Hadith on Habits: Best deeds are consistent, even if small

 Abu Amina Elias Ease ‫اليسر‬Good Deeds ‫الحسنات‬Manners ‫االدب‬Moderation ‫الواسطية‬Virtues ‫الفضائل‬

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be
upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are
able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they
are few.”
Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 4240

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani

Consistency in good deeds: The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said, “The most beloved of deeds to Allah are
those that are most consistent, even if it is small”. [Collected by Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Virtue of
Consistency
‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

The Prophet of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam was asked about the most beloved good
deed to Allāh, to which he replied,  ‫( أَ ْد َو ُم هُ َو إِ ْن قَ َّل‬That which is most regular and constant even
if it is little in amount)” [Muslim].

Points of benefi t
 
I. Consistency adds value. It elevates a deed even if it is small. The scholars would say,
“A consistent deed—even if it is small—is better than a huge deed that is inconsistent.”
 
II. Consistency perpetuates reward.  If an actor is prevented from completing a
consistent deed due to a valid reason, he is rewarded as though he had completed the
action. Allāh’s Messenger sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “If a person becomes sick or
travels, he will have the same reward as when he was healthy or not travelling” [Bukh ārī].
 
III. Consistency does not demand an actor exhaust and overburden himself.  Bukhārī
reports that Allāh’s Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “The religion is easy. No one
makes the religion diffi cult except that it will overwhelm him. So engage in good deeds with
moderation—without excess and neglect (saddidū) and come as close as you can to that
(qāribū), and receive the glad tidings (that you will be rewarded for your consistency in
deed even if the deed is small). And seek support (by worshipping All āh) in the morning,
afternoon and the last hours of the night.” In other words, spread the act of worship
throughout the day so that it is manageable, sustainable and conducive to worship, and
does not become overwhelming. 
 
IV. The previous point ensures the energy and enthusiasm of the actor.  The Prophet
of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Upon you is that which you have the ability to do.
Allāh will never become bored (and will thus continue to reward you) until you yourself
become bored (with doing good deeds). Verily, the most beloved deeds to All āh is that
which is the most consistent even in small amounts.” [Al-Nas ā’ī]
 
V. Consistency becomes easier overtime and builds up to ihsān.  Allāh jalla wa ‘alā
said, “And those who persevere for Us ― We will surely guide them to Our ways. And
indeed, Allāh is with the muhsinīn.” [29:69]
 
VI. Consistency deepens Allāh’s love for the actor in addition to the action
itself. The Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “My slave does not draw
nearer to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the far ā’id (obligatory deeds) that I
have imposed upon him. And My slave continues to draw close to Me with the naw āfi l
(voluntary deeds) until such that I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing with
which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot
with which he walks. If he were to ask Me, I would give him. If he were to seek refuge with
Me, I would give him refuge.” [Muslim]
 
VII. Consistency fl ourishes in times of ease. Tirmidhī reports that the Prophet
sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Acquaint yourself to All āh in times of ease, He will
acquaint Himself with you in times of hardship.”
 
VIII. “Even if little in amount” is an encouragement for all to intend and practice
consistency, thus securing its benefi ts

