Arba'un 50 — keep your tongue moist with remembrance of God

الأربعون 50 — لا يزال لسانك رطباً من ذكر الله

The hadith of Abdullah ibn Busr that a man came to the Prophet saying 'Messenger of God, the laws of Islam have grown many upon us — is there a comprehensive gate we may hold to?' and he said 'keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of God' — the eighth of Ibn Rajab's added hadiths and the seal of the fifty; Ahmad (4/188, 190) carries it in this wording while al-Tirmidhi (3375), Ibn Majah (3793) and Ibn Hibban (814) carry its meaning, al-Tirmidhi grading it hasan gharib, all through Amr ibn Qays al-Kindi from Abdullah ibn Busr; Ibn Hibban (818), al-Bukhari in Khalq af'al al-ibad, al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-iman carry Mu'adh ibn Jabal's parallel: 'the last thing on which I parted from the Messenger of God was my asking which deed is best and nearest to God — he said: that you die with your tongue moist with the remembrance of God'; Ibn Rajab notes that many excellences of remembrance were scattered through the book and treats here the merit of its constancy and abundance, citing the command to remember God much and His praise of those who do — 'you who believe, remember God with much remembrance and glorify Him morning and evening' and 'the men and women who remember God much, God has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward' (Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam pp. 927–956).