Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad-zuhd:1452ʿAbdullāh from my father > Ḥasan b. Mūsá > Yaḥyá b. Dīnār > Muʿāwiyah b. Qurrah > Ataynā al-Ḥasan Fasaʾalnāh Ay al-ʿIbādah Ashad

[Machine] I said, "O Abu Sa'id, I have not found anything more intense in worship than piety." He replied, "O my child, is there any benefit in this besides piety?" Then Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I have not found anything more intense in worship than prayer in the depths of this night."  

الزهد لأحمد:١٤٥٢حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ دِينَارٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ قُرَّةَ قَالَ أَتَيْنَا الْحَسَنَ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ أَيُّ الْعِبَادَةِ أَشَدُّ؟ قَالَ فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ مِنَّا أَشَدُّ الْعِبَادَةِ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَقَالَ قَائِلٌ أَشَدُّ الْعِبَادَةِ الصَّلَاةُ وَقَالَ قَائِلٌ أَشَدُّ الْعِبَادَةِ الزَّكَاةُ وَقَالَ قَائِلٌ الصِّيَامُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ نَفْسِي لَأُكَلِّمَنَّهُ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ إِنِّي لَمْ أَجِدْ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْوَرَعِ فَقَالَ لَا أَبَا لَكَ فَهَلْ يُنْتَفَعُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا بِالْوَرَعِ ‍‍ قَالَ فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ إِنِّي لَمْ أَجِدْ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ شَيْئًا أَشَدَّ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فِي جَوْفِ هَذَا اللَّيْلِ