Sunan ibn Mājah Ḥadīth [4237] – Persistence in doing good deeds, even if they be small…
22 September 2022 · 26 Ṣafar 1444 AH
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ: >وَالَّذِي ذَهَبَ بِنَفْسِهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا مَاتَ حَتَّى كَانَ أَكْثَرُ صَلَاتِهِ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ، وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَيْهِ الْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ، الَّذِي يَدُومُ عَلَيْهِ الْعَبْدُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ يَسِيرًا<
Reference
Book [37]: Zuhd
Chapter [28]: Persisting in a good deed
Translation
Ḥadīth [4237]: It is narrated on the authority of Umm Salamah [1] (may Allāh be pleased with her) that she said: ‘By the One Who took his (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) soul, he did not die until most of his prayers were offered sitting down. And the most beloved of deeds to him was a righteous deed which a person persists in doing, even if it is something small.’
[1] There is a disagreement in the year in which she passed away. Imām adh-Dhahabī [d. 748H] [Al-Kashif (7087 (2/639))] mentions that she passed away during the rule of Yazīd [d. 64H], but also mentions the statement by al-Wāqidī where he mentions the year 59H. Imām ibn Ḥajr [d. 852H] [Taqrīb at-Tahzīb (8792 (1/1375))] mentions that she passed away in the year 62H as the stronger opinion. And Allāh knows best.
Grading
Commentary
Commentary by Dārussalām (Sunan ibn Mājah)
❶ If one was accustomed to doing a good deed, but due to some reason it gets interrupted, then once again he should resume doing the deed as soon as the reason comes to an end.
❷ Long qiyām (position of standing in prayer) in tahajjud is desirable even if some, or a large part of the qiyām is performed sitting when one becomes tired.
• Reference: [4237 (5/357), Sunan ibn Mājah, Dārussalām (Eng)]
Takhrīj+
• Sunan ibn Mājah (1225)