Commentary on the hadeeth “No one overburdens himself in his religion but he will be unable to continue inthat way”

What is the meaning of the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "Noone overburdens himselfin his
religion but he willbe unable to continue inthat way"?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It was narrated from AbuHurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Religion is easy, and no one overburdens himselfin his religion but
he willbe unable to continue inthat way. So do not be extremists, but
try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that you will
be rewarded. Gain strength by worshipping in the mornings and
afternoons and during the last hours of the night."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (39) and Muslim (2816).
Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The meaning of this hadeeth is that it is not allowed to go to
extremes in religion, by overburdening oneself with acts of worship
thatone cannot do except with extreme hardship. This is what is meant
by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), "No one overburdens himself in his religion but he will be
unable to continue inthat way", i.e., religion isnot to be approached
in an extreme manner, andwhoever does that will be defeated.
In Musnad al-Imam Ahmad (5/32), in a report which was classed as hasan
by the commentators on the Musnad, it is narrated that Mihjan ibn
al-Adra' said: I came with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), and when we were at the door of the mosque, we saw a man
who was praying. He said: "Do you think heis sincere?" I said: "O
Prophet of Allaah, this is So and so, he is one of the best of the
people ofMadeenah, or one of those who pray the mostof the people of
Madeenah." He said: "Do let hm hear you lest you be doomed" – two or
three times – "you are an ummah for whom I want ease."
According to another report: "The best of yourreligion is that which
is easiest, the best of your religion is that which is easiest."
Musnad Ahmad (3/479). It was classed as hasan by the commentators.
According to a marfoo' report narrated by 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas:
"This religion is very profound so approach it in a gentle manner and
do not make yourself hate the worship of Allaah because the traveller
who does not let his mount rest will not reach his destinationand his
mount will not be able to keep going."
al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi (3/19); classed as da'eef by
al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Da'eefah (1/64).
The one who does not let his mount rest will not reach his
destinationand he will become like one who is cut off, because his
mount is no longer able to continue, so he is close to doom. Had he
been kind to his mount and taken it easy during his journey, his mount
would have been able to travel the distance with him and get him to
his destination. End quote. Fath al-Baari by Ibn Rajab (1/136-139).
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
What is meant is that no one goes to extremes in religious deeds and
forsakes the easy approach but he will become incapable and will be
unable to continue in that way.
Ibn al-Muneer said: This hadeeth is one of the signs of Prophethood.
We have seen and the people before us saw that everyone who goes to
extremes in religious matters will be cut off and doomed.
It does not mean that weshould not seek to be more perfect in
worship,for that is something praiseworthy. Rather what is forbidden
is the kind of extremism that leads to getting bored with it, or going
to such extremes in doing voluntary acts that one ends up forsaking
that which is better, or it leads to delaying the obligatory act until
the time for it is past, like one who stays up and prays all night,
until sleep overcomes him at the end of the night and he sleeps and
misses offering Fajr prayer in congregation, or until the preferred
time for it is over, or until the sun rises and the time for the
obligatory prayer ends. End quote.
Fath al-Baari by Ibn Hajar (1/94).
Al-'Allaamah 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
How great this hadeeth is and how concise and good is its beneficial
advice and comprehensive principles. At the beginning of it the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) established this
important principle, and said: "Religion is easy" i.e., it is easy and
simple in its beliefs, morals and deeds, in its actions and
abstentions.
The beliefs that have to do with belief in Allaah, His angels, His
Books, His Messengers, the last Day, the divine decree both good and
bad – these are sound beliefs in which hearts find rest and which will
bring theone who believes in them to the best end.
Its morals and deeds are the most perfect of morals and the most
righteous of deeds, in which are the best interests of religion, this
world and the Hereafter.By missing out on them, nothing good can be
achieved. They are all easy and simple; everyone who is accountable
sees himselfas able to do them and does not find any hardship or
difficulty in doing so.
Its beliefs are sound and simple, acceptable to thesound mind and
sound human nature.
Its obligations are the easiest thing.
The five prayers are repeated five times every day and night, at the
appropriate times. The All-Knowing, All-Aware has made them more easy
making it obligatory to offer them in congregation and gathering to
offer them, because gatheringto perform acts of worship makes them
easier, and decreed that there should be a great deal of goodness in
religious commitment and soundness of faith, and that there should
beboth immediate and deferred rewards, whichmakes the believer find
comfort in doing them and praise Allaah for enjoining them on His
slaves, for they cannot do without them.
Zakaah is not required of any poor person who does not have wealth
that reaches the nisaab or minimum threshold atwhich zakaah becomes
due. Rather it is requiredof the rich so as to complete their religion
and their Islam, to purifytheir wealth and their hearts, to ward off
calamities from them and their wealth, to cleanse them of their sins,
to offer comfort to the needy and to bring about harmony in society.
