✍ Written by: Maqbool Ahmad Salafi, Islamic Da’wah Center, North Taif (Masrah)
All praise belongs to Allah who, in His infinite mercy, has allowed us to enjoy a variety of seasons. These seasons add beauty and charm to human life. However, it is part of human nature to be hasty and to react negatively to apparent discomforts.
Undeniably, cold weather can cause difficulty and suffering — sometimes even illness, and occasionally, it can result in loss of life or property. During this season, we observe many people falling ill, especially children who commonly suffer from colds, coughs, and flu. Due to these hardships, many people curse the cold, express frustration instead of practicing patience, and complain about the discomfort.
A true believer should be firmly convinced that Allah alone is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the night and day, and the summer and winter. He created everything with precise craftsmanship and wisdom. Nothing He created is purposeless or vain.
رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا
"Our Lord! You have not created this in vain."
[Āl ʿImrān: 191]
These are the words of those who constantly remember Allah in every state — standing, sitting, and lying down — and reflect upon the signs of the heavens and the earth.
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَن تَقُومَ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ بِأَمْرِهِ
"And among His signs is that the heaven and the earth stand firm by His command."
[ar-Rūm: 25]
يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ
"Allah alternates the night and the day. Indeed, in this is a lesson for those who have vision."
[an-Nūr: 44]
True believers draw lessons from the signs of Allah — whether it is day or night, heat or cold, spring or autumn, rainfall or drought — and they always reflect upon His wisdom and power.
Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله commented that the One who creates these things is the only One worthy of worship. Believers contemplate the creation of Allah and His signs, which leads them to pure servitude without associating partners with Him.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
"I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
[adh-Dhāriyāt: 56]
It should also be understood that extreme heat and cold are manifestations of Hellfire’s breath, as mentioned in a Hadith:
Narrated by Abū Hurairah رضي الله عنه, the Prophet ﷺ said:
اشْتَكَتِ النَّارُ إلى رَبِّهَا...
“The Fire complained to its Lord saying, 'Parts of me have consumed the other parts.' So He allowed it to take two breaths: one in the winter and the other in the summer. So the extreme cold you experience is from the breath of Hell, and the extreme heat is also from the breath of Hell.”
Given this, a believer should:
✔ Take necessary precautions against cold
✔ Be patient when facing discomfort
✔ Refrain from cursing the weather, because cursing time is akin to cursing Allah, its Creator.
يُؤْذِينِي ابنُ آدَمَ يَسُبُّ الدَّهْرَ...
“The son of Ādam hurts Me: he curses time, while I am time. In My Hand are all things, and I alternate night and day.”
True believers do not see prayer, purification, and going to the mosque in cold weather as burdensome. Instead, they find joy and sweetness in obedience, even in hardship. It is the nafs (ego) that presents ease as difficult and sin as desirable, even if it demands great effort.
If someone offers money for a difficult task in cold weather, most will accept it without hesitation. Yet when it comes to prayer, the same action becomes heavy. Why? Because the nafs dominates, and the individual’s faith is weak.
Believers rejoice in acts that please Allah and bring immense reward. Winter worship carries multiplied reward.
Narrated by Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه:
“Allah laughs at two men: one who rises on a cold night from his bed and blanket to make wuḍūʾ and pray. Allah says to the angels: ‘What drove My slave to do this?’ They reply: ‘Hoping for what is with You and fearing Your punishment.’ Allah says: ‘Bear witness that I have granted him what he hoped and protected him from what he feared.’”
Abū Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
إسْباغُ الوُضُوءِ علَى المَكارِهِ...
“Shall I not tell you that by which Allah erases sins and elevates ranks? Performing wuḍūʾ perfectly despite difficulty (like in cold), walking frequently to the mosque, and waiting for one prayer after another.”
ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ told her regarding her ʿUmrah: ‘You will receive reward according to the amount of hardship and expenditure you faced.’”
☛ However, deliberate self-harm or unnecessary hardship is not praiseworthy. True hardship is that which occurs naturally during sincere acts of worship — like wuḍūʾ with cold water. But inventing hardship (jumping in fire, cutting the tongue, or excessive ritualism) is misguided and leads to destruction, not reward.
