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The Muslim's Enthusiasm for the Deen

The following two narrations from the Sunnah explain how a Muslim’s enthusiasm for the Deen changes from time to time and also the essential point of not falling short of what is required during the period of inactivity and rest.

It is in these times in particular that an encouragement of other fellow Muslims is particularly beneficial. Ibn Shawdhab, from the third generation of Muslims, said: "From Allah’s blessings upon a youth when he turns to worship is that he is given a brother who is a follower of the Sunnah encouraging him upon it."

From Hanzalah al-Usayyidee, radiyallahu `anhu, who said:

"Abu Bakr met me and asked: How are you O Hanzalah? I replied: Hanzalah is guilty of hypocrisy! He said: Free is Allah and far removed from all defects! What are you saying? I said: When we are with Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, and he reminds us of the Fire and Paradise it is as if we are seeing it with our own eyes. Then when we depart from Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, to attend to our wives, children and our business, then much of this slips from our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah we also experience the same. So I went with Abu Bakr until we entered upon Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam. I said: When we are with you, you remind us of the Fire and of Paradise and it is as if we are seeing it with our eyes. Then when we depart from you and attend to our wives, children and business then much of this slips from our minds. So Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: By Him in whose Hand is my soul if you remained continually as you are when you are with me and in remembering (Allah) then the angels would shake hands with you upon your beds and upon your roads. But O Hanzalah, (there is) a time for this and a time for that, (there is) a time for this and a time for that, (there is) a time for this and a time for that.

[Muslim, no. 6623]

From ibn `Umar radiyallahu `anhuma who said that Allah’s Messenger sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said:

For every action there is a period of enthusiasm/activity, and for every period of enthusiasm/activity there is a period of rest/inactivity. So he whose period of rest/inactivity is in accordance with my Sunnah then he is rightly guided, but he whose period of rest accords with other than this, then he is destroyed.

Ahmad 2/188 and 210