The Prophet ﷺ once said:
“A strong believer is better and more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone.”
Strength in this hadith is not a boast about our physique or our influence. It is the firmness of a believer’s determination, the readiness to pursue what benefits us in the Hereafter, and the will to keep going when things are difficult. The Prophet ﷺ does not dismiss the weaker believer. He says there is good in both, and that the weaker one is still loved by Allah.
He then gives three instructions for those who want to be strong: strive for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not lose heart. Effort comes first, reliance on Allah accompanies it, and despair is named as the thing to avoid. The strong believer is one who works hard and still turns to Allah for the outcome.
