Hadith #12

IslamWiki Explanation — IslamWiki Scholarly Team

The Prophet ﷺ advised 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr: 'Do not be like so-and-so. He used to pray at night but then stopped.' Ibn Uthaymin explains that this is one of the most important hadiths about consistency in worship. The Prophet ﷺ did not name the person out of hayaa (modesty) and to protect his reputation — a lesson in itself about not publicizing others' religious shortcomings. The substance of the advice is that a deed performed consistently, even if small, is better than a great deed abandoned. Ibn Allan connects this to the broader principle that Allah loves acts of worship that are continuous (dawam al-'amal). This hadith was directed at 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr who was known for excessive worship, which the Prophet ﷺ had to moderate on multiple occasions. The lesson applies broadly: take on only what you can consistently maintain.