How to reconcile between virtues such as night prayer and voluntary fasting?

The Shaykh : For example, we are encouraged to perform night prayer, we are encouraged to fast, we are encouraged to give charity, so it is rare for a person to be able to combine these virtues, especially if he has a specific situation, so I say: realistically speaking.

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : It is rare that I am able to perform night prayer, because I stay up studying until twelve o'clock, sometimes one o'clock, barely leaving me time to give myself my right of rest, so I say: why don't I take it as an opportunity, and since I am sitting most of my time during the day—for example—in knowledge, why don't I even fast? It does not burden me with effort like the effort of night prayer, and wasting—for example—some of my time of rest and sleep and so on; so if you miss the night prayer, you do not miss the fasting, this is how I justify the matter to myself.

Another questioner : Do you want me to explain? ...

The questioner : ... I understand this matter, meaning its jurisprudence, that a person compensates for the things he finds difficult in them with things in which he has capacity.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Like the hadith of the poor and the rich.

Another questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : That they preceded us in everything, they pray as we pray, and but they give charity and we do not give charity, , you see them happy and joyful, quickly what? The rich were informed of that, so they did what the poor did, the messenger of the poor returned: O Messenger of Allah, the rich were barely informed of this news but they did like us! He said: , yes, but it is completed in the area of difference in deeds; for example, the rich are occupied with their trade from dhikr and tasbih and voluntary prayer and the like, ah, it is completed, meaning in the area of competition? So which poor person does not have money with you; you have spiritual wealth, you pray, you fast, more of the voluntary acts that the rich cannot do; therefore Allah is pleased with Ibn Taymiyyah.

The questioner : O Allah, amen.

The Shaykh : When he was asked a traditional question, which is: Is the grateful rich person better or the patient poor person? The scholars have two opinions, some say this and some say that, he solved the problem, and this is what no one said after him absolutely; he said: The better of the two is the one who has more reward with Allah.

Another questioner : He said: O our Shaykh?

The questioner : The better of the two.

The Shaykh : The better of the two is the one who has more reward with Allah.

The questioner : More reward with Allah.

The Shaykh : The matter is not just about his patience in poverty and gratitude in wealth; no, it is not just here, there are other matters that decrease this and increase that and so on... The one who has more righteous deeds and more correctness is the better with Allah - Mighty and Majestic -; and therefore a person does not despair, he does not say: By Allah, I have no status, I have no money, I have no such thing, as came in the hadith: Three, , do you remember it, Abu Abdullah, Abu Abd al-Rahman?

The questioner: Yes ... .

The Shaykh : For three people.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : One of them says: .

The questioner : ... The one with the most.

The Shaykh : Yes?

The questioner : The one with the most reward.

The Shaykh : Yes, he can overcome the rich person with obedience, with prayer and fasting, I see the rich people ; meaning when you talk to one of them, you really feel that he is not with you, he says to you: Yes, okay, correct, and so on, but where is he!! He is distracted!!