Start with what you need now

عَنِ العَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ رَضيَ اللهُ عنهُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، عَلِّمْنِي شَيْئًا أَسْأَلُهُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. قَالَ: «سَلِ اللَّهَ العَافِيَةَ»، فَمَكَثْتُ أَيَّامًا ثُمَّ جِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، عَلِّمْنِي شَيْئًا أَسْأَلُهُ اللَّهَ. فَقَالَ لِي: «يَا عَبَّاسُ، يَا عَمَّ رَسُولِ اللهِ، سَلِ اللَّهَ العَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ».

Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet’s uncle (may Allah be pleased with him), asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to teach him a supplication to ask Allah for. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught him to ask Allah for well-being and safety from calamities and shortcomings in religion and in this world and the Hereafter. Al-‘Abbās said: A few days later, I returned to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) again and asked him to teach me a supplication to ask Allah for. Thereupon, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, in a friendly manner: O ‘Abbās, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ask Allah for safety to ward off all harm and bring all good and benefit in this world and the Hereafter.

• The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeating the same answer to Al-‘Abbās when he asked him for the second time indicates that safety is the best thing a servant can ask of his Lord.
• The Hadīth points out the significance of safety and that it combines all goodness in this world and the Hereafter.
• It demonstrates the Companions' keenness to obtain more knowledge and goodness.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 491) (3514). مسند أحمد (3/ 303) (1783). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين (2/ 1014). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 468). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 566). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل المبارك (ص815). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 40).

عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ رضي الله عنه أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: «ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الْإِيمَانِ مَنْ رَضِيَ بِاللهِ رَبًّا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that a believer who has true Imān (faith) and whose heart is reassured by it will find and perceive in his heart expansion, spaciousness, joy, sweetness, and pleasure of being close to Allah Almighty - if he is pleased with three things: First: He is pleased with Allah as Lord. This is when his heart is in relief about what comes to him from Allah in accordance with Lordship, like the division of sustenance and circumstances. So, he finds no discontentment in his heart with any of that and does not seek a lord other than Allah Almighty. Second: He is pleased with Islam as a religion, by being content with the duties and obligations ordained by Islam and not seeking a path other than Islam. Third: He is pleased with Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a Messenger, by being happy and pleased with everything he brought, without hesitation or doubt. He does not follow any course unless it is consistent with the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

• Imān has a sweetness and taste that is felt by the heart, just as the sweetness of food and drink is tasted by the mouth.
• The body does not taste the sweetness of food and drink except when it is healthy, and so is the heart; if it is free from the disease of misleading desires and forbidden lusts, it tastes the sweetness of Imān. But when it becomes sick and ill, it does not find the sweetness of Imān; rather, it may find sweetness in such desires and sins that lead to its destruction.
• When a person is pleased with something and approves of it, it becomes easy for him and he finds no difficulty in anything of it. He rejoices in everything that comes with it and his heart is filled with joy. Likewise, when Imān enters the heart of a believer, obedience to his Lord becomes easy for him and his soul becomes pleasant to him and he finds no hardship in its suffering.
• Ibn al-Qayyim said: This Hadīth includes contentment with Allah's Lordship and Divinity, contentment with His Messenger and obedience to him, and contentment with His religion and submission to it.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 62) (34)، البحر المحيط الثجاج في شرح صحيح الإمام مسلم بن الحجاج (2/ 11)، إكمال المعلم بفوائد مسلم (1/ 270).