Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 15

Righteous Conduct on a Regular Basis

باب المحافظة على الأعمال

Following naturally from moderation, this short chapter is about al-muhafazah 'alal-a'mal, guarding and maintaining one's good deeds. The point is constancy: a small portion of worship kept up faithfully is more valued than a large effort taken up and then dropped.

Notice the mercy woven through these hadith. Allah makes room for human weakness, allowing a missed night portion to be made up by day, yet the Prophet warns against the person who once kept a good habit and then let it go. The lesson is to begin with what you can sustain and then protect it.

Hadith 153

'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏ "‏ من نام عن حزبه من الليل، أو عن شيء منه فقرأه ما بين صلاة الفجر وصلاة الظهر، كتب له كأنما قرأه من الليل‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Should anyone fall asleep at night and fail to recite his portion of the Qur'an, or a part of it, if he recites it between the Fajr prayer and the Zuhr prayer, it will be recorded for him as though he had recited it during the night". [Muslim].

In plain words

If someone sleeps through their usual night recitation, reciting it between dawn and midday counts as if done at night. Allah's mercy makes room to make up a missed good habit.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 153 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 153

Hadith 154

'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'as (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنهما قال‏:‏ قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ يا عبد الله لا تكن مثل فلان، كان يقوم الليل فترك قيام الليل‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "O Abdullah! Do not be like so-and-so. He used to get up at night for optional prayer but abandoned it later." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

The Prophet warned a Companion not to be like a man who used to pray at night and then gave it up. Once you take up a good practice, the lesson is to hold on to it.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 154 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 154

Hadith 155

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت‏:‏ كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا فاتته الصلاة من الليل من وجع أو غيره، صلى من النهار ثنتي عشرة ركعة‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

When Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) missed the optional night Salat (Tahajjud) due to pain or any other reason, he would perform twelve Rak'ah during the day time. [Muslim].

In plain words

When pain or another cause made the Prophet miss his night prayer, he made it up during the day. Even he was careful to preserve his regular worship rather than simply let it lapse.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 155 In-book reference : Introduction, Hadith 155