"I asked 'A'isha and Umm Salama: “Which work was dearest to Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace)?” They said: “That which a person perseveres in, even if the amount of work done is small.”
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَعِنْدِي امْرَأَةٌ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ هَذِهِ؟ قُلْتُ: فُلانَةُ لا تَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لا يَمَلُّ اللَّهُ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا، وَكَانَ أَحَبَّ ذَلِكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الَّذِي يَدُومُ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُهُ.
Narrated A’isha said:
"Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) entered my presence, and there was a woman with me, so he said: “Who is this?” I said: “So-and-so, who does not sleep at night.” Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) then said: 'Incumbent upon you are the works of which you are capable, for, by Allah, Allah will not become weary until you become weary!” The work dearest to Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) was that in which his Companion would persevere.'"
"When I was together with Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) one night, he cleaned his teeth, then performed the minor ablution, then performed the ritual prayer. I stood up with him, whereupon he began with the Sura of the Cow followed by another Sura, and he did this in every cycle of the ritual prayer.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ، أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، يَخُصُّ مِنَ الأَيَامِ شَيْئًا؟ قَالَتْ: كَانَ عَمَلُهُ دِيمَةً، وَأَيُّكُمْ يُطِيقُ مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، يُطِيقُ.
Narrated 'Alqama said:
“I asked 'A'isha (may Allah be well pleased with her): ‘Was Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to singling out any of the days?’ She said: ‘His work was perpetual. Who of you would be capable of doing what Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to be do?”
