What is the fiqh of priorities regarding acts of worship for which no text specifies their precedence, especially when an act of worship involving hardship conflicts with another that brings about greater presence of heart, such as praying behind an imam who prolongs the prayer versus praying alone with more comfort and greater devotion? And do acts of worship that involve striving (jihad) have sweetness, despite the hadiths "Paradise is surrounded by hardships" and the saying of Sheikh al-Islam: "If you do not find sweetness and expansion in your heart for an action, then suspect it"? And is it better to choose hardship in worship (like a tiring Umrah) or to provide comfort to ensure the presence of heart?

Issues of prioritizing acts of worship are intricate and complex, with varying perspectives and differing rewards depending on the considerations.

1. Prioritizing Tarawih prayer: in congregation vs. individually: If the presence of the heart and humility in individual prayer conflicts with the heedlessness of the heart in congregational prayer, then individual prayer with the presence of the heart is better. This is because the virtue related to the essence of the worship (humility) takes precedence over the virtue related to its place (the mosque) or time.

2. The sweetness of worship and bodily pain: Ibn Taymiyyah's discourse on the sweetness of worship and the expansion of the heart does not contradict bodily pain and enduring hardship. The former is specific to the heart, and the latter to the body. The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to stand in prayer until his feet swelled, yet he found the coolness of his eyes in prayer.

3. Prioritizing in Hajj and Umrah (definition): expenditure vs. hardship: The expenditure disbursed to attain comfort in travel and accommodation is better than enduring excessive hardship with less expenditure. This is because the virtue related to the essence of the worship takes precedence, and because spending in obedience to Allah is an act of worship with its own virtue, and because the Lawgiver intended ease and alleviation for His servants.

4. Hardship is not sought for its own sake: The reward for hardship is not because it is intended for its own sake, but rather because the act of worship necessitates it, or because of the lawful benefits that result from it. The Law (Sharia (definition)) rewards for the means to acts of obedience just as it rewards for the objectives.