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:95ʿAbdullāh from my father > Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > Hishām b. Ḥassān from my father > ʿĀʾishah

Once the Prophet ﷺ came while a woman was sitting with me. He said, "Who is she?" I replied, "She is so and so," and told him about her (excessive) praying. He said disapprovingly, "Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity (without being overtaxed) as Allah does not get tired (of giving rewards) but (surely) you will get tired and the best deed (act of Worship) in the sight of Allah is that which is done regularly." (Using translation from Bukhārī 43)   

الزهد لأحمد:٩٥حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ حَسَّانَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَعِنْدَهَا فُلَانَةُ لِامْرَأَةٍ فَذَكَرَتْ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا قَالَ «مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ؛ فَوَاللَّهِ لَا يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ ﷻ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
bukhari:1151ʿAbdullāh b. Maslamah > Mālik > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿĀʾishah

A woman from the tribe of Bani Asad was sitting with me and Allah's Apostle ﷺ came to my house and said, "Who is this?" I said, "(She is) So and so. She does not sleep at night because she is engaged in prayer." The Prophet ﷺ said disapprovingly: Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity as Allah never gets tired of giving rewards till you get tired of doing good deeds."  

البخاري:١١٥١قَالَ وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْلَمَةَ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ

كَانَتْ عِنْدِي امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ فَدَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قُلْتُ فُلاَنَةُ لاَ تَنَامُ بِاللَّيْلِ فَذُكِرَ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا فَقَالَ مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا تُطِيقُونَ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا  

bukhari:43Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná > Yaḥyá > Hishām from my father > ʿĀʾishah

Once the Prophet ﷺ came while a woman was sitting with me. He said, "Who is she?" I replied, "She is so and so," and told him about her (excessive) praying. He said disapprovingly, "Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity (without being overtaxed) as Allah does not get tired (of giving rewards) but (surely) you will get tired and the best deed (act of Worship) in the sight of Allah is that which is done regularly."  

البخاري:٤٣حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ هِشَامٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَعِنْدَهَا امْرَأَةٌ قَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قَالَتْ فُلاَنَةُ تَذْكُرُ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا قَالَ مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ  

muslim:785b[Chain 1] Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah And ʾAbū Kurayb > Abū Usāmah > Hishām b. ʿUrwah [Chain 2] Zuhayr b. Ḥarb > Yaḥyá b. Saʿīd > Hishām from my father > ʿĀʾishah

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to me when a woman was sitting with me. He said: Who is she? I said: She is a woman who does not sleep but prays. He said: Do such acts which you are capable of doing. By Allah, Allah does not grow weary but you will grow weary. The religious act most pleasing to Him is one the doer of which does it continuously. (And in the hadith transmitted by Abu Usama [the words are]:" She was a woman from Banu Asad." )  

مسلم:٧٨٥bحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعِنْدِي امْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ فَقُلْتُ امْرَأَةٌ لاَ تَنَامُ تُصَلِّي قَالَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ أَنَّهَا امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ  

nasai:5035Shuʿayb b. Yūsuf > Yaḥyá / Ibn Saʿīd > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from my father > ʿĀʾishah

The Prophet [SAW] entered upon her and there was a woman with her. He said: "Who is this?" She said: "So-and-so; she does not sleep"- she mentioned her excessive praying. The Prophet [SAW] said: "Keep quiet. You should do what you are able to, for by Allah, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, does not get tired. The most beloved religion to Him is that in which a person persists."  

النسائي:٥٠٣٥أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ عَنْ يَحْيَى وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَعِنْدَهَا امْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قَالَتْ فُلَانَةُ لَا تَنَامُ تَذْكُرُ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا فَقَالَ مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ الْعَمَلِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللَّهِ لَا يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ ﷻ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ  

nasai:1642Shuʿayb b. Yūsuf > Yaḥyá > Hishām from my father > ʿĀʾishah

The Prophet ﷺ came in to her and there was a woman with her. He said: "Who is this?" She said: "So-and-so, and she does not sleep." And she told him about how she prayed a great deal. He said: "Stop praising her. You should do what you can, for by Allah (SWT), Allah never gets tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of religious actions to Him is that in which a person persists."  

النسائي:١٦٤٢أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ عَنْ يَحْيَى عَنْ هِشَامٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَعِنْدَهَا امْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قَالَتْ فُلاَنَةُ لاَ تَنَامُ فَذَكَرَتْ مِنْ صَلاَتِهَا فَقَالَ مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ ﷻ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَلَكِنَّ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ  

ibnmajah:4238Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah > Abū Usāmah > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿĀʾishah

“There was a woman with me, and the Prophet ﷺ entered upon me and said: ‘Who is that?’ I said: ‘So-and-so; she does not sleep,’” – she mentioned her excessive praying. “The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Keep quiet. You should do what you are able to, for by Allah, Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) but you get tired.’” She said: “The most beloved of religious deed to him was that in which a person persists.”  

