Hadith # 13- The obligation of loving all Muslims

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith13.htm

Background

In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "The servant does not reach the reality of faith until he loves for others what he loves for himself."

In Sahih Muslim from Abdullah ibn Amr Al-Ass, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "…..Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and enter the garden should die with faith in Allah and the Last Day and should treat the people as he wishes to be treated by them…" [Sahih Muslim; Book 020, Number 4546]

Lessons

These three hadiths carry similar meanings that is to love for other Muslims what one loves for oneself. They lay down a very significant principle of behavior of Muslims with each other. A true Islamic community is when it is built upon love and compassion for its members. Every member should care for and help one another. They should treat others in ways they want to be treated.

It is a community with no barriers among the races, color, mazhab or group or ranks in implementing this Islamic concept of brotherhood and love. All these barriers must be removed for this concept to be realized. Other barriers to be removed include jealousy, selfishness and envy.

Loving goodness for others is part of loving them. We love good things for them as much as we love those things for ourselves. We treat them the way we want them to treat us.

Part of good treatment of others are excusing them and giving them fair chances. For example, if a person commits a mistake, then we should find excuses for them and not jump to conclusions. There are many possibilities or ways for us to excuse others who have committed mistakes, and hence enabling us to live peacefully and avoid confrontations.

When we deal with other Muslims in the community, we should deal in the best manner. We should choose the best words in our conversation. The Qur'an says: "O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak always the right word" [Surah Al-Ahzab (33) : ayat 70]

"And tell My servants that they should always say those words that are the best. Satan verily, sows a state of conflict and disagreements among them." [Surah Al-Isra' (17) : ayat 53]

Good words can minimize quarreling and confrontations among the members of the society.
Mercy and compassion should exist in our treatment of others. This is related to a very important concept in Islam, which is Al-Wala'. The relationship among the Muslim community members is based on this concept of Al-Wala'. It does not only mean protection, but it also encompasses love, care and help. These are the four aspects of Al-Wala' normally mentioned by the scholars. These aspects are interdependent with each other. For example, to care for others comes after the loving of others. Therefore, in relation to the hadith, Muslims must also love and care about other Muslims.

Another important issue is not to be arrogant. This comes in many forms (as mentioned by the scholars) such as belittling others, looking down on others, looking at oneself as being more superior or better than others, etc. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise." A person (amongst his hearers) said: "Verily, a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine." He (the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam) remarked: "Verily, Allah is Graceful and He loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people." [Sahih Muslim: Book 001, Number 0164]

Therefore we need to be humble and show mercy to others. Part of loving goodness for others is to practice mutual consultation, enjoining goodness and forbidding evil. The advice is to be done in a good way, based on loving them and not for seeking personal interest. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, also used to show his love of others when giving advice to them. It may also be good to explicitly tell the listeners that the reason we are advising them is because we love them and we care for them. If an advice is specific for a person, then it should be done in private to avoid offending the person.

Fudhayl ibn Iyad went one step higher in putting this hadith into practice. He mentioned that we should not only wish others to be like us but also to wish them to be better than us. However, he said that this is not obligatory (wajib).

Ibn Rajab said that we should wish other Muslims to be better than us in worshipping (ibadah) and manners (akhlaq), but at the same time we should wish for ourselves to be better than what we are now. It is not good enough to just wish for something good for other Muslims but at the same time we are deficient and not striving to be better Muslims ourselves. It is from the goodness that we have attained that we also love for other Muslims to have. It is not fair to them that we wish for them to attain the same deficiency that we have in ourselves. Therefore, it is a matter of continuous competition among us to attain the goodness.

A related contemporary issue is about the brotherhood in Islam. What criterion should be used in deciding who are the brothers in Islam that they deserve our support? There are many Muslims in the world today, but many of them are weak in iman and violating some principles of Islam. In the past, these people were dissociated by the scholars because they were the minority. However, today it is less appropriate to apply this same principle of disassociation and therefore people with the minimum level of Islam should be considered brothers in Islam. Hence we should care for them and love for them what we love for ourselves. For example, if they commit a sin then we love for them that they leave the sinful act. We should advise them out of our love for them.

Conclusion

This hadith can be practiced at any level, any time and with any Muslim. It can be practiced in different manners, in the form of advising, giving charity, enjoining goodness and forbidding evil.