Without a doubt, the religion of Islam is a religion of utmost consistency. The first thing
that comes to mind when addressing this topic is the Muslim’s daily prayers and the
regularity which accompanies them. It immediately strikes us that Islam guides one to
an organized lifestyle, where all aspects of life balance smoothly and fall in harmony
with each other. Islam is truly a way of life. A greater and more magnificent resemblance
of this consistency is seen during the days of Hajj. Annually, people from all across the
globe assemble in one sacred land to perform the obligation of the pilgrimage and it is
just stunning to see their uniformity and structured demeanor whenever a pillar is to be
fulfilled. This just proves that consistency is not impossible, not even when millions are
crowded for the same particular reason.
As the prophet Mohammed   said:
“The most beloved of deeds to Allah are the most consistent of them, even if they are
few”    1.
This hadith clearly indicates that it is the consistency of our deeds that counts more than
anything else. Even if they are few, the fact that you are constantly performing them for
the sake of Allah shows your commitment and devotion to your Creator hence proving
your love for Him. It is this that causes Allah   to be pleased with us; our dedication
and determination to gain His love, mercy and countless bounties.
Nonetheless, a very crucial point that needs to be addressed is the misunderstood,
hence, misuse of the word ‘consistency’. We have started to parallel this word with
‘repetitiveness’ which has negative connotations.
According to the Oxford dictionary, consistency is the quality of achieving a level
of performance which does not vary greatly in quality over time. In simpler
words, it is performing a deed regularly but with the same quality, passion and
enthusiasm.
When something is performed regularly, such as the daily prayers, a person starts to
treat it as a repetitive act, thus, is performed with no passion or enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, that is the state that our prayers have reached today, they are performed
regularly but with no khushoo’ (calmness, serenity and tranquility). This is because,
brothers and sisters, we have altered the definition of consistency through our daily
practices. We no longer find comfort in our prayers because we do not practice it with
sincerity; it has very sadly become a takleef rather than a tashreef to serve Allah, a
burden rather than an honor, and for this who should we blame but ourselves?
To achieve consistent quality in our ibadah we have to renew our intentions every
time we embark on a task, and always keep in mind that it is Allah   who deserves our
time and attention and not the distractions of this life.
On the authority of Abu Ya’la Shaddad bin Aws   that the Messenger of Allah   
said:
“Verily Allah has prescribed ihsan (proficiency, perfection) in all things…”  2
And in another hadith:
Narrated Abu Huraira   :
“…What is Ihsan (perfection)?’ Allah’s Messenger   replied, ‘To worship Allah as if
you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider
that He is looking at you….”  3
 This means that the point is not just in
performing a good deed regularly, but rather in performing it regularly
with ihsan, which is the Arabic word for excellence. Let us strive to fulfill our
obligations with pure intentions and consistent quality, because it is that which will
pour upon us Allah’s mercy and love, and what better could we ask for?
To conclude, consistency is about performing to the best of our ability every time we
have to do something. Through being consistent in our ibadah, we naturally gain the
capability to be consistent and coherent in our lives such as when interacting with
people and when accomplishing our daily, monthly and yearly goals. This can be
achieved by purifying the intentions on a daily basis as well as keeping in mind that it is
Allah  , The King of all kings, whom we are serving hence, that should motivate us to
continue to seek His pleasure and approval of our deeds. Furthermore, let us make it a
habit to continually ask Allah   for His support so that we may achieve consistency
and quality in all aspects of our lives.
Golden tip:
Whenever one feels that they simply cannot improve the quality of their worship e.g.
prayers, just imagine that it is your last prayer, wouldn’t that drive you to make it THE
best one you have ever performed?

Consistency is a Must
 An important thing to remember when
seeking knowledge as in many other things in life, is that one must be
consistent if they want to achieve any level of success. Be not
deceived by the erroneous concept that, “Success is gained in large
strides.” Rather, it is the opposite which stands true. This is a reality
that eludes many who contemplate on success and being successful.
Success is most often attained by way of small yet consistent steps.
The Arabs have a proverb which states,
“A little which is consistent is better and far more in quantity than a
lot which suddenly stops.”
The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alaihi wa sallaam) said in a narration
collected by al-Bukhaaree (rahimahullah) on the authority of ‘Aaisha
(radi Allahu ‘anha),
“Upon you is that which you have the ability to do. By Allah, Allah will
never become bored, and will thus continue to reward you until you
yourself become bored with doing good deeds. Verily, the most
beloved Deen to Allah is that which an individual is the most
consistent upon.” [Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 3/38, English
Reference: Volume 1 :: Book 2 :: Hadith 41]
The Deen is Islaam, Islaam is Imaan (Faith), and consistency, is upon
actions. This Hadeeth points to the fact that Imaan (Faith) consists of
statements, actions and beliefs, it increases and decreases.
Verily, the teachings of Islaam benefit us not only in our religion and in
the next life, but also in our worldly affairs and in this life.
Consistency is a must, in our religious affairs as well as in our worldly
affairs. This by no stretch of the imagination includes learning and all
educational pursuits.
Shaikh Saalih ‘Abdul ‘Azeel Aalish Shaikh (hafithahullah) mentions in
the introduction to his lessons on the “Three Fundamental Principles”,
“Verily, knowledge is not attained all at once. Rather, knowledge is
attained over a period of days and nights; just as Ibn Shuhaib Az
Zuharee (rahimahullah) said in that which has been narrated by Ibn
‘Abdul Bar (rahimahullah) in “Al Jaami,”
“Whoever tries to attain knowledge in one stroke, it will likewise leave
him in one stroke. Verily, knowledge is attained over the period of
days and nights.’”
Imaam Az Zuharee, (rahimahullah) also said, “…Knowledge is attained
a hadeeth or two at time.”
The Shaikh goes on and mentions the statement of the poet, who said,
“Today is knowledge and tomorrow the same, From the spoils of
knowledge which one may attain, Is that an individual by way of it,
wisdom shall he gain, “Verily the stream are only a collection of (rain)
dots.”
Therefore, dear reader, may Allah bless you, it’s all about the dots.
Small yet consistent efforts are in reality tremendous. Whereas, large
efforts that suddenly stop, are in reality small and insignificant.
Take as example the memorization of Qur’an. There are 15 lines on
each page of the ‘Arabic Mushaf, 20 pages in a Juz (or section), and
30 sections in the Qur’an.
If student ‘A’ for example, memorized 1 page a day for 40 days then
stopped, this will equal 40 pages or 2 Juz. Whereas, if student ‘B’
memorized 5 lines -not pages- but 5 lines a day, but was consistent
upon that for 1 year; he would have memorized approximately 150
lines a month which equates to 10 pages or ½ of Juz. By the end of 1
year this will translate to 1825 lines, which equals 120 pages or 6 Juz.
At year’s end, which of the two students will be more accomplished?
In fact, if student ‘B’ were to continue upon this way, in just 5 years
he would have memorized the whole Qur’an.
Now some may say, “5 lines a day, that’s nothing!” Debatably so, and
be that as it may; ask yourself, how many years have you been
Muslim, now compare that with the amount of Qur’an you yourself
have memorized. Remember, 5 lines is just an example, whatever the
amount, even if smaller than this, if you are consistent, InshaAllah you
will eventually finish.
Dear reader, may Allah bless you, remember, do not over burden
yourself with large loads and 10 hour a day lesson plans (if that is
beyond your ability). Put your trust in Allah, be proficient, work hard,
pace yourself, and do as much as you can, consistently; for verily, “A
little which is consistent, is better and far more in quantity than a lot
which suddenly stops.” And with Allah is all success.

