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.
tabarani:4235Muḥammad b. Ḥammūyah Abū Sayyār al-Tustarī > Shabbāb al-ʿUṣfurī > Sahl b. Aslam al-ʿAdawī > Yazīd b. Abū Manṣūr > Dhī al-Liḥyah al-Kilābī

[Machine] "He asked the Prophet ﷺ whether he should work on an ongoing project or one that has already been completed. The Prophet ﷺ replied, 'Rather, work on something that has already been completed.' He then asked, 'In that case, what should I work on?' The Prophet ﷺ replied, 'Engage in work that is suitable and easy for what it has been created for.'"  

الطبراني:٤٢٣٥حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَمُّويَهِ أَبُو سَيَّارٍ التُّسْتَرِيُّ ثنا شَبَّابٌ الْعُصْفُرِيُّ ثنا سَهْلُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ الْعَدَوِيُّ ثنا يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ ذِي اللِّحْيَةِ الْكِلَابِيِّ

أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أَنَعْمَلُ فِي أَمْرٍ مُسْتَأْنَفٍ أَوْ أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ؟ قَالَ «بَلْ فِي أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ» قَالَ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ؟ قَالَ «اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Ṭabarānī, Suyūṭī
ahmad:19ʿAlī b. ʿAyyāsh > al-ʿAṭṭāf b. Khālid > Ḥaddathanīrajul from Ahl al-Baṣrah > Ṭalḥah b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq > Abū > Abāhusamiʿ Abū Bakr /

I heard my father say that his father heard Abu Bakr saying: I said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ : O Messenger of Allah, are we striving for something that has already been decided or is it something to be decided as events unfold? He said: ʿRather it is for something that has already been decided.ʿ I said: So why should we strive, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “Each person will be enabled to do that for which he has been created.ʿ  

أحمد:١٩حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْعَطَّافُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِيرَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يَذْكُرُ

أَنَّ أَبَاهُسَمِعَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ قُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَعْمَلُ عَلَى مَا فُرِغَ مِنْهُ أَوْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ مُؤْتَنَفٍ؟ قَالَ بَلْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ كُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ  

ahmad:14258Hushaym > ʿAlī b. Zayd > Muḥammad b. al-Munkadir > Jābir > Surāqah b. Mālik

[Machine] O Messenger of Allah, what is the (purpose of) action? Is it for something that has already been completed? Or is it for something that we continue to do? He (the Prophet) said, rather it is for something that has already been completed. He said then what is the purpose of action? He said, "Keep working, for everyone will find it easy to do what he has been created for."  

أحمد:١٤٢٥٨حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ سُرَاقَةَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ قَالَ

يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فِيمَ الْعَمَلُ؟ أَفِي شَيْءٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ؟ أَوْ فِي شَيْءٍ نَسْتَأْنِفُهُ؟ فَقَالَ بَلْ فِي شَيْءٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ إِذًا؟ قَالَ اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ  

ahmad:16630ʿAbdullāh b. Aḥmad > Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn > Abū ʿUbaydah / al-Ḥaddād > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Muslim > Yazīd b. Abū Manṣūr > Dhī al-Liḥyah al-Kilābī

[Machine] He said, "O Messenger of Allah, should we work on a new matter or a matter that has already been completed?" He replied, "No, rather work on a matter that has already been completed." He then asked, "What should we do then?" He said, "All of you should do that which is made easy for him."  

أحمد:١٦٦٣٠قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ يَعْنِي الْحَدَّادَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ ذِي اللِّحْيَةِ الْكِلَابِيِّ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَعْمَلُ فِي أَمْرٍ مُسْتَأْنَفٍ أَوْ أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ؟ قَالَ لَا بَلْ فِي أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَفِيمَ نَعْمَلُ إِذًا؟ قَالَ اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ  

ahmad:16631ʿAbdullāh b. Aḥmad > Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Baṣrī > Sahl b. Aslam al-ʿAdawī > Yazīd b. Abū Manṣūr > Dhī al-Liḥyah al-Kilābī

[Machine] I asked, O Messenger of Allah, should we do something that has already started or something that has already been completed? He replied, rather do something that has already been completed. I asked, then what should we do? He said, do what is easy for each person according to what they have been created for.  