In practicing the hadith, the various aspects of the hadith and the inter-related concepts must be observed. A concept cannot be observed in isolation as it may cause misunderstanding and incorrect application of the concept itself.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=242&category=24

Hadith #12- Being concerned with beneficial matters

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith12.htm

Background

Ibn Rajab, one of the commentators of Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith, mentioned that this hadith is a foundation of manners, behavior and etiquette in Islam.

Ibn Rajab also quotes Imam Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qairawani, one of the Maliki Imams, as saying that the following four hadiths set the main concept for good manners and behavior:

1. The hadith mentioned above.
2. "Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent, .." [Bukhari and Muslim. Refer to Hadeeth 15 of this collection]
3. A man said to the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam: "Counsel me". He said : " Do not become angry". The man repeated [his request] several times, and he said: "Do not become angry." [Al-Bukhari. Refer to Hadith 16 of this collection]
4. "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." [Al-Bukhari. Refer to Hadith 13 of this collection]

Lessons

This hadith states that a believer should avoid things that are of no concern to him. They are of no benefit to this life nor to the hereafter, in terms of belief, speech or actions. In justifying this point, the Maliki jurist Imam Ibn Al-Arabi said that a person is not able to take care of all the necessary matters, why would he then get involved in the unnecessary matters that are of no real concern.

Jamaluddin Zarabozo, one of the contemporary commentators of Imam Nawawi's Forty Hadith, emphasizes that Islam protects society as a whole from any kind of harm. Much of the harm inflicted on the society are due to people indulging in the unnecessary matters like meddling into the affairs of others when one has no right or responsibility over the particular issue. These types of practices normally lead to great evil in the society. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, recommended a way to avoid societal problems.

He also commented that a believer should train him/herself to concentrate to be involved in the beneficial matters so that this in itself will be the person's attitude. Do not waste time, money and effort in things that are of no benefit in this life and the hereafter.

Putting the hadith in a different way, part of the perfection of faith (iman) of a believer is to be concerned with matters that are beneficial in this life and the hereafter. This is emphasized by another hadith: "Be keen with what is beneficial to you, and seek help from Allah - do not be reckless." [Tirmidhi]

Muslims have enough matters of concern to the extent one may not have enough time to deal with all of them. This is related to the issue of time management, whereby we need to be involved with matters that are of concern to us.

An important question related to this hadith is what are the things to be of concern to a true believer? Answering this question will enable us to practice this hadith in the right manner.

1. One of the things that are of concern is to fulfill the obligations (wajib), to perform as much as we can of the recommended or preferable acts (mandub), to avoid the forbidden (haram) and to avoid as much as we can of the makruh (those that are disliked).
2. Fard-a'yn, an individual obligation, are matters of concern to every one of us. Examples are matters like worship and supplication.
3. Fard-kifayah, community-wide collective obligations, must not be neglected and should also be matters of concern to us. An example is to work for the betterment of the community. Everyone with their own profession and expertise has a role to contribute towards the community.
4. Other matters of concern to Muslims are enjoining good and discouraging evil, self-accountability and to practice Ihsan in all that we do. In the Quran: (Allah) Who created death and life that He may try you, which of you is best in deeds; and He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving. [Surah Al-Mulk (67): ayat 2]
As related in Hadith 17 in this collection: "Verily, Allah has prescribed excellence (Ihsan) in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters." [Recorded by Imam Muslim]
5. Another matter of concern to all Muslims, but is currently lacking among us, is to think about the affairs of oneself, the community and the whole Muslim community (ummah). We need to think of how to further improve our (the Muslims) situation and not just be content with the current situation. This applies in whatever we do, whether we are worshippers, teachers, professionals or preachers. We should only be slaves of Allah and not others. Hence, we should not be enslaved by current methods or routines of doing things. We need to think creatively to improve the situation, in ways not contradicting the sharia'h. In this context, modern tools like 'idea generation' and 'problem solving' can be of great benefit.

We also need to be concerned about the greater challenges facing our community. In this era of technology and communication revolution, many of us are being enslaved intellectually. We need to think about our future generation because we will be responsible before Allah. We need to apply and disseminate our knowledge and not just building 'reservoirs' of knowledge. We need to design our future and not just stand passively and let others design and impose upon us their preconceived scenarios.

