God’s messenger did a certain thing and gave permission for it to be done, but some people abstained from it. When God’s messenger heard of that, he delivered a sermon, and after extolling God he said, “What is the matter with people who abstain from a thing which I do? By God, I am the one of them who knows most about God and fears Him most.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
The Excellence of Following the Prophetic Example
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, as compiled in Mishkat al-Masabih (Book of Faith, Hadith 146), establishes a fundamental principle: the obligation to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Prophet's profound dismay at those who abstained from his action, despite his explicit permission, highlights that his personal practice is a source of divine guidance, not merely a personal preference.
The Prophet's Superior Knowledge and Piety
The Prophet's declaration, "By God, I am the one of them who knows most about God and fears Him most," is a definitive statement of his status. It affirms that his every action and permission are rooted in the deepest knowledge of Allah's will and the most profound consciousness (taqwa). To deviate from his Sunnah under the guise of extra piety is, therefore, a misguidance, as it implies one possesses a greater understanding of what pleases Allah than the Messenger himself.
A Rebuke to Misguided Asceticism
This incident serves as a powerful censure against those who would introduce innovations in worship or adopt extremes of abstinence not sanctioned by the Shari'ah. True piety is found in emulating the balanced path of the Prophet, not in creating one's own. Abstaining from what the Messenger did or permitted can stem from arrogance or a failure to comprehend the perfection of his guidance.
The Legal Ruling of the Permitted Action
Scholars explain that the action in question, while not specified in this particular text, was something permissible (mubah) or recommended (mustahabb). The core lesson is that if the Prophet performed an act of worship or a habitual practice, it becomes a recommended Sunnah for his Ummah to follow. To willfully and consistently abandon his Sunnah without a valid excuse is blameworthy and distances a person from his perfect example.