Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered the Muslims to do something, he used to order them deeds which were easy for them to do, (according to their strength and endurance). They said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We are not like you. Allah has forgiven your past and future sins." So Allah's Apostle became angry and it was apparent on his face. He said, "I am the most Allah fearing, and know Allah better than all of you do."
Hadith Commentary: Sahih al-Bukhari 20
This noble hadith from the Book of Belief in Sahih al-Bukhari contains profound wisdom regarding religious practice and the Prophet's exemplary character.
The Principle of Ease in Religious Obligations
The Prophet (ﷺ) consistently demonstrated that Islam is a religion of ease, not hardship. He would instruct his companions according to their individual capacities, ensuring that religious obligations remained accessible to all believers regardless of their spiritual stations.
This reflects the divine wisdom in the Quranic verse: "Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear" (2:286). The Prophet's methodology prevents extremism and preserves the balanced nature of Islamic teachings.
The Companions' Misunderstanding
When the companions declared they could not emulate the Prophet due to his unique status of having all sins forgiven, they erred in understanding the nature of religious striving. Their statement, though well-intentioned, implied a limitation in their capacity to follow the Prophet's example.
This reflects a common human tendency to create artificial barriers in spiritual development, underestimating one's capacity for righteousness when comparing oneself to those of higher spiritual stations.
The Prophet's Righteous Anger
The Prophet's anger was not personal but pedagogical - a righteous anger directed at correcting a dangerous misconception. His visible displeasure served as a powerful teaching moment about the importance of striving for excellence in worship regardless of one's spiritual status.
His declaration "I am the most Allah-fearing" establishes that his exemplary worship stemmed from profound consciousness of Allah, not merely from his sinless status. This teaches that taqwa (God-consciousness) should be the primary motivation for worship, not legalistic obligation alone.
Scholarly Insights
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani comments that this hadith demonstrates the middle path in religion - avoiding both negligence and extremism. The Prophet's methodology ensures religious obligations remain within human capacity while encouraging continuous spiritual growth.
Imam al-Nawawi emphasizes that the Prophet's declaration of being most knowledgeable about Allah establishes that comprehensive knowledge of the Divine necessarily leads to heightened consciousness and worship, creating an inseparable link between knowledge and practice in Islamic spirituality.