Strength of faith is asked for, not apologised for.
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah (أبو هريرة)
الْمُؤْمِنُ الْقَوِيُّ خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الضَّعِيفِ، وَفِي كُلٍّ خَيْرٌ
"The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer — though in each of them there is good. Strive for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not give in."
Strength here is interpreted by the scholars to mean strength of will, strength of discipline, strength in the work one gives oneself to. The hadith refuses a certain kind of lazy piety — the Muslim who does not try. But the second clause is tender: even in the weak, there is good. Allah sees the effort, not only the outcome.
Passages that draw on this hadith
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"is in the state of the strong sinner. A person who is patient for اللّٰه and through اللّٰه is in the state of the strong believer. The strong believer is better and more beloved to اللّٰه than the weak believer."
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"This is the utmost capability of the truthful ones. For the people of struggle, there is guidance and unveiling not available to those who strive. This is why الإِمَام الأَوْزَاعِيّ and اِبْن المُبَارَك said: If people differ on something, look at what the people of the frontier are upon, meaning the people of jihad, for اللّٰه says in سُورَة العَنْكَبُوت: "And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways."
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"These two are mentioned together because happiness can only be attained through effort, pursuit, seriousness, and diligence. A despairing person does not strive or seek, whereas a conceited person believes they have already attained happiness and achieved their purpose, so they do not strive."
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"strive after that day. Waraka expressed his wish to have been able to strive alongside him. We subjected the mountains with him, glorifying Allah in the evening and the sunrise, and the birds were gathered, all obedient to him, and we strengthened his kingship and gave him"
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"What is preferable is only attainable by those with strength and not the weak. Thus, the preferable action is to complete the act and strive for sincerity without leaving it; people of deeds may strive against themselves contrary to what is preferable due to severe fear."
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"just as He, the Exalted, is One, loves the odd number, is Beautiful, loves beauty, is Beneficent, loves the benefactors, is Patient, loves the patient, is Forgiving, loves forgiveness, is Strong, and the strong believer is more beloved to Him than the weak believer."
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"Al-Junayd said: And those who strive against their desires for Our sake by repentance, We shall surely guide them to the paths of sincerity. And no one is able to strive against his outward enemy except one who has striven inwardly against these enemies."
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"do not laugh without reason, do not reproach sinners for their sins, and weep over your own sins, O son of Imran." A man once asked Muhammad ibn Karam for advice. He said, "Strive to please your Creator as much as you strive to please yourself.""