20/19. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1654 — Persistent Worship
Sitting while performing voluntary prayers, and mentioning the differences reported from Abu Ishaq regarding that
Persistent Worship Even When It Is Little
Sunan an-Nasai : 1654
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1654
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ مَا مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى كَانَ أَكْثَرُ صَلاَتِهِ قَاعِدًا إِلاَّ الْفَرِيضَةَ وَكَانَ أَحَبُّ الْعَمَلِ إِلَيْهِ أَدْوَمَهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ .
Umm Salamah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pass away until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except for the obligatory prayers, and the dearest of actions to him were those which were done persistently, even if they were few.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1654In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 57English translation : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1655
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1654
This Hadith joins two related lessons: seated voluntary prayer and persistent deeds. Umm Salamah said the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not die until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except the obligatory prayer. She also said that the dearest actions to him were those done persistently, even if they were few. The key search phrase is persistent worship in Islam. The Hadith does not push people toward hard worship that they cannot continue. It values steady action. It also shows that the Prophet’s later voluntary prayer often included sitting. Together, these points teach a practical path: keep worship going in a form that can last.
What we learn from this hadith
- Persistent deeds were dear to the Prophet.
- Even few deeds have value when they are maintained.
- Most of his later non-obligatory prayers were sitting.
- The obligatory prayer is excluded from this seated-prayer description.