Conclusion

Matters of concern to the Muslims cover the affairs of oneself, the community and the whole Muslim community (ummah). We need to create awareness among each other in facing the issues and challenges of the ummah. For example, this can be done through dialogues and talks. Those in authority have a greater responsibility in carrying out this task.

We should be aware not to waste our time and effort in matters that are of no concern to us. We should keep ourselves busy only with matters of benefit to us and to the ummah.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=141&category=24

Hadith #11- Avoiding doubtful acts

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith11.htm

Background

This hadith goes in line with Hadith 6. In this hadith the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, has set a criterion by which Muslims can decide whether something is permissible or not. There is another version of this hadith where the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, elaborated further by saying: “Verily, truth is tranquility and falsehood is doubt.” This means that the truth will lead to tranquility and falsehood will lead to doubt.

Thus the criterion set by the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, allows us to judge what is false or wrong (i.e. something which causes us to be doubtful) and what is the truth (i.e. something which we are sure of and confident that it is correct because we feel happy and at peace with it). This hadith lays down a principle that can be applied in all aspects of one’s life. It also shows the way to truth and righteousness. Thus, this hadith is of extreme importance.

Lessons

This hadith indicates that one should only perform an act or deed (which is permissible and proper) if he is positive or certain of it. Performing this act will lead to some kind of tranquility or happiness in this life and in the Hereafter – this is one of the benefits of applying the hadith.

In the other version of this hadith mentioned above, falsehood leads to doubt and never to tranquility. So if a believer finds his heart being disturbed by something (i.e. he feels uncertain or doubtful), then he should stay away from it. The heart of the true believer is tranquil at the sight of truth and righteousness. And the heart becomes unsure and shaky at the sight of falsehood and wrong.

We can conclude that this criterion applies only to the guided righteous Muslim who is enlightened by wahi, i.e. the Qur’an and Sunnah, and is adhering to this guidance. If a Muslim is indulging in forbidden acts, this criterion will not work for him because his heart will not be sensitive to what it faces.

The criterion of the hadith is activated by certain conditions or pre-requisites: knowledge, iman, adhering to the enlightenment of the wahi, etc. In other words, this criterion can only exist if the person is adhering to the commands of Allah subhana wa ta’ala, the commands of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, following the wahi, etc. Only then can a person reach such a status or level. But for those who indulge in muharramat (prohibitions), do not observe wajibat (obligations), etc., this criterion will not be activated. Even if it does exist, it will not be reliable.

Sometimes there are people who try to avoid doubtful matters while they are indulging in muharram. For example, the people who killed al-Hussain (the brother of the narrator of this hadith). After having killed him, they start discussing about the ruling on the killing of mosquitoes, whether it is permissible or not.

There are many matters or issues relating to the shariah where the scholars have conflicting views or opinions. For example, some scholars say that it is a wajib to recite Surat al-Fatihah in the congregational prayer while other scholars say it is not. Or the paying of zakat for Muslim women’s jewelry – whether a woman has to pay zakat for jewelry that she wears/uses and not just for those that she keeps for investment – an issue which has never been resolved. In these situations, can the Muslim apply the criterion of this hadith? According to some scholars, it is permissible to do so – this is known as the ‘cautious approach’. This became a very well-known approach for some scholars who used it whenever there were conflicting views.

So for the issue of reciting Surat al-Fatihah, to those who insist that without reciting it the prayer is invalid, these scholars following the cautious approach say that they should recite it. And in the case of the zakat for jewelry, the cautious approach is that it is better to pay the zakat for all jewelry, whether it is worn/used or not, so that the woman will be ‘saved’ either way.

There is another approach of the scholars which holds that it is not a matter of conflicting views, it is a matter of the authenticity and soundness of the proofs. If there is a sound dalil (evidence), the scholars will follow it. This approach is also practiced by those who strictly follow a madhab because the madhab follows a dalil.

There are also many situations which consist of both good and bad. The cautious approach will suggest that we avoid an act if it involves both good and bad aspects. The approach which follows the dalil applies the concept of weighing between benefits and harms. This involves applying principles derived from the Qur’an and Hadith. These principles state that it is permissible to give up a minor benefit in order to avoid a major harm. Or tolerate a minor harm in order to avoid a major one or to gain a major benefit.

