A good number of the Prophet’s hadiths promise huge rewards for seemingly small acts of worship. For example, in one hadith the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that reciting surat Al-Ikhlas is equal to reciting one third of the Qur’an. So, you can earn the reward of reciting the whole Qur’an in just 5 minutes.
Amazing, is not it?!
Some people think that these “offers” are too good to be true. They are skeptic about the authenticity of these hadiths and believe that such “disproportion” between reward and acts cannot be stated by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
It is true that some reports about the advantages of certain acts are discredited by hadith scholars as unauthentic hadiths, yet many other hadiths are authentic. The above hadith about surat Al-Ikhlas is reported by Al-Bukhari.
So, how to explain such highly-rewarding “special offers”?
One way to answer this question is to reflect on the characteristics of people who are keen on seizing these opportunities; such qualities prompt them to take seriously these chances and qualify them for special treatment and reward:
Unshakable Trust
These hasant hunters have great trust in what Allah and the Prophet say and promise.
The amount of reward granted for some small deeds may appear to be disproportionately huge, but once the source of these grants is verified; when it is established that the Prophet has indeed made those statements; that is enough for true believers to dispel any doubts and remove any skepticism.
Such trust reveals a high level of faith and belief in Allah and His Prophet. Besides, this trust is not a mere claim. It is proved by action; by enthusiasm to take advantage of those special offers constantly.
Good hope in Allah
Another relevant quality is that these believers think well of Allah (Husn Az-Zan billah) which is one of the great traits in Islam.
It is interesting that in one hadith, the Prophet connects this trait with the practice of remembering Allah (dhikr), which in turn, makes a great portion of the “special offers.” The Prophet reports that Allah says:
“Allah says, ‘I am as my servant expects Me to be, and I am with him when he remembers me. If he thinks of Me, I think of him. If he mentions Me in company, I mention him in an even better company.
When he comes closer to Me by a handspan, I come closer to him an arm’s length. If he draws closer to Me by an arm’s length, I draw closer by a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him. If my servant comes to Me walking, I go to him running.” (Al-Bukhari)
Full of hope in Allah’s grace and aspiring to enjoy His promised prizes, devoted believers spend their time shopping for these offers and maximizing their profits.