It is mentioned in some texts that knowledge is better for the servant than his preoccupation with worship
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The questioner : It is mentioned in some texts that knowledge is better for the servant than his preoccupation with worship, and Imam Ahmad, as is reported about him, used to pray three hundred rak'ahs in a day, as did other Imams. How do we reconcile the two?
The Shaykh : We reconcile the two. First, we do not ask for the transmission to be verified that he prayed three hundred rak'ahs in a day; this is one point, because this is weak. Second, even if it were authentic, it is possible to do it on a day when one sees oneself empty of attachment to Allah, or something similar. Sometimes, a person in the pursuit of knowledge may find hardness in his heart, especially if he enters into the debates of the people of kalam regarding creed, the body, the surface, the essence, and the like. He finds some hardness and turns somewhat to private worship. A person is the doctor of himself; perhaps he sees at times that staying with this guest who has come is better than getting up to pray or to learn knowledge. For this reason, you find the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes fasting until it is said he does not break his fast, and sometimes breaking his fast until it is said he does not fast. The same applies to standing in night prayer.
The Shaykh : We reconcile the two. First, we do not ask for the transmission to be verified that he prayed three hundred rak'ahs in a day; this is one point, because this is weak. Second, even if it were authentic, it is possible to do it on a day when one sees oneself empty of attachment to Allah, or something similar. Sometimes, a person in the pursuit of knowledge may find hardness in his heart, especially if he enters into the debates of the people of kalam regarding creed, the body, the surface, the essence, and the like. He finds some hardness and turns somewhat to private worship. A person is the doctor of himself; perhaps he sees at times that staying with this guest who has come is better than getting up to pray or to learn knowledge. For this reason, you find the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sometimes fasting until it is said he does not break his fast, and sometimes breaking his fast until it is said he does not fast. The same applies to standing in night prayer.