Riyad as-Salihin, 143

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

Three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) to inquire about the worship of the Prophet (ﷺ). When they were informed, they considered their worship insignificant and said: "Where are we in comparison with the Prophet (ﷺ) while Allah has forgiven his past sins and future sins". One of them said: "As for me, I shall offer Salat all night long." Another said: "I shall observe Saum (fasting) continuously and shall not break it". Another said: "I shall abstain from women and shall never marry". The Prophet (ﷺ) came to them and said, "Are you the people who said such and such things? By Allah, I fear Allah more than you do, and I am most obedient and dutiful among you to Him, but still I observe fast and break it; perform Salat and sleep at night and take wives. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah does not belong to me". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ جاء ثلاثة رهط إلى بيوت أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، يسألون عن عبادة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلما أخبروا كأنهم تقالوها وقالوا‏:‏ أين نحن من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قد غفر الله له تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخر‏.‏ قال أحدهم‏:‏ أما أنا فأصلي الليل أبداً وقال الآخر‏:‏ وأنا أصوم الدهر أبداً ولا أفطر، وقال الآخر‏:‏ وأنا أعتزل النساء فلا أتزوج أبداً، فجاء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إليهم فقال‏:‏ ‏

‏أنتم الذين قلتم كذا وكذا‏؟‏‏!‏ أما والله إني لأخشاكم لله وأتقاكم له لكني أصوم وأفطر، وأصلي وأرقد، وأتزوج النساء، فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس مني‏

‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Introduction, Hadith 143

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadith: 1) Moderation in worship is a Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). 2) It relays a Prophetic instruction to attend to the rights of oneself and others. The individual’s self has a right upon him, his family has a right upon him, and his wife has a right upon him; a fortunate individual is he who gives each their due right. 3) The best of guidance is that of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him); so, the fortunate person is he who is guided to follow his Sunnah throughout his life, and the unfortunate is he who is deprived of following the Sunnah due to ignorance or ill desire; such a person lives and dies in vain. Benefit: Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) stated, “Drawing closer to Allah Almighty and fearing Him is done according to the manner He commanded rather than the product of imagination that burdens the individual with deeds that Allah did not command him to do.” [Commentary on Sahih Muslim]

Related hadiths3