Looking back on Islamic history, we can see that some scholars were for one approach while other scholars were for the other. Thus it is not crucial for us to determine which one is the better approach.

In the situation of conflicting views where something is known for certain and something which is just a mere conjecture, what is known for sure will take precedence, i.e. will be the prevailing view. This is one of the principles of Fiqh. For example, if we know that a piece of clothing has some impurity on it but we are not sure exactly where, it is better that we wash the entire clothing. Another example is if a person is doubtful about how many rakaats he has already prayed, whether it is one or two, he should continue his prayer with what he is certain of - he is sure he has prayed one rakaat so he should continue with the second one.

Another principle is that it is not allowed to make ijtihad if something is clearly and definitively stated in the Qur'an or authentic Hadith. If there is text which clearly states the hukum (ruling), then the ijtihad is not needed.

There is no righteousness or piety in avoiding something that is clearly and unquestionably permissible, i.e. something that is lawful and clearly permitted by shariah. For example, in the area of food, one shouldn't say he will refrain from eating meat as a matter of righteousness. He will not be rewarded for this.

There is the hadith that tells the story of the three men, where one vowed not to sleep so he can pray all night, one vowed to fast everyday and one vowed not to marry, all for the sake of righteousness. These actions which these men vowed not to do (sleeping, eating and getting married) are lawful things which are not only permitted but also encouraged. (In fact, some scholars even say that there should be a minimum number of hours every day which we allocate for sleep so that our bodies get enough rest.) When the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, heard of the three men's vows, he was very disappointed. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, called them and told them he was the most righteous and pious amongst them and yet he sleeps, eats and marries. Moreover the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, made a principal concerning this matter by saying: “This is my way, and whoever refrains from it is not part of me.”

Thus, if something is clearly permissible in shariah, there is no point in refraining from doing it with the intention that doing so is an ibadah. If it is for other good reasons, e.g. to avoid meat because of one’s health, then it is okay.

One of the tricks of shaitan is that he will take something which is forbidden and present it in a way to make it look like a permissible act. One should be careful not to be deceived by shaitan. If something is muharram, then no matter what, it is forbidden. We must not allow shaitan to influence us and change our perception into thinking that something which is forbidden may not be all that bad after all – that it is permissible to do it.

Shaykh Jamaluddin Zarabozo says in his commentaries on Imam Nawawi’s Forty Hadith that in these contemporary times there are many matters in business transactions where there might contain some implicit aspects of riba’. Thus there are many new situations or issues where people are confused as to whether something is acceptable or not. He says that it is better to avoid acts which we are not sure of or where there are no clear views from scholars.

Sometimes these issues are discussed by scholars but their views are not being promoted enough to the Muslims in general. Many of the renowned scholars today meet once a year to discuss contemporary issues and these issues are then published in a special magazine. Unfortunately, this magazine is not widely distributed and not many people, including educators, other scholars, etc., are aware of it. We should all try to keep ourselves informed with the latest views or opinions of the scholars, especially on matters related to our lifestyle today, e.g. banking, insurance, etc.

Conclusion

This hadith equips Muslims with a practical criterion by which to judge doubtful acts and situations, and enables them to make the right decision concerning these matters. However, Muslims need to understand how to apply such a criterion correctly and not to be deceived by wrong perceptions or personal interest.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=140&category=24

Hadith #10- Being pure (at-Tayyib)

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith10.htm

Background

The word "at-tayyib" is used in the Qur'an and Sunnah to describe actions, good deeds, people, things, speech, etc. This term is used as adjectives. Literally it means something good. Ibn Rajab interpreted the word as "at-tahir", or pure.

The term "Verily Allah the Exalted is pure" means Allah has all the attributes of perfection and completeness, free from any kind of shortcomings, weaknesses or needs.

As for "He does not accept but that which is pure", the hadith refers to all good deeds. Allah does not accept any deeds that are spoilt by any aspects that may ruin it. For example, the deed must be free from showing-off to others and in the case that involves wealth then the wealth must come from legal sources.