ابن ماجة:٤٢٣٨حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

كَانَتْ عِنْدِي امْرَأَةٌ فَدَخَلَ عَلَىَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ قُلْتُ فُلاَنَةُ لاَ تَنَامُ تَذْكُرُ مِنْ صَلاَحِهَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا قَالَتْ وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ الَّذِي يَدُومُ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ  

ahmad:25632ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar > Hishām from his father > ʿĀʾishah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon me while I was with a beautiful woman. He asked, "Who is this?" I replied, "This is Fulanah, the daughter of Fulan, O Messenger of Allah. She does not sleep at night." He said, "Take from the deeds what you can bear, for Allah does not tire until you tire. The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are done consistently, even if they are few."  

أحمد:٢٥٦٣٢حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ هِشَامٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَعِنْدِي امْرَأَةٌ حَسَنَةُ الْهَيْئَةِ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ؟ فَقُلْتُ هَذِهِ فُلَانَةُ بِنْتُ فُلَانٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ هِيَ لَا تَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ فَقَالَ مَهْ مَهْ خُذُوا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ لَا يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَأَحَبُّ الْعَمَلِ إِلَى اللهِ ﷻ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ  

ahmad:25945Ibn Numayr > Hishām from his father > ʿĀʾishah

“There was a woman with me, and the Prophet ﷺ entered upon me and said: ‘Who is that?’ I said: ‘So-and-so; she does not sleep,’” – she mentioned her excessive praying. “The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Keep quiet. You should do what you are able to, for by Allah, Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) but you get tired.’” She said: “The most beloved of religious deed to him was that in which a person persists.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 4238)   

أحمد:٢٥٩٤٥حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَ

كَانَ عِنْدَهَا امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ فَدَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَنْ هَذِهِ؟ قَالَتْ هَذِهِ فُلَانَةُ لَا تَنَامُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللهِ لَا يَمَلُّ اللهُ ﷻ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا أَحَبُّ الدِّينِ إِلَى اللهِ ﷻ الَّذِي يُدَاوِمُ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ  

ahmad:24189Abū Muʿāwiyah > Hishām b. ʿUrwah from his father > ʿĀʾishah

[Machine] There was a woman whom people would mention her diligence about. They mentioned this to the Prophet ﷺ and he said, "The most beloved religion to Allah ﷻ is that which is consistently maintained, even if it is little."  

أحمد:٢٤١٨٩حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

كَانَتْ امْرَأَةٌ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا تَذْكُرُ مِنْ اجْتِهَادِهَا قَالَ فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَى اللهِ ﷻ مَا دُووِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ  

ahmad:24245Yaḥyá > Hishām from my father > ʿĀʾishah

The Prophet ﷺ came in to her and there was a woman with her. He said: "Who is this?" She said: "So-and-so, and she does not sleep." And she told him about how she prayed a great deal. He said: "Stop praising her. You should do what you can, for by Allah (SWT), Allah never gets tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of religious actions to Him is that in which a person persists." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1642)   

أحمد:٢٤٢٤٥حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَعِنْدَهَا فُلَانَةُ لِامْرَأَةٍ فَذَكَرَتْ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا فَقَالَ مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللهِ لَا يَمَلُّ اللهُ ﷻ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الدِّينِ إِلَى اللهِ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ  

nasai-kubra:1309Shuʿayb b. Yūsuf > Yaḥyá > Hishām from my father > ʿĀʾishah

Once the Prophet ﷺ came while a woman was sitting with me. He said, "Who is she?" I replied, "She is so and so," and told him about her (excessive) praying. He said disapprovingly, "Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity (without being overtaxed) as Allah does not get tired (of giving rewards) but (surely) you will get tired and the best deed (act of Worship) in the sight of Allah is that which is done regularly." (Using translation from Bukhārī 43)  

الكبرى للنسائي:١٣٠٩أَخْبَرَنِي شُعَيْبُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ عَنْ يَحْيَى عَنْ هِشَامٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا وَعِنْدَهَا امْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَ مِنْ هَذِهِ؟ قَالَتْ فُلَانَةُ لَا تَنَامُ تَذْكُرُ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا فَقَالَ «مَهْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللهِ لَا يَمَلُّ اللهُ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَلَكِنْ أَحَبُّ الدِّينِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَامَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ»