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Sahih al-BukhariBelief

Indeed, I am the most God-fearing among you and the most knowledgeable of Allah

Chapter: The statement of the Prophet (saws): "I know Allah Ta'ala better, than all of you do."

Authentic hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari 20

Narrator:Ā’ishah

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَمَرَهُمْ أَمَرَهُمْ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ بِمَا يُطِيقُونَ قَالُوا إِنَّا لَسْنَا كَهَيْئَتِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ غَفَرَ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ‏.‏ فَيَغْضَبُ حَتَّى يُعْرَفَ الْغَضَبُ فِي وَجْهِهِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ ‏"‏

إِنَّ أَتْقَاكُمْ وَأَعْلَمَكُمْ بِاللَّهِ أَنَا ‏"

‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), reported:

Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) instructed his Companions to do something, he would command them only with what they were able to bear. They said: O Messenger of Allah, we are not like you; Allah has forgiven your past and future sins. He would then become angry until his anger would be visible on his face, and say: "Indeed, I am the most God-fearing among you and the most knowledgeable of Allah."

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 20).

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Explanation

The Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that the Prophet (ﷺ), when commanding people to perform deeds, would instruct them to do only what was easy for them and not burdensome—out of concern that they might be unable to maintain it consistently. He himself acted upon what he commanded of moderation and ease. However, they requested to be tasked with more difficult acts, believing that they needed to exert greater effort in worship to attain higher ranks and perhaps reach a status close to his. They would say: Our situation is not like yours, O Messenger of Allah, for Allah has forgiven all your past and future sins. He would then become angry—so much so that the anger could be seen on his face—and he would say: I am the most God-fearing and the most knowledgeable among you about Allah. So, do as I command you.

Lessons

  • Ibn Hajar said: He only commanded them with what was easy for them so that they would do it consistently, as he said in another Hadīth: "The most beloved deeds to Allah are those done consistently."
  • A righteous man should not abandon striving in good deeds, relying merely on his righteousness.
  • It is permissible for a person to speak about his own virtue when there is a need to do so, provided he is safe from pride and arrogance.
  • The best approach in worship is moderation and consistency—not exaggeration that leads to abandonment.
  • Ibn Hajar said: When a servant reaches the highest level in worship and its fruits, that should make him even more persistent in maintaining it, in order to preserve the blessing and increase it through gratitude.
  • It is permissible to show anger when a religious command is violated, and to reproach a knowledgeable or intelligent person who fails to understand the intended meaning—in order to urge him to be more attentive.
  • The Prophet (ﷺ) showed gentleness toward his Ummah, demonstrating that the religion is one of ease and that the Shariah is upright and tolerant.
  • The strong desire of the Companions for worship and their eagerness to increase in goodness.
  • Adhering to the limits set by the Legislator—whether in strict obligations or permitted concessions—and believing that choosing the easier option, when it aligns with the Shariah, is better than taking the harder path that goes against it.

Explanation in Arabic

تُخبر أمُّ المؤمنين عائشة رضي الله عنها أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا أمر الناس بعمل من الأعمال أمرهم بما يسهل عليهم دون ما يشق، خشية أن يعجزوا عن الدوام عليه، وعمل هو بنظير ما يأمرهم به من التخفيف، لكنهم طلبوا منه التكليف بما يشق، لاعتقادهم احتياجهم إلى المبالغة في العمل لرفع الدرجات دونه.

فيقولون: إنا ليس حالنا كحالك يا رسول الله، فإن الله قد غفر لك ما تقدم من ذنبك وما تأخر، فيغضب حتى يعرف الغضب في وجهه، ثم يقول: إن أتقاكم وأعلمكم بالله أنا، فافعلوا ما آمركم به.

  • قال ابن حجر: إنما أمرهم بما يسهل عليهم ليداوموا عليه كما قال في الحديث الآخر: "أحب العمل إلى الله أدومه".
  • الرجل الصالح ينبغي ألا يترك الاجتهاد في العمل اعتمادًا على صلاحه.
  • جواز تحدث المرء بما فيه من فضل بحسب الحاجة لذلك عند الأمن من المباهاة والتعاظم.
  • الأولى في العبادة القصد والملازمة، لا المبالغة المفضية إلى الترك.
  • قال ابن حجر: العبد إذا بلغ الغاية في العبادة وثمراتها كان ذلك أدعى له إلى المواظبة عليها، استبقاء للنعمة، واستزادة لها بالشكر عليها.
  • مشروعية الغضب عند مخالفة الأمر الشرعي، والإنكار على الحاذق المتأهل لفهم المعنى إذا قصر في الفهم، تحريضًا له على التيقظ.
  • رفق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بأمته، وأن الدين يسر، وأن الشريعة حنيفية سمحة.
  • شدة رغبة الصحابة في العبادة، وطلبهم الازدياد من الخير.
  • الوقوف عند ما حد الشارع من عزيمة ورخصة، واعتقاد أن الأخذ بالأرفق الموافق للشرع أولى من الأشق المخالف له.

Classical commentary

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani — Fath al-Bari

قَوْله : ( حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّد بْن سَلَام ) هُوَ بِتَخْفِيفِ اللَّام عَلَى الصَّحِيح , وَقَالَ صَاحِب الْمَطَالِع : هُوَ بِتَشْدِيدِهَا عِنْد الْأَكْثَر , وَتَعَقَّبَهُ النَّوَوِيّ بِأَنَّ أَكْثَر الْعُلَمَاء عَلَى أَنَّهُ بِالتَّخْفِيفِ , وَقَدْ رُوِيَ ذَلِكَ عَنْهُ نَفْسه وَهُوَ أَخْبَر بِأَبِيهِ , فَلَعَلَّهُ أَرَادَ بِالْأَكْثَرِ مَشَايِخ بَلَده. وَقَدْ صَنَّفَ الْمُنْذِرِيّ جُزْءًا فِي تَرْجِيح التَّشْدِيد , وَلَكِنَّ الْمُعْتَمَد خِلَافه. قَوْله : ( أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدَة ) هُوَ اِبْن سُلَيْمَان الْكُوفِيّ , وَفِي رِوَايَة الْأَصِيلِيّ : حَدَّثَنَا. قَوْله : ( عَنْ هِشَام ) و اِبْن عُرْوَة بْن الزُّبَيْر بْن الْعَوَّام. قَوْله : ( إِذَا أَمَرَهُمْ أَمَرَهُمْ ) كَذَا فِي مُعْظَم الرِّوَايَ…

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Scholars’ grades

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Bukharid. 256 AH Authenticصحيح The hadith صحيح البخاري No. 20

Other versions

Also reported by… (1)
  • مسند عائشة لابن أبي داود (45)إِنَّ أَتْقَاكُمْ وَأَعْلَمَكُمْ بِاللَّهِ لأَنَا

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Do what you are capable of doing (regularly). By Allah, Allah never grows weary (of giving rewards) until you grow weary (of doing good deeds)

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لاَ تَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ خُذُوا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تُطِيقُونَ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ يَسْأَمُ اللَّهُ حَتَّى تَسْأَمُوا ‏"

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Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6466

I asked `Aisha, mother of the believers, "O mother of the believers! How were the deeds of the Prophet? Did he use to do extra deeds of worship on special days?" She said, "No, but his deeds were regular and constant, and who among you is able to do what the Prophet (ﷺ) was able to do (i.e. in…

لاَ، كَانَ عَمَلُهُ دِيمَةً، وَأَيُّكُمْ يَسْتَطِيعُ مَا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْتَطِيعُ‏.‏

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