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.

ذِكْرُ الْإِبَاحَةِ لِلْمَرْءِ أَنْ يَحْتَجِرَ بِالْحَصِيرِ، أَوْ بِمَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُ عِنْدَ تَهَجُّدِهِ بِاللَّيْلِ

ibnhibban:2571ʿUmar b. Muḥammad al-Hamdānī > Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Aʿlá > Muʿtamir b. Sulaymān > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿUmar > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd > Abū Salamah b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman > ʿĀʾishah

The Prophet ﷺ used to construct a loom with a Hasir at night m order to pray therein, and during the day he used to spread it out and sit on it. The people started coming to the Prophet ﷺ at night to offer the prayer behind him When their number increased, the Prophet ﷺ faced them and said. O people! Do only those good deeds which you can do, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) till you get tired, and the best deeds to Allah are the incessant ones though they were few. (Using translation from Bukhārī 5861)  

ابن حبّان:٢٥٧١أَخْبَرَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْأَعْلَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَحْتَجِرُ حَصِيرًا بِاللَّيْلِ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهِ وَيَبْسُطُهُ بِالنَّهَارِ فَيَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَثُوبُونَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَيُصَلُّونَ بِصَلَاتِهِ حَتَّى كَثُرُوا قَالَ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ «أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ خُذُوا مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَا دَامَ وَإِنْ قَلَّ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Aḥmad, Bayhaqī
bukhari:5861Muḥammad b. Abū Bakr > Muʿtamir > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd > Abū Salamah b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman > ʿĀʾishah

The Prophet ﷺ used to construct a loom with a Hasir at night m order to pray therein, and during the day he used to spread it out and sit on it. The people started coming to the Prophet ﷺ at night to offer the prayer behind him When their number increased, the Prophet ﷺ faced them and said. O people! Do only those good deeds which you can do, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) till you get tired, and the best deeds to Allah are the incessant ones though they were few.  

البخاري:٥٨٦١حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يَحْتَجِرُ حَصِيرًا بِاللَّيْلِ فَيُصَلِّي وَيَبْسُطُهُ بِالنَّهَارِ فَيَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَثُوبُونَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَيُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَتِهِ حَتَّى كَثُرُوا فَأَقْبَلَ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ خُذُوا مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَا دَامَ وَإِنْ قَلَّ  

muslim:782aMuḥammad b. al-Muthanná

O people, perform such acts as you are capable of doing, for Allah does not grow weary but you will get tired. The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done continuously, even if they are small. And it was the habit of the members of Muhammad's ﷺ household that whenever they did an act they did it continuously.  

مسلم:٧٨٢aوَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ يَعْنِي الثَّقَفِيَّ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَصِيرٌ وَكَانَ يُحَجِّرُهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيُصَلِّي فِيهِ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَتِهِ وَيَبْسُطُهُ بِالنَّهَارِ فَثَابُوا ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَا دُووِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ وَكَانَ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ إِذَا عَمِلُوا عَمَلاً أَثْبَتُوهُ  

nasai:762Qutaybah > al-Layth > Ibn ʿAjlān > Saʿīd al-Maqburī > Abū Salamah > ʿĀʾishah

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a mat which he would spread in the day and make into a small booth at night to pray in it. The people found out about that and they prayed when he prayed, with the mat in between him and them. He said: 'Do as much of good deeds as you can, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are continuous, even if they are few.' Then he stopped that prayer and did not return to it until Allah took him (in death), and if he started to do something he would persist in it."  

