Gardens of the Righteous — Page 37
RIYADH AS-SALIHIN 37 portion of the night (Bokhari). Another version adds: Be moderate, be moderate. 146. Anas relates: The Holy Prophet came into the mosque and noticed a rope stretched between two columns. He inquired: What is this rope for? He was told: This is Zainab's rope. When during her voluntary Prayer she begins to feel tired she grasps it for support. The Holy Prophet said: Undo it. You should pray so long as you feel alert. When you feel tired you should go to sleep (Bokhari and. Muslim). 147. Ayesha relates that the Holy Prophet said: If any of you should be drowsy in the course of the salat, he should sleep till his drowsiness departs, for if he prays while he is drowsy he cannot be sure that while meaning to seek forgiveness he might be reviling himself (Bokhari and Muslim). 148. Jabir ibn Samurah relates: I had the opportunity of joining the. Prayer services led by the Holy Prophet on many occasions. His prayer was moderate and his sermon was moderate (Muslim). 149. Abu Juhaifah Wahb ibn Abdullah relates that the Holy Prophet had established a bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu Darda'. Salman went to see Abu Darda' and found his wife untidy. He asked her: What is the matter with you? She said: Your brother, Abu Darda' has no worldly desires. . Then Abu Darda' arrived and prepared some food for Salman and said: Go ahead and eat, for I am fasting. Salman said: I shall not eat unless you eat with me. So Abu Darda' ate with him. At night Abu Darda' got up for voluntary. Prayer. Salman told him to go to sleep and he slept. This happened again. In the latter part of the night Salman said to him: Now get up; and both performed the salat together. Then Salman said: It is true you owe your duty to your Lord, but you also owe a duty to yourself and you owe a duty to your wife. So you should render to everyone their due. Then they went to the Holy Prophet and related all this to him. He said: Salman was right (Bokhari). 150. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn 'As relates that the Holy Prophet was told that I had said: I shall observe the fast every day and shall spend the whole night in voluntary Prayer as long as I live. The Holy Prophet asked me: Are you the one who has said this? I replied: Indeed, I have said it, Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be thy ransom. He said: You will not be able to sustain this. You may fast but with breaks, and you may get up for voluntary Prayer, but you should also sleep. Observe the fast for three days in a month, and as the value of a good deed is tenfold this would be equal to a full month's fast. I said: I am strong enough to do better than this. He said: Then fast one day and leave out two days. I said: I am strong enough enough to do better than that. He said:. Well, then, fast one day and leave off one day. This was the fast of David and it is the best fast. I said: I am strong enough to do better than that. The Holy. Prophet said: There is nothing better than this. I now wish I had agreed to the suggestion of the Holy Prophet that I should fast on three days in a month. This would be dearer to me than my property and my children (Bokhari and. Muslim).