More effort brings more reward. Hence, increase prostration (sujūd) during winter. Paradise is surrounded by difficulties, and Hell by desires.
حُفَّتِ الجَنَّةُ بالمَكارِهِ، وحُفَّتِ النَّارُ بالشَّهَواتِ
“Paradise is surrounded by hardships and Hell is surrounded by desires.”
Sadly, many Muslims willingly engage in personal or material tasks during winter — even with hardship — but they avoid worship. Some even abandon their regular prayers due to cold.
Let this be a wake-up call! We strive for temporary worldly gain, but remain indifferent to our eternal life.
① Fasting — Days are short, making fasting easier.
② Night Prayer (Qiyām al-Layl) — Nights are long, making it easier to stand in prayer.
الشتاءُ ربيعُ المؤمنِ طال ليلُه فقامه وقصُر نهارُه فصامه
“Winter is the spring of the believer — its nights are long for standing in prayer and its days are short for fasting.”
Though this ḥadīth has weakness, it is supported by authentic reports like:
الغَنيمةُ الباردةُ ،الصَّومُ في الشِّتاءِ
“The cold, easy spoil is fasting in winter.”
If Allah has blessed you with wealth, consider the orphans, the poor, and the needy in this season. While you have coats, sweaters, blankets, and heaters, many lack even basic protection from the cold.
Use your extra wealth to:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَن فَرَّجَ عن مُسْلِمٍ كُرْبَةً، فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عنْه بها كُرْبَةً مِن كُرَبِ يَومِ القِيامَةِ
“Whoever relieves a Muslim from a hardship, Allah will relieve him from a hardship on the Day of Judgment.”
❖ Blessings of Weather and Human Nature
All praise belongs to Allah who, in His infinite mercy, has allowed us to enjoy a variety of seasons. These seasons add beauty and charm to human life. However, it is part of human nature to be hasty and to react negatively to apparent discomforts.
Undeniably, cold weather can cause difficulty and suffering — sometimes even illness, and occasionally, it can result in loss of life or property. During this season, we observe many people falling ill, especially children who commonly suffer from colds, coughs, and flu. Due to these hardships, many people curse the cold, express frustration instead of practicing patience, and complain about the discomfort.
❖ Belief in the Creator of All Seasons
A true believer should be firmly convinced that Allah alone is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the night and day, and the summer and winter. He created everything with precise craftsmanship and wisdom. Nothing He created is purposeless or vain.
رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا
"Our Lord! You have not created this in vain."
[Āl ʿImrān: 191]
These are the words of those who constantly remember Allah in every state — standing, sitting, and lying down — and reflect upon the signs of the heavens and the earth.
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَن تَقُومَ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ بِأَمْرِهِ
"And among His signs is that the heaven and the earth stand firm by His command."
[ar-Rūm: 25]
يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ
"Allah alternates the night and the day. Indeed, in this is a lesson for those who have vision."
[an-Nūr: 44]
❖ A True Believer Reflects on the Signs of Allah
True believers draw lessons from the signs of Allah — whether it is day or night, heat or cold, spring or autumn, rainfall or drought — and they always reflect upon His wisdom and power.
Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله commented that the One who creates these things is the only One worthy of worship. Believers contemplate the creation of Allah and His signs, which leads them to pure servitude without associating partners with Him.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
"I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me."
[adh-Dhāriyāt: 56]
❖ The Origin of Heat and Cold: From Hellfire
It should also be understood that extreme heat and cold are manifestations of Hellfire’s breath, as mentioned in a Hadith:
Narrated by Abū Hurairah رضي الله عنه, the Prophet ﷺ said:
اشْتَكَتِ النَّارُ إلى رَبِّهَا...
“The Fire complained to its Lord saying, 'Parts of me have consumed the other parts.' So He allowed it to take two breaths: one in the winter and the other in the summer. So the extreme cold you experience is from the breath of Hell, and the extreme heat is also from the breath of Hell.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3260
❖ The Believer’s Attitude Toward Winter
Given this, a believer should:
✔ Take necessary precautions against cold
✔ Be patient when facing discomfort
✔ Refrain from cursing the weather, because cursing time is akin to cursing Allah, its Creator.