النسائي:٧٦٢أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

كَانَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَصِيرَةٌ يَبْسُطُهَا بِالنَّهَارِ وَيَحْتَجِرُهَا بِاللَّيْلِ فَيُصَلِّي فِيهَا فَفَطِنَ لَهُ النَّاسُ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ وَبَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُمُ الْحَصِيرَةُ فَقَالَ اكْلَفُوا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ﷻ لاَ يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ ﷻ أَدْوَمُهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ ثُمَّ تَرَكَ مُصَلاَّهُ ذَلِكَ فَمَا عَادَ لَهُ حَتَّى قَبَضَهُ اللَّهُ ﷻ وَكَانَ إِذَا عَمِلَ عَمَلاً أَثْبَتَهُ  

ahmad:26038Muʿādh > Muḥammad b. ʿAmr > Abū Salamah > ʿĀʾishah

[Machine] We had a mat that we would spread during the day and roll up at night. One night, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed on it, and the Muslims heard his recitation, so they prayed with his prayer. When the second night came, their numbers increased, so he looked at them and said, "Take on from your deeds what you can bear, for Allah does not get tired until you get tired. And the most beloved action to Him is the one that is done consistently, even if it is little." She (Aisha) said, "And when he performed a prayer, he would establish it."  

أحمد:٢٦٠٣٨حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذٌ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

كَانَتْ لَنَا حَصِيرَةٌ نَبْسُطُهَا بِالنَّهَارِ وَنَحْتَجِرُهَا بِاللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَسَمِعَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ قِرَاءَتَهُ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ كَثُرُوا فَاطَّلَعَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ اكْلَفُوا مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَكَانَ أَحَبُّ الْعَمَلِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْوَمَهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ قَالَتْ وَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَاةً أَثْبَتَهَا  

bayhaqi:5237Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū al-Faḍl b. Ibrāhīm > Aḥmad b. Salamah > Muḥammad b. al-Muthanná > ʿAbd al-Wahhāb > ʿUbaydullāh > Saʿīd al-Maqburī > Abū Salamah b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman > ʿĀʾishah

O people, perform such acts as you are capable of doing, for Allah does not grow weary but you will get tired. The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done continuously, even if they are small. And it was the habit of the members of Muhammad's ﷺ household that whenever they did an act they did it continuously. (Using translation from Muslim 782a)   

البيهقي:٥٢٣٧وَأَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو الْفَضْلِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى ثنا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ ثنا عُبَيْدُ اللهِ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ

كَانَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ حَصِيرٌ فَكَانَ يَحْتَجِرُهُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيُصَلِّي فِيهِ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلَاتِهِ وَيُبْسَطُ بِالنَّهَارِ فَثَابُوا ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا فَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللهِ مَا دُووِِمَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ وَكَانَ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ إِذَا عَمِلُوا عَمَلًا أَثْبَتُوهُ  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى
bayhaqi:5238Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī b. Muḥammad al-Muqriʾ > al-Ḥasan b. Muḥammad b. Isḥāq > Yūsuf b. Yaʿqūb al-Qāḍī > Muḥammad b. Abū Bakr > Muʿtamir > ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿUmar > Saʿīd b. Abū Saʿīd > Abū Salamah > ʿĀʾishah

The Prophet ﷺ used to construct a loom with a Hasir at night m order to pray therein, and during the day he used to spread it out and sit on it. The people started coming to the Prophet ﷺ at night to offer the prayer behind him When their number increased, the Prophet ﷺ faced them and said. O people! Do only those good deeds which you can do, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) till you get tired, and the best deeds to Allah are the incessant ones though they were few. (Using translation from Bukhārī 5861)   

البيهقي:٥٢٣٨وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُقْرِئُ أنبأ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ ثنا يُوسُفُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْقَاضِي ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ثنا مُعْتَمِرٌ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يَحْتَجِرُ حَصِيرًا بِاللَّيْلِ فَيُصَلِّي وَيَبْسُطُهُ بِالنَّهَارِ فَيَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَتْ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَثُوبُونَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَيُصَلُّونَ بِصَلَاتِهِ حَتَّى كَثُرُوا فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ خُذُوا مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَمَلُّ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا وَإِنَّ أَحَبَّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللهِ مَا دَامَ مِنْهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