Balanced and Continuous Good Deeds

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى عَمَلٍ فَلْيَدُمْ عَلَيْهِ سَنَةً ثُمَّ يَتَحَوَّلُ عَنْهُ إِنْ شَاءَ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ يَكُونُ فِيهَا فِي عَامِهِ‌[2] ذَلِكَ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ‌[3].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘If a man does a good deed, he should continue for a year before ending, if he may so wish, to perform another good deed. This is because the night of destiny comes in his year in which things that Allah wills come into being.’”

قَالَ: أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ الْعَبْدُ وَ إِنْ قَلَّ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘The most beloved deed in the sight of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, is that which is continued even though it is very little.’”

مَا مِنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ عَمَلٍ يُدَاوَمُ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنْ قَلَّ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘There is nothing more beloved to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, than a deed that is continued by a servant (of Allah) even though it is very little.’”

كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ص يَقُولُ‌ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ أَنْ أُدَاوِمَ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ وَ إِنْ قَلَّ.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) would say, ‘I love to continue a good deed even if it is very little.’”

كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ص يَقُولُ‌ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْدَمَ عَلَى رَبِّي وَ عَمَلِي مُسْتَوٍ[1].

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) would say, ‘I love to go before my Lord with my deeds orderly and balanced.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَفْرِضَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ فَرِيضَةً فَتُفَارِقَهَا اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ هِلَالًا.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Be careful and do not give up on a good deed that you may have decided to do, before twelve lunar months end.’” Note: The good deeds and acts of worship in the above Ahadith refer to the optional acts of worship; the obligatory ones do not decrease or increase.