Nasai

1654. Commentary: Umar bin Zaidah and Yunus have mentioned Aswad as the teacher of Abu Ishaq, whereas Shu’bah and Sufyan have mentioned Abu Salamah as the teacher of Abu Ishaq. However, this narration is indeed reported from Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ If a small good deed is performed regularly, it does not become a burden on one's nature, and in terms of its result, it surpasses that greater good deed which is performed with zeal for a few days and then abandoned.

➋ Constancy does not mean that a person must perform the act even if he is ill, compelled, or has some other excuse. In this way, this voluntary (nafl) act would become similar to an obligatory (fard) act, and it is not correct to give a voluntary act the status of an obligatory one.

➌ If a good deed is a habitual practice and, for some reason, it is missed, then when that reason no longer exists, it should be resumed.

➍ In the night prayer (tahajjud), standing for a long time is more virtuous, even if, due to fatigue, a part or most of the standing is performed while sitting.

Benefits and Issues:

➊
If a person performing a voluntary (nafl) prayer wishes to recite at length, but a prolonged standing (qiyam) is difficult for him, then he may recite part of the Qur’an while standing and part while sitting.
As will be mentioned in the following hadith.

➋
One should strive to act consistently upon good deeds.
However, such an action does not become obligatory (fard) as a result.
Therefore, if at any time a person feels the need for rest,
he may leave it off on that occasion,
or reduce its amount.

➌
It is not appropriate to consider an apparently small good deed insignificant and neglect it, because small good deeds, when combined, can become a means for attaining great ranks.