Is a more difficult act of worship necessarily better?
2026-09-20
T10 · Ibn Taymiyyah
Ibn Taymiyyah
شيخ الإسلام أحمد بن تيمية
Explanatory passage · Selected source passage(s) — fully translated
A clean excerpt was selected from the adopted scan. The previously flagged textual issue does not affect these displayed sentences; no alternate-edition wording is substituted. The English translates every displayed Arabic paragraph; this selection is not the complete surrounding work. Square brackets identify translator-supplied clarification.
النص العربي
المقتطف
قول بعض الناس: الثواب على قدر المشقة ليس بمستقيم على الإطلاق.
وأما الأجر على قدر منفعة العمل وفائدته، وعلى قدر طاعة أمر الله ورسوله، فأي العملين كان أحسن وصاحبه أطوع وأتبع كان أفضل.
English translation
English translation reviewed against the displayed Arabic by SalafAlSalih editorial preparation (AI-assisted); explanatory additions appear in square brackets or separate notes.
Selected explanation
The statement of some people that reward is proportionate to hardship is not correct without qualification.
Rather, reward is proportionate to the benefit and usefulness of the deed and to obedience to the command of Allah and His Messenger. Whichever of two deeds is better, and whose doer is more obedient and more closely follows [Allah and His Messenger], is superior.
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 10/620–623
مجموع الفتاوى
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā
Arabic passage checked against the cited edition and location. English reviewed against every displayed Arabic paragraph on 14 October 2026.