forgiveness and I will forgive you. (6) O My servants, you will never reach harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will never reach benefiting Me so as to benefit Me.”

“(7) O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, your humans and your jinn, were all upon the most God-fearing heart of any one man among you, that would not increase My dominion in anything. (8) O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, your humans and your jinn, were all upon the most wicked heart of any one man, that would not decrease My dominion in anything.”

“(9) O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, your humans and your jinn, were all to stand in one open plain and ask Me, and I were to give every person what he asked, that would not diminish what is with Me except as a needle diminishes ˹the sea˺ when it is dipped into the ocean.”

“(10) O My servants, these are only your deeds: I record them for you, then I will repay you for them in full. So whoever finds good, let him praise Allah; and whoever finds other than that, let him blame none but himself.”

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فِيمَا رَوَى عَنِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى، أَنَّهُ قَالَ:

«(١) يَا عِبَادِي، إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي، وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا، فَلَا تَظَالَمُوا. (٢) يَا عِبَادِي، كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إِلَّا مَنْ هَدَيْتُهُ، فَاسْتَهْدُونِي أَهْدِكُمْ. (٣) يَا عِبَادِي، كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلَّا مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُهُ، فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ. (٤) يَا عِبَادِي، كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إِلَّا مَنْ كَسَوْتُهُ، فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ».

«(٥) يَا عِبَادِي، إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا، فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ. (٦) يَا عِبَادِي، إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضَرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي، وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي».

«(٧) يَا عِبَادِي، لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ، وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ، كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ، مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا. (٨) يَا عِبَادِي، لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ، وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ، كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا».

«(٩) يَا عِبَادِي، لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ، وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ، قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَسَأَلُونِي، فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ، مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلَّا كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ».

«(١٠) يَا عِبَادِي، إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ، أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ، ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا. فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ، وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسَهُ».