46 - Acts of worship

1. A man from the people of Najd, with dishevelled hair, came to God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). We could hear his voice [as he was coming] but did not understand what he said, until he was close to the Prophet. He was asking about Islam. 

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Five prayers during the day and night’. He asked: ‘Any more as a binding duty?’ The Prophet said: ‘No, unless you wish to voluntarily add more’. 

3. God’s Messenger said: ‘And fasting during the month of Ramadan’. He asked: ‘Any more [fasting] as a binding duty?’ The Prophet said: ‘No, unless you wish to give more’. 

4. The Prophet then told him about zakat. The man asked: ‘Any more duty?’ The Prophet said: ‘No, unless you wish to add at your own behest’. 

5. The man turned to leave and said: ‘By God, I shall not do more than this and will not omit any of it’. 

6. The Prophet said: ‘He will be successful, if he is true to his word’. A different version puts it: ‘He will be in Heaven if he is true to his word’.