Letter Number 9
The key means of attaining closeness to Allah is the timely and correct performance of obligatory acts
To: Shaykh Nizamuddin Thaneesri (may Allah have mercy on him)
The acts that bring a servant close to Allah Almighty are the obligatory acts, not optional (nawafil) ones. In comparison to the obligatory duties, nawafil hold no real weight.
To perform even a single obligatory act (fard) on time is better than performing a thousand years’ worth of nawafil — even if those nawafil are offered with sincerity. Whether they are optional prayers, charity, fasting, remembrance, reflection, or any other voluntary act — all fall short in comparison.
In fact, we assert that when the time for a fard act has arrived, even observing a sunnah or mustahabb (recommended) act associated with that fard should follow the same principle — that is, fulfilling the fard takes clear precedence.
Clarification:
Meaning, when performing a fard act, observing its associated sunnah and recommended actions is superior to performing independent nawafil. This is because fara’id (obligations) are like the pillars of religion. As the Hadith states:
“As-Salāh is the pillar of the religion.”
Moreover, obligatory acts are the most important means of attaining closeness to Allah.
Translation of the Hadith Qudsi:
“My servant, in his effort to attain My closeness, does nothing more beloved to Me than the act which I have made obligatory upon him. And he continues to attain My nearness through nawafil (supererogatory deeds) until I make him my beloved.”