"Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to perform the ritual prayer until his feet had begun to swell, so he was asked: 'Must you do this, when it has come to you that Allah has already forgiven you your former and your latter sins?’ He replied: 'Shall I not be a thankful servant?'”
The Excellence of Gratitude in Worship
This narration from Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 261 demonstrates that the Prophet's (Allah bless him and give him peace) abundant worship was not out of obligation or seeking forgiveness, but rather as an expression of profound gratitude (shukr) to Allah. The scholars explain that true shukr involves using every blessing in obedience to the One who bestowed it.
The Station of Thankfulness
When informed that his previous and future sins were forgiven, the Prophet's response "Shall I not be a thankful servant?" reveals that the highest form of gratitude is to increase in worship despite already receiving divine mercy. This establishes that worship should not be transactional but rather an expression of love and thankfulness.
Imam al-Qurtubi comments that this hadith illustrates the Prophet's perfect character and his desire to continually draw nearer to Allah through voluntary acts of worship, even after being granted the highest stations.
The Balance in Worship
Scholars note that while the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) engaged in lengthy prayers, he also prohibited extremism in religion. This teaches us that worship should be consistent and balanced - neither neglected nor performed to the point of physical harm under normal circumstances.
The swelling of his blessed feet demonstrates the intensity of his devotion, serving as an eternal example for the ummah of the proper attitude in worship: one of love, gratitude, and consistent devotion rather than mere obligation.