أحمد:١٦٦٣١قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْبَصْرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا سَهْلُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ الْعَدَوِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ ذِي اللِّحْيَةِ الْكِلَابِيِّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَعْمَلُ فِي أَمْرٍ مُسْتَأْنَفٍ أَوْ فِي أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ؟ قَالَ بَلْ فِي أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ؟ قَالَ اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ  

ذِكْرُ الْإِخْبَارِ عَمَّا يَجِبُ عَلَى الْمَرْءِ مِنْ تَرْكِ الِاتِّكَالِ عَلَى الْقَضَاءِ النَّافِذِ دُونَ إِتْيَانِ الْمَأْمُورَاتِ، وَالِانْزِجَارِ عَنِ الْمَحْظُوراتِ

ibnhibban:336ʿAbdullāh b. Muḥammad b. Salm Bibayt al-Maqdis > Ḥarmalah b. Yaḥyá > Ibn Wahb > ʿAmr b. al-Ḥārith > Abū al-Zubayr > Jābir

[Machine] He said, "I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, should we do work that has already been completed or work that is yet to be completed?' He replied, 'Do the work that has already been completed.' I then asked, 'So, what should we do with regards to work?' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Every worker will be facilitated for his work.'"  

ابن حبّان:٣٣٦أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَلْمٍ بِبَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَعْمَلُ لِأَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ أَمْ لِأَمْرٍ نَأْتَنِفُهُ؟ قَالَ «لِأَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ» قَالَ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ إِذًا؟ فقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «كُلُّ عَامِلٍ مُيَسَّرٌ لِعَمَلِهِ»  

وَمِمَّا أَسْنَدَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ ؓ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ

tabarani:47Abū Zayd al-Ḥawṭī > Abū al-Yamān > ʿAṭṭāf b. Khālid > Ṭalḥah b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Bakr from his father from my father > Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq

I heard my father say that his father heard Abu Bakr saying: I said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ : O Messenger of Allah, are we striving for something that has already been decided or is it something to be decided as events unfold? He said: ʿRather it is for something that has already been decided.ʿ I said: So why should we strive, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “Each person will be enabled to do that for which he has been created.ʿ (Using translation from Aḥmad 19)   

الطبراني:٤٧حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو زَيْدٍ الْحَوْطِيُّ ثنا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ ثنا عَطَّافُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ حَدَّثَنِي طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقَ ؓ يَقُولُ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَعْمَلُ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ أَمْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ مُؤْتَنَفٍ؟ قَالَ بَلْ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ قُلْتُ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ «كُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ»  

tabarani:4236ʿAbdullāh b. Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal > Yaḥyá b. Maʿīn > Abū ʿUbaydah al-Ḥaddād > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Muslim > Zayd b. Abū Manṣūr > Dhī al-Liḥyah al-Kilābī

[Machine] He said, "O Messenger of Allah, shall I perform a task that is new or a task that has already been completed?" He replied, "No, rather perform a task that has already been completed." The man asked, "Then what should I do?" He said, "Do what is easy for you, for everyone is made for a specific purpose."  

الطبراني:٤٢٣٦حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ مَعِينٍ ثنا أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَدَّادُ ثنا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ ذِي اللِّحْيَةِ الْكِلَابِيِّ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَنَعْمَلُ فِي أَمْرٍ مُسْتَأْنَفٍ أَوْ أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ؟ قَالَ «لَا بَلْ فِي أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ» قَالَ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ؟ قَالَ «اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ»  

suyuti:291-18b
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السيوطي:٢٩١-١٨b

"سألتُ النبىَّ ﷺ : العملُ فِى أَمْرٍ مُسْتَأَنَفٍ أَوْ أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرغَ مِنْهُ؟ قَالَ: بَلْ فِى أَمْرٍ قَدْ فُرغَ مِنْهُ، قُلْتُ: فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ؟ قَالَ: اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ".  

[عم] زيادات عبد الله بن أحمد [طب] الطبرانى في الكبير عن ذى اللجية الكلابى
suyuti:621-43bAbiá al-Dardāʾ > ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭāb
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السيوطي:٦٢١-٤٣b

"عَنْ أَبِى الدَّرْدَاءِ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَابِ قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ الله أَرايْتَ مَا نَعْمَلُ أَمْرٌ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ أَمْ شَىْءٌ نَسْتَأنِفُهُ؟ قَالَ: أَمْرٌ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ، قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ الْعَمَلُ بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ إِنَّ كُلَّ امِرئٍ مُهَيَّأٌ لِما خُلِقَ لَهُ".  

ابن جرير