Allah commanded the Believers (Mu'minin) in the same manner as He commanded the Messengers:

"O Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibat" [Surah Al-Mu'minun (23): ayat 51]

"O you who believe! Eat of the Tayyibat that We have provided you with, .." [Surah Al-Baqarah (2): ayat 172]

Lessons

The verses above and this hadith imply the following beneficial and useful rulings:

1. The money that the Muslims earn must be pure and legal.
2. The food that is consumed must be lawful (halal).
3. The money with which a person buys food must be lawful, coming from lawful sources.
4. These are the keys for acceptance of our deeds by Allah.
5. Whether something is permissible or prohibited is by the will of Allah. He explains, guides and tells us what are permissible and what are not. It is mentioned in the Qur’an that some people have wrongfully made something unlawful when actually Allah has made it lawful, and vice versa. It is actually Allah’s right to make things lawful and unlawful.
6. Earning and consuming lawful things are important conditions for acceptance of our supplications (du’a) by Allah.

Adab (manners) of du’a mentioned by this hadith:

1. Earning and consuming lawful things.
2. Travelling is one of the occasions when du’a is accepted by Allah. Other occasions mentioned by other hadiths are as follows: during travelling, sickness, prostration, rainfall and during the last third of the night. These chances need to be observed so as not to be missed by the people going through these occasions.
3. Being humble in the du’a.
4. To raise the hands towards the sky.
5. Eagerness in performing the du’a, such as asking Allah many times like saying “ Ya rabb, ya rabb”. Du’a is an important form of worship (ibadah) that must be eagerly practiced by the Muslims. It is a high form of ibadah as it shows our need of Allah in helping us. We are in need of Allah’s mercy more than we need the air for breathing. We need His help, guidance and mercy in every second and our every single movement.

If these adab are not observed, then our du’a may not be responded by Allah. If we want Allah to respond to our du’a, then we need to respond to his commandments such as eating only that which are lawful to us.

Another ruling from the hadith is that charity (sadaqah) is only accepted by Allah if it is from lawful sources. This is based on “Allah is pure and only accepts what is pure”. Wealth that is obtained from unlawful sources should not be given as sadaqah or used in performing any form of worship like performing the Hajj. An example is when a person steals money and uses it to perform the Hajj. In this context, Ibn Abbas said: “Filth does not expiate filth”.

Another ruling given by the scholars is that if somebody stole money, then it must be returned and not be given away as charity. This is particularly applicable in the case of a person wanting to repent (taubah) after stealing the money. The person needs to return the money to the owner. If this is not possible, like if the owner is not known or cannot be found, then according to some scholars it can be used for public benefit like roads.

An explanation of the hadith given by Jamaluddin Zarabozo is that this hadith alludes to the importance of supporting oneself through permissible means. How one supports oneself is how one lives. If it is through legal means, then it will be blessed by Allah.

Another explanation given by the scholars is about the issue of ‘public belongings’, like the property of a company, organization or an institution. This is an important issue and must be observed because public belongings that are wrongfully taken are considered ghalul (a kind of stealing or taking something illegally), a practice which are is expiated even by Jihad in the way of Allah until one pays them back. This is related in a hadith about a martyr who took a small portion of the booty of the war.

Today, many Muslims take this issue of ghalul for granted. For example, taking paper and pen from the office for personal use. Another example is the personal use of the photocopy machine, company car, telephone, company money or any other instrument without getting the permission from the authority. We will also be held responsible if we damage or vandalize public property/belongings.

A good example of protecting oneself from ghalul is one set by Khalifah Umar bin Abdulaziz when he used one candle for his administration duties and put it out upon completion of his duties. He would then use his personal candle.

We need to learn from this example of how we should use things in the way they are allocated for. For example, we need to turn off the lights and the air-conditioner when we leave the office and save the electricity bill of the company/organization. By doing this, we will be rewarded by Allah and Allah will respond to our du’a.

We need to create awareness among the Muslims to be more responsible and not to indulge in ghalul.

A contemporary issue related to this hadith is about caring what we eat, in terms of two things:

1. To be aware of the ingredients of the food in the restaurant or packed/canned foods, especially if they are imported. We need to ensure that they are lawful.
2. Many of the things that people eat may cause health problems. We need to be more aware about the healthy aspects of the food, that they are ‘pure’. Universities may need to introduce health education so that people can know what the good foods are. They need to be aware of preservatives, coloring and chemical used in the food. Harmful contents are not ‘tayyiban’ (pure).

