Force yourself to obey

Imam Ahmad said in his Musnad (12061): Ibn Abi Uday told us, on the authority of Humayd, on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said to a man: “Become Muslim.” He said: “I find myself reluctant.” He said: “Become Muslim, even if you are reluctant.” This is an authentic hadith from Imam Ahmad’s three narrations. There are only three narrators between him and the Messenger in this hadith, and it is connected by two trustworthy Basrans from among the men of Bukhari and Muslim. His sheikh is Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Adi, and his sheikh’s sheikh is Humayd al-Tawil, both of whom are trustworthy from the people of Basra from among the men of Bukhari and Muslim, and Anas is a companion who settled in Basra. From the jurisprudence of this hadith: A Muslim must force himself to obey Allah and be patient with goodness even if he refuses, as Allah the Almighty says:   {And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life. And do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.} [Al-Kahf: 28] God Almighty said: {Fighting has been prescribed for you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And God knows while you do not know.}[ Al-Baqarah: 216]. Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Jamil al-Matari PhD in Islamic Studies, Imam and Preacher in Sana’a, Yemen