The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give up a deed, even though he liked to perform it, for fear that people would follow him and perform it, and it would thus become obligatory for them · Explained ḥadīths

عن أم المؤمنين عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: إِنْ كَانَ رسولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيَدَعُ العَمَلَ، وهو يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ؛ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ.

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give up a deed, even though he liked to perform it, for fear that people would follow him and perform it, and it would thus become obligatory for them.

Narrated by Bukhari & MuslimGradeAuthentic hadith

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give up a deed, despite his love to perform it, lest people would do it as well, and therefore the deed would be made obligatory for them. The people would thus be put in a real hardship, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not like to put them into hardships.

Reference

نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، نشر: مؤسسة الرسالة، الطبعة: الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ - 1987م. شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين، نشر: دار الوطن للنشر، الرياض، الطبعة: 1426هـ. بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، للهلالي، نشر: دار ابن الجوزي -الطبعة الأولى 1418هـ. صحيح البخاري، نشر: دار طوق النجاة (مصورة عن السلطانية بإضافة ترقيم ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي)، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، نشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت.

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