The Virtue of
Consistency
‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

The Prophet of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam was asked about the most beloved good
deed to Allāh, to which he replied,  ‫( أَ ْد َو ُم هُ َو إِ ْن قَ َّل‬That which is most regular and constant even
if it is little in amount)” [Muslim].

Points of benefi t
 
I. Consistency adds value. It elevates a deed even if it is small. The scholars would say,
“A consistent deed—even if it is small—is better than a huge deed that is inconsistent.”
 
II. Consistency perpetuates reward.  If an actor is prevented from completing a
consistent deed due to a valid reason, he is rewarded as though he had completed the
action. Allāh’s Messenger sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “If a person becomes sick or
travels, he will have the same reward as when he was healthy or not travelling” [Bukh ārī].
 
III. Consistency does not demand an actor exhaust and overburden himself.  Bukhārī
reports that Allāh’s Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “The religion is easy. No one
makes the religion diffi cult except that it will overwhelm him. So engage in good deeds with
moderation—without excess and neglect (saddidū) and come as close as you can to that
(qāribū), and receive the glad tidings (that you will be rewarded for your consistency in
deed even if the deed is small). And seek support (by worshipping All āh) in the morning,
afternoon and the last hours of the night.” In other words, spread the act of worship
throughout the day so that it is manageable, sustainable and conducive to worship, and
does not become overwhelming. 
 
IV. The previous point ensures the energy and enthusiasm of the actor.  The Prophet
of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Upon you is that which you have the ability to do.
Allāh will never become bored (and will thus continue to reward you) until you yourself
become bored (with doing good deeds). Verily, the most beloved deeds to All āh is that
which is the most consistent even in small amounts.” [Al-Nas ā’ī]
 
V. Consistency becomes easier overtime and builds up to ihsān.  Allāh jalla wa ‘alā
said, “And those who persevere for Us ― We will surely guide them to Our ways. And
indeed, Allāh is with the muhsinīn.” [29:69]
 
VI. Consistency deepens Allāh’s love for the actor in addition to the action
itself. The Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “My slave does not draw
nearer to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the far ā’id (obligatory deeds) that I
have imposed upon him. And My slave continues to draw close to Me with the naw āfi l
(voluntary deeds) until such that I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing with
which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot
with which he walks. If he were to ask Me, I would give him. If he were to seek refuge with
Me, I would give him refuge.” [Muslim]
 
VII. Consistency fl ourishes in times of ease. Tirmidhī reports that the Prophet
sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Acquaint yourself to All āh in times of ease, He will
acquaint Himself with you in times of hardship.”
 
VIII. “Even if little in amount” is an encouragement for all to intend and practice
consistency, thus securing its benefi ts