Muslims should not merely seek to fulfil the injunctions of Allah Ta’ala haphazardly.
There should be an effort towards bringing quality in our actions. A little bit of quality actions is better than a lot of indifferent ones.
CHARITY
Giving charity is a great act of worship. It earns the giver innumerable rewards. Yet we are instructed not to give charity which is of poor quality.
A kind word with forgiveness is better that charity followed by injury. (Qur’aan 2:263)
Spend of the good that you have earned… and don’t seek the bad (to spend in charity) when you wouldn’t take it yourself except with disdain. (Qur’aan 2:229)
These verses make it eminently clear that one should rather not give charity than give poor quality charity or giving charity while hurting the recipient.
You will not attain piety until you spend of that which you love. (Qur’aan 3:93) The attainment of rich rewards is dependent not on spending just anything, but rather of things which we love and have attachment to.
LAZINESS
The Qur’aan enumerates the quality of a hypocrite’s Salaah: When they stand to pray they stand lazily, to show people, and they don’t remember Allah except a little. (4:142)
Our actions should be done with eagerness and sincerity, solely for Allah. A single date given in charity sincerely is better than a mountain of gold given to show people.
PERFECTION
A Sahaabi came to the Musjid and read Salaah. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) commanded him to repeat the Salaah.
He did so, and the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) instructed him to repeat it. After the third time he asked what he’d done wrong. He was instructed to perform the postures without haste, in a composed manner. The mere performance of an action is not enough, it has to be performed in a good manner.
A thousand wooden toothpicks will never break down a fort door, but just one, good quality wooden battering ram will do the job.