But despite that it is a very small amount when compared with what
Allaah has given them of wealth and provision.
As for fasting, it is obligatory for one month of the year, in which
all the Muslims come together and forsake their basic desires – for
food, drink and physical relations – during the day, and Allaah
compensates them for that by His grace and kindness, completing their
religious commitment and faith and increasing their perfection, with
Hisgreat reward, and many other good things that come as the
consequence of fasting. It is also a means of attaining piety (taqwa)
which is the basis of doing all kinds of good deeds and avoiding evil
things.
With regard to Hajj, Allaah has only enjoined it on the one who is
ableto do it, and only once ina lifetime. There are many religious and
worldly benefits in it, more than can be counted. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): "That they may witness things that
are of benefit to them" [al-Hajj 22:28], i.e., in both religious and
worldly terms.
Then after that there areall the rituals of Islam which are very easy
and have to do with the rights of Allaah and the rights of His slaves.
They are easy in and of themselves. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): "Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make
things difficult for you" [al-Baqarah 2:185]. Nevertheless, if
something prevents a person from doing things, such as sickness,
travel and the like, Allaah has granted some concessions, and
waivedsome duties, or allowed doing them in a different way, as is
well known.
Moreover, if a person looks at the various things that people do day
and night, both obligatory and naafil, prayer, fasting, charity and so
on, and wants to follow the example of the most perfect of mankind and
their leader, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), in
doing them, he will find that it is not too difficult for him, and it
will not keep him from attending to his worldly interests, rather by
doing that he will be able to do all his duties, his duties towards
Allaah, his duty towards himself, his duty towardshis family and
friends, and his duty towards everyone who has a right over him, quite
easily.
But the one who overburdens himself andis not content with that with
which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
wascontent or that which hetaught to his ummah, rather he goes to
extremes and overburdens himself with acts of worship, will be
overwhelmed and in the end he will beunable to continue and will stop
doing it. Hence he said: "and no one overburdens himself in his
religion but he will be unable to continue inthat way."
So the one who overburdens himself with regard to religious matters
and is not moderate will be overwhelmed by it and will lose steam and
will find himself going backwards.
Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined
and encouraged moderation,and said: "I urge you to be moderate and you
will reach your goal."
Then he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined avoiding
extremism and trying to be near perfection, and encouraged people to
be hopeful and not to yield to despair.
Avoiding extremism means saying and doing the right thing, and
following a wise path; it means saying and doing the right thing in
all senses. If he cannot do that in every situation, then let him fear
Allaah as much as he can, and draw near to the goal, because if a
person cannot manage to get things completely right, let him come
close, and if he cannot do all that then let him do as much as he can.
From this may be taken auseful principle which is also indicated in
the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"
[al-Taghaabun 64:16]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"When I tell you to do something, do as much of it as you can." The
issues that are based on this principle are innumerable.
In another hadeeth it says: "Make things easy (for people) and do not
make things difficult, give glad tidings and do not put people off."
Then the hadeeth ends with advice that is easy for people, but is
extremely beneficial, which is: "Gain strength by worshipping in the
mornings and afternoons and during the last hours of the night."
These three times are times when, if the traveller travels at these
times, he will be able to reach his destination, whether it is far or
near, and he and his mount will both still be in good shape. Also
these three times could help a person to reach his destination in the
Hereafter and travel the straight path and reach Allaah in an easy
manner. So if a person occupy himself with good and righteous deeds
that are suited to the time – at the beginning and end of the day and
part of the night, especially at the end of the night, that will bring
him a greater share of good and he will attain happiness, victory and
prosperity, and he will be successful in finding ease and rest, as
well as attaining his worldly and psychological goals.
This is one of the greatest signs of Allaah's mercy towards His
slavesin this religion which is the means of eternal happiness, as
Allaah sentit as guidance to His slaves and explained it on the lips
of His Messengers, and has made it easy, and helpedwith it in all
ways, and show kindness to those who strive hard and protected them
from obstacles and impediments.
Thus it is known that a number of principles may be derived from
thisgreat hadeeth:
1. Islam is easy in general
2. Hardship opens the door to relief
3. If I tell you to do something, do as much of it as you can.
4. It encourages those who strive hard and gives them glad tidings
of goodness and reward that stem from their actions.
5. Comprehensive advice on how to reach Allaah, advice which maybe
sufficient on its own and no other advice could take its place.
May the blessings and peace of Allaah be upon the one who was given
the power and benefit of concise speech. End quote.
Bahjat Quloob al-Abraar wa Qurrat 'Ayn al-Akhyaar fi Sharh Jawaami'
al-Akhbaar (p. 77-80).
And Allaah knows best.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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