4 Timeless Pieces of Advice

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, but there is good in both.”

This profound hadith highlights an important concept, that there are differences in the level of faith among believers. A strong believer who actively worships Allah avoids sins and performs righteous deeds is superior and more beloved to Allah compared to a weak believer who struggles in his faith. However, the hadith makes it clear that there’s still goodness and faith present in a weak believer.

The key distinction is the effort and actions of the believer. A strong believer takes their faith seriously and makes a sincere effort to implement Islam, while a weak believer may be negligent in obligations, commit sins, or have doubts. But if there’s basic faith, then there’s still hope for a weak believer to reform and strengthen his connection with Allah. There are no perfect believers, so all should seek to improve and strengthen their faith.

The hadith continues to provide important advice for believers on how to achieve greater strength and closeness to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Strive hard, be diligent in seeking that which benefits you, and seek help from Allah.”

This part of the hadith encourages believers to make sincere efforts and take action to better themselves spiritually. The keywords are “strive hard” and “be diligent” — meaning believers should actively seek beneficial knowledge of the deen, be consistent in worship, avoid laziness, enjoin good deeds and forbid evil, and support the Muslim community. These efforts to learn and implement the deen paired with seeking Allah’s help will lead to prosperity and strength of faith.

An important aspect of striving hard mentioned is “seeking that which benefits you.” Each believer should introspect on their abilities and weaknesses and seek knowledge and deeds that will personally benefit their faith and enable them to overcome challenges. For some, it may be learning foundational beliefs, for others studying Quranic tafsir, while for some it means giving da’wah or helping the disadvantaged. Seeking beneficial knowledge tailored to one’s needs is key.

Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized: “Don’t be lazy, incapable, and never give up.” This gives insight into some of the traits that weaken faith — laziness in acts of worship, lack of capability in worldly affairs, and being quick to despair. Believers must avoid being lazy in obligations like prayers, fasting, charity, and reading the Quran. They should build skills and talents to live efficiently and contribute to society. Also crucial is having tawakkul (trust and reliance) in Allah and avoiding feelings of hopelessness when facing trials.

Additionally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If something befalls you, don’t say ‘If I would have done this or that’. But say ‘It is the Decree of Allah, He does whatever He wills.’”

This profound statement teaches believers the critical mindset of acceptance and optimism when facing difficult situations. Sometimes when facing loss or hardship, people naturally think “If only I did this instead” or have regrets over their decisions. However, this hadith guides believers to avoid such thoughts that imply rebellion against destiny, and instead have complete trust that Allah has decreed what is best out of His wisdom.

Believers should say “Qaddar Allah wa ma sha fa’al” — “It is the Decree of Allah, He does whatever He wills.” This mindset blocks any whispers from Shaitan that try to create doubts, sadness, or feelings of despair in difficult times.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) concluded his hadith by saying: “Because ‘if’ opens the doors for the actions of Shaitan.” When believers dwell on “if only” thoughts, it invites Shaitan to sow further feelings of regret, hopelessness, and dissatisfaction with Qadar. This eventually weakens faith, whereas accepting Qadar blocks this trap of Shaitan.

In summary, this hadith teaches believers 4 powerful lessons:

1. Strive hard for what benefits you
2. Seek help from Allah
3. Don’t be lazy or give up
4. Accept the Decree of Allah with a sound heart

Implementing this hadith leads to strength and tranquility of faith, as well as nearness to Allah the Almighty. All believers should reflect deeply on this hadith and assess their level of faith and relationship with Allah, making efforts to implement the Prophet’s divinely guided advice to progress spiritually, in sha Allah.

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This post was previouly published on MEDIUM.COM.

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