A Ḥadīth Qudsī:
يُؤْذِينِي ابنُ آدَمَ يَسُبُّ الدَّهْرَ...
“The son of Ādam hurts Me: he curses time, while I am time. In My Hand are all things, and I alternate night and day.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 7491
❖ The Cold Weather: A Test and Opportunity for the Faithful
True believers do not see prayer, purification, and going to the mosque in cold weather as burdensome. Instead, they find joy and sweetness in obedience, even in hardship. It is the nafs (ego) that presents ease as difficult and sin as desirable, even if it demands great effort.
If someone offers money for a difficult task in cold weather, most will accept it without hesitation. Yet when it comes to prayer, the same action becomes heavy. Why? Because the nafs dominates, and the individual’s faith is weak.
❖ Greater Rewards in Winter for Worship
Believers rejoice in acts that please Allah and bring immense reward. Winter worship carries multiplied reward.
Narrated by Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه:
“Allah laughs at two men: one who rises on a cold night from his bed and blanket to make wuḍūʾ and pray. Allah says to the angels: ‘What drove My slave to do this?’ They reply: ‘Hoping for what is with You and fearing Your punishment.’ Allah says: ‘Bear witness that I have granted him what he hoped and protected him from what he feared.’”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb: 630
❖ Forgiveness Through Wuḍūʾ in Hardship
Abū Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
إسْباغُ الوُضُوءِ علَى المَكارِهِ...
“Shall I not tell you that by which Allah erases sins and elevates ranks? Performing wuḍūʾ perfectly despite difficulty (like in cold), walking frequently to the mosque, and waiting for one prayer after another.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 251
❖ Reward Is Based on Hardship
ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها reported:
“The Prophet ﷺ told her regarding her ʿUmrah: ‘You will receive reward according to the amount of hardship and expenditure you faced.’”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ at-Targhīb: 1116
☛ However, deliberate self-harm or unnecessary hardship is not praiseworthy. True hardship is that which occurs naturally during sincere acts of worship — like wuḍūʾ with cold water. But inventing hardship (jumping in fire, cutting the tongue, or excessive ritualism) is misguided and leads to destruction, not reward.
❖ Paradise Requires Patience Through Hardships
More effort brings more reward. Hence, increase prostration (sujūd) during winter. Paradise is surrounded by difficulties, and Hell by desires.
حُفَّتِ الجَنَّةُ بالمَكارِهِ، وحُفَّتِ النَّارُ بالشَّهَواتِ
“Paradise is surrounded by hardships and Hell is surrounded by desires.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2822
❖ Cold Weather: A Spiritual Spring for Believers
Sadly, many Muslims willingly engage in personal or material tasks during winter — even with hardship — but they avoid worship. Some even abandon their regular prayers due to cold.
Let this be a wake-up call! We strive for temporary worldly gain, but remain indifferent to our eternal life.
❖ Two Winter Blessings for the Believer:
① Fasting — Days are short, making fasting easier.
② Night Prayer (Qiyām al-Layl) — Nights are long, making it easier to stand in prayer.
الشتاءُ ربيعُ المؤمنِ طال ليلُه فقامه وقصُر نهارُه فصامه
“Winter is the spring of the believer — its nights are long for standing in prayer and its days are short for fasting.”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad
Though this ḥadīth has weakness, it is supported by authentic reports like:
الغَنيمةُ الباردةُ ،الصَّومُ في الشِّتاءِ
“The cold, easy spoil is fasting in winter.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ at-Tirmidhī: 797
❖ A Call to Generosity in Winter
If Allah has blessed you with wealth, consider the orphans, the poor, and the needy in this season. While you have coats, sweaters, blankets, and heaters, many lack even basic protection from the cold.
Use your extra wealth to:- Donate warm clothing (new or used)
- Sponsor poor families
- Cover medical expenses for the sick
- Help struggling relatives or neighbors
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَن فَرَّجَ عن مُسْلِمٍ كُرْبَةً، فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عنْه بها كُرْبَةً مِن كُرَبِ يَومِ القِيامَةِ
“Whoever relieves a Muslim from a hardship, Allah will relieve him from a hardship on the Day of Judgment.”
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2580
