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How can I progress through the ranks of servitude until I reach the summit?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

One must be diligent in fulfilling the obligatory duties (fara'id) and responsibilities (wajibat), such as performing prayers on time in congregation with humility, paying zakat to those entitled to it, honoring parents, and maintaining ties of kinship. This is in accordance with the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him." It is also recommended to increase in supererogatory acts (nawafil) such as the regular sunnah prayers (rawatib), Duha prayer, night vigil (qiyam al-layl), charity (sadaqah), and fasting, like fasting every other day, or three days each month, or on Mondays and Thursdays. This is based on his (peace be upon him) saying: "My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory acts until I love him."

Furthermore, one should adorn themselves with good character and interact with people kindly, such as showing forgiveness, enjoining good, turning away from the ignorant, honoring the elderly, showing compassion to the young, suppressing anger, and forgiving those who have wronged them. This is because good character is among the most important acts of worship.

Moderation in worship is also essential, taking on only what one can bear, for continuous small acts are better than intermittent large ones. "The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most continuous, even if they are few," and "Indeed, this religion is easy, and no one will ever overpower it except that it will overcome him." Finally, advocating for Allah's cause (da'wah) and serving the community are encouraged.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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