The worshippers are like warriors -Hadith:

 The worshippers are like warriors -Hadith:

Abu Huraira رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه 

narrated that Allah's Messenger ﺻﻠﯽ الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ ﻋﻠﯿﮧ ﻭﺍٓﻟﮧ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ  said, 

"Shall I not tell you of something by which Allah erases sins and elevates ranks?" 

They (the sahabah) said, 'Of course, 0 Messenger of Allah!" 

He said, 

"To perfect ablution even in trying conditions, to go towards mosques very often and to wait for the next salah after offering one. This is ribat (guarding the frontiers of Islamic lands)." 

[Bukhari 7733, Muslim 251, Nasai 90]

Those who neglect and belittle the acts of perfecting one's Ibadaat and think that only political activitism is the 'be all and end all' of Islam should read the Quran and books of Hadeeth properly. 

Every thing has it's place in the Deen and a strong spiritual  relationship between an individual and his Lord is central to the Islamic world view. All other injunctions of Islam are meant to protect and improve this relationship. 

Also we should not forget that the success in the other areas of the Deen depends on perfecting this spiritual core. The entire Seerah and the lives of the Sahaba and the Salaf bear ample testimony to this.

The most favored servant of Allah: Hadith Qudsi

The most favored by Allah:

On the authority of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 

Allah said: 

"Truly of those devoted to Me the one I most favour is a believer who is of meagre means and much given to prayer, who has been particular in the worship of his Lord and has obeyed Him inwardly, who was obscure among people and not pointed out, and whose sustenance was just sufficient to provide for him yet he bore this patiently. 

Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) rapped his hand and said: Death will have come early to him, his mourners will have been few, his estate scant."

It was related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Ibn Majah). Its chain of authorities is sound.

 Notes:

So the 'most favored status' is given by Allah to a poor, ordinary  Muslim who is unknown among people but who bears poverty with patience and excessively prays and worships Allah (with out showing off to others) and obeys His commands carefully.

He also dies early which means that he achieves this spiritual status and habit of devotion and worship while he is still young. He also has fewer family and friends to mourn his death.

Dont neglect Nafil Ibadah, they may save you from Hell!

Don't neglect Nafil Ibadah:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: 

Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:

 

"The first of his actions for which a servant of Allah will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers. If they are in order, then he will have prospered and succeeded: and if they are wanting, then he will have failed and lost. 

If there is something defective in his obligatory (Fardh) prayers, the Lord (glorified and exalted be He) will say: See if My servant has any supererogatory (Nafil) prayers with which may be completed that which was defective in his obligatory prayers. Then the rest of his actions will be judged in like fashion." 

It was related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Ahmad).

Finding excuses for a Muslim: Salaf quotes

Finding excuses for a Muslim:

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه  said:

“Do not think about a word that exits from a Muslim’s mouth except that you interpret it in the best manner.” [Ameelah of Al-Muhaamilee, p.395]

Muhammad Ibn Sireen رحمه الله  said:

“If something reaches you about your brother, then search for an excuse for him. If you do not find an excuse for him, then make an excuse for him.” [Al-Jaami’ Li Shu’ab Al-Eemaan, 14/441]

Ja’far Ibn Muhammad رحمه الله  said:

“If something that you dislike reaches you about your brother then search for one excuse for him up to seventy excuses. If it hits the mark, (then good). If not, then say, ‘Perhaps he has an excuse that I am not aware of.‘ ” [Al-Jaami’ Li Shu’ab Al-Eemaan, 14/442]

Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali رحمه الله

said: "The hypocrite looks for faults; the believer looks for excuses."