Remembrance of Allah — Page 15
Importance of the Subject 15 The truth of the matter is that there is immense weakness and laziness in man. Therefore, he puts in the least amount of labour. This is indeed the reason why God Almighty, who knows the weaknesses of His creatures, and who is Most Merciful towards them, has appointed some acts of worship as obligatory and oth- ers as voluntary. He appointed the obligatory acts of worship so that anyone who fulfils them will be above reproach. Thus, it is narrated in a hadith that a person came to the Holy Prophet s as and enquired about Islam: ی َّ ِخَمْس ُ صَلَوَات ٍ فِي الْيَوْم ِ وَاللَّيْلَة ِ فَقَال َ هَل ْ عَلَي َّ غَيْرُهَا؟ قَال َ ل َ اِل َّ اَن ْ تَطَوَّع َ قَال َ رَسُوْل ُ هللا ِ صَل َ هللا ُ عَلَيْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ وَصِيَام ُ رَمَضَان َ قَال َ هَل ْ عَلَي َّ غَيْرُهُ؟ قَال َ ل َ اِل َّ اَن ْ تَطَوَّع َ قَال َ وَذَكَر َ لَه ُ رَسُوْل ُ هللا هللا ُ عَلَيْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ الزَّكَاة َ قَال َ هَل ْ عَلَي َّ غَيْرُهَا؟ قَال َ ل َ اِل َّ اَن ْ تَطَوَّع َ قَال َ فَاَدْبَر َ الرَّجُل ُ وَهُو ی صَلَّ هللا ُ عَلَيْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ اَفْلَح َ اِن ْ صَدَقَ. ی َّ هٰذَا وَل َ اَنْقُص ُ قَال َ رَسُوْل ُ هللا ِ صَل ی ٰ ْد ُ عَل ی ِ َقُول ُ وَهللا ِ ل َ اَز ی The Holy Prophet s as said to him, ‘Five Prayers during the day and night. ’ He asked, ‘Are there any more other than these?’ The Holy Prophet s as said, ‘No, unless you offer by way of nafl [voluntarily]. ’ Then the Holy Prophet s as continued, ‘Fasting during the month of Ramadan. ’ Again the man asked, ‘Are there any more fasts other than these?’ The Holy Prophet s as responded, ‘No, unless you per- form it by way of nafl. ’ Then the Holy Prophet s as told him that in Islam there is also Zakat—the giving of alms. Upon hearing this the person left saying, ‘By God, I shall neither add anything to these, nor shall I subtract anything from them. ’ The Holy Prophet s as said, ‘If he speaks the truth, he has