Conclusion

Scholars mentioned that whatever we eat affects our attitude and behavior. We need to eat the right food (at-Tayyib) and in the right manners (adab) as prescribed by Islam - e.g. not to eat excessively. By observing these issues, if Allah wills, it will lead us to be better Muslims with a better level of Iman and purer heart devoting to Allah. Then everything that we do can be described as ‘at-tayyib’. This condition is attained by those who observe the manners, earning, drinking, eating the ‘tayyib’ and giving charity from the ‘tayyib’. We will then be the ‘tayyibun’, pure and blessed by Allah.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=139&category=24

Hadith #9- How are obligations to be fulfilled?

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith09.htm

Background

Sabab al-wurud (reasons and background of a hadith) is very important to enable us to understand its meaning. This hadith can be understood by knowing its background. It was related during an incident where the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "Allah has commanded you to perform Hajj. So perform Hajj, O servants of Allah." Then a man stood up and said: "O Prophet of Allah, do we have to do it every year?" Then the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "That whatever I forbid you to do, avoid it and whatever I command you to do, do it as much as you can."

Lessons

The incident above was at the time of revelation. Asking too many questions about an obligation may lead to complications and confusions. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, was not happy with the question raised by the man for it could have caused the Hajj to be performed every year by each Muslim if the answer was yes to that question.

However, asking questions in the right way is encouraged as understood from the first hadith in this Forty Hadith collection. In fact, the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, used questions and answers to educate his Companions. Questions that lead to knowledge and goodness are encouraged. What is prohibited and discouraged are questions that will lead to confusion, doubt and chaos in the community, like asking questions about unnecessary details.

One significant characteristic of Shariah, i.e. Islamic Law, is its flexibility and practicality. One’s capacity is regarded and considered in fulfilling obligations. A Muslim is encouraged to do good actions based on his/her ability and capacity.

Hence Hajj is performed when one has the ability and facility to do it. However if one is tied-up with loans or with other clashing obligations, then there is room for delaying it for another time. This is supported by the Qur’anic verse: “…And Hajj to the House (Kaabah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those can afford the expenses…” [Surah Al-Imran (3): ayat 97].

In other actions like prayers, the Prophet’s, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, statement “perform as much as you can” can also mean to perform it at the preferred time and mode (in congregation). However due to unavoidable circumstances, they can be performed later within the specified time. Similarly, a person who is not able to stand in prayer may pray while sitting.

Flexibility is also attributed to other obligations like fasting. For example, one may break the fast while traveling or if he is sick and make it up on other days.

The forbidden must be totally avoided by the Muslim to the extent that whatever leads to haram (prohibited act) must be avoided as well, even without intention of indulging in it. By refraining from acts that lead to a prohibited act, we are actually safeguarding ourselves from falling into the forbidden.

Another application of the statement "perform as much as you can" is what Imam al-Shatibi said about a Muslim should not attach hardship to any good deed or act even if it is an obligation. If there is an easier option, one should not use the harder option. For example, during cold weather we should use warm water for wudu' (ablution), if we have the option. Hardship is not intended by the shari’ah and should be avoided. However when there is no other choice, then the reward for the person will be higher.

The same principle applies to mandubat (good actions that are not compulsory but encouraged). We should do as much as we can. According to Imam al-Shatibi one shouldn’t make any commitment that he/she must do a certain mandubat following strictly to a certain schedule but instead he/she should do it with ease at his/her own capacity. For example, don’t make it a wajib (compulsory) that you will fast every Monday and Thursday but do it as much as you are able to comfortably and break it from time to time. If you try to commit yourself in these matters, they may burden you and you may finally get fed up and abandon them.

On this issue, the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said: “O people, perform such acts as you are capable of doing, for Allah does not grow weary but you will get tired.” In another hadith the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said: “The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done continuously, even if they are small.” [Recorded by Imam Muslim]

There are some exceptions to the hadith which can be understood from the Qur’an and Sunnah. When the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, forbade the haram, the general rule is to avoid them. However there are exceptions like during necessity or when there is a clash between a minor and a major harm. For example, in a situation where it is necessary to eat something which is forbidden or face the risk of losing one’s life. In this case, a greater harm is avoided by tolerating a minor harm. This principle is called by the scholars as weighing between benefits and harm.

Conclusion

Understanding and practicing these principles may lead us to live a better and practical life, and help us fulfill our obligations in the right way. Applying them will lead us to love, appreciate and continuously practice Ibadah (good deeds).

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=138&category=24