Allah Opens Door of Different Good Deeds to Different People
لما كتب عبد الله العُمري العابد إلى مالك يحضّه على الانفراد والعمل، فكتب إليه مالك: إن الله قسم الأعمال كما قسم الأرزاق، فرب رجل فُتح له في الصلاة، ولم يُفتح له في الصوم، وآخر فتح له في الصدقة ولم يفتح له في الصوم، وآخر فتح له في الجهاد، فنشْر العلم من أفضل أعمال البر، وقد رضيت بما فُتح لي فيه، وما أظن ما أنا فه بدون ما أنت فيه، وأرجو أن يكون كلانا على خير وبر.
((سير أعلام النبلاء)) (8/114).
When Abdullah ibn al-Umari, the worshipper (who dedicated himself to engaging in and excelling in ritual worship), wrote to (Imam) Malik urging him to go in isolation (likewise for worship) and actions (of such good deeds), (Imam) Malik wrote back to him that:
Allah distributed actions as He distributed sustainance. So with a person, it may have been opened for him (ie made possible for him to offer lot of extra ritual) prayers but not opened for him to do (lot of extra) fasts. Another person it may have been opened for him to give charity but not opened for him to fast (much of extra fasts). And another it may have been opened (facilitated) for him in doing Jihad. Spreading the knowledge (of Islam) is among the best of the actions of righteousness, and I am indeed satsified with what has been opened (facilitated) for me (ie Scholar of Islam spreading Islamic knowledge). And I do not think that what I am engaged in (Islamic knowledge) is lesser than what you are engaged in (isolation to excel in offering ritual worship) – and I hope both of us are upon good and righteousness.
[Ref: Siyar A’alam Nubula and similar in Tamheed]
“Allah distributed actions as He distributed sustainance.
So with a person, it may have been opened for him (ie made possible for him to offer lot of extra ritual) prayers but not opened for him to do (lot of extra) fasts.
Another person it may have been opened for him to give charity but not opened for him to fast (much of extra fasts).
And another it may have been opened (facilitated) for him in doing Jihad.
Spreading the knowledge (of Islam) is among the best of the actions of righteousness, and I am indeed satsified with what has been opened (facilitated) for me (ie Scholar of Islam spreading Islamic knowledge). And I do not think that what I am engaged in (Islamic knowledge) is lesser than what you are engaged in (isolation to excel in offering ritual worship) – and I hope both of us are upon good and righteousness.”
[Ref: Siyar A’alam Nubula and similar in Tamheed]
A Lesson From This:- Each Person Maybe Facilitated by Allah to Excel in A Specific Type of Good Deed Different to Another Person, Hence Do Not Belittle Nor Discourage the Other People as Long as they are All Excelling in One Good Deed or Another