Every Muslim strives to attain the love of Allah, and Allah has clarified many paths to achieving His love. The Prophet ﷺ also revealed various deeds that Allah loves His servant to perform. The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ often competed in asking about the deeds most beloved to Allah, and the Prophetic answers to this question were diverse, offering a wide range of worship practices and paths to drawing closer to Allah. This becomes clear in the following:
- Faith in Allah, Maintaining Family Ties, and Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
In Sahih At-Targhib wa At-Tarhib, it is narrated that a man from the Khath’am tribe said: “I came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was among a group of his Companions and said, ‘Are you the one who claims to be the Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which deeds are most beloved to Allah?’ He said, ‘Faith in Allah.’ I said, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘Maintaining family ties.’ I said, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘Enjoining good and forbidding evil.’”
Faith in Allah is the foundation upon which all deeds are built. It is the most beloved act through which a person can draw closer to Allah. This is followed by maintaining family ties, then enjoining good and forbidding evil, which is embodied in calling to Allah, as Allah says, “And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah, does righteousness, and says, ‘Indeed, I am of the Muslims.’” (Fussilat: 33)
- Fulfilling Obligations and Persisting in Voluntary Acts
Al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.”
- Praying on Time, Honoring Parents, and Striving in the Cause of Allah
It is not sufficient to perform obligatory prayers at any time; rather, they must be performed on time without delay or neglect. This instills a sense of reverence for prayer, which is the pillar of religion. That offering prayers on time is one of the most beloved deeds to Allah is evidenced by the narration in Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by At-Tabarani: Umm Farwah reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The most beloved of deeds to Allah, the Exalted, is to offer Salat (prayer) in its early time.”
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: “I asked the Prophet which action is dearest to God and he replied, “Prayer at its proper time.” I asked what came next, and he replied that it was kindness to parents. I asked what came next and he replied that it was jihad in God's path.”
If praying on time is one of the most beloved deeds to Allah, then honoring one’s parents is also beloved to Him, as Allah commanded in His words: “And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment.” (Al-Isra: 23) As for striving in the cause of Allah, it is the pinnacle of Islam. In Sunan At-Tirmidhi, it is narrated from Mu’adh ibn Jabal that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Shall I not inform you about the head of the entire matter, and its pillar, and its hump?” I said: “Of course O Messenger of Allah!” He said: “The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is the Salat, and its hump is Jihad.”
- Bringing Joy to Muslims and Fulfilling Their Needs
At-Tabarani narrated from Ibn Umar that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, which deeds are most beloved to Allah?” He replied: “The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people. The most beloved deed to Allah is to make a Muslim happy, or remove one of his troubles, or forgive his debt, or feed his hunger. That I walk with a brother regarding a need is more beloved to me than that I seclude myself in this mosque in Medina for a month.”
- Consistency in Good Deeds, Even If Small
In Sahih Muslim, 'A'isha is reported to have said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the act most pleasing to Allah. He replied: That which is done continuously, even if it is small.
Muslim also narrated from Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad that Aisha, whenever she performed a deed, she remained consistent in it. Ibn Majah narrated from Umm Salamah that she said: “And the dearest of the actions to him was the righteous action that the person does regularly, even if it were a little.”
- Constant Remembrance of Allah
At-Tabarani narrated in Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir from Umm Anas that she said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ‘May Allah place you with the highest companions of Paradise, and I with you. Teach me a righteous deed that I may perform.’ He said: ‘Remember Allah often, for it is the most beloved deed to Allah that you meet Him with.’”
In Sahih Al-Jami from Mu'adh ibn Jabal, he said: “The last words I parted with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were when I said, ‘What deed was most excellent?’ He said: ‘That you should die with the mention of God fresh on your tongue.’”
- Loving and Hating for the Sake of Allah
Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad from Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari that he said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out to us and said: ‘Do you know which deeds are most beloved to Allah?’ Someone said, ‘Prayer and charity.’ Another said, ‘Jihad.’ He said: ‘The most excellent action to Allah is love for God’s sake and hatred for God’s sake.’”
The Prophet ﷺ explained that loving and hating for the sake of Allah are signs of complete faith. In Sunan Abu Dawood, it is narrated from Abu Umamah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If anyone loves for God’s sake, hates for God’s sake, gives for God’s sake and withholds for God's sake, he will have perfected faith.”
- Good Character
The Prophet ﷺ explained that Allah loves noble character and gave examples of virtuous morals. At-Tabarani and Al-Hakim narrated from Sahl ibn Sa’d that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Verily Allah is Generous and loves generosity. He loves noble character and He hates disgraceful behavior.” Good character elevates its possessor to the highest ranks. At-Tirmidhi narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The dearest and the closest of you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who are the best in behavior.”
- Gentleness in All Matters
Al-Bukhari narrated from Aisha that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah is Forbearer and loves forbearance in all matters.”
- Excellence in Work
Al-Bayhaqi narrated, and it was authenticated by Al-Albani, from Aisha that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Verily Allah, most High, loves for you to perfect a good deed when you perform it.”
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