Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:24559ʿAlī b. ʿAyyāsh > Shuʿayb > al-Zuhrī > ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr

[Machine] "Aisha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ , said, 'By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ never recited the tasbeeh of Dhuha prayer, but I would recite it. She also said, 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to leave an action even though he loved to do it, for fear that people might consider it obligatory upon them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ loved whatever was easy for people from the acts of worship."  

أحمد:٢٤٥٥٩حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعَيْبٌ عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ وَأَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَتْ وَاللهِ مَا سَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَطُّ وَإِنِّي لَأُسَبِّحُهَا وَقَالَتْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَتْرُكُ الْعَمَلَ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهُ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَنَّ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ مَا خَفَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ مِنَ الْفَرَائِضِ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Mālik, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān
bukhari:1128ʿAbdullāh b. Yūsuf > Mālik > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUrwah > ʿĀʾishah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to give up a good deed, although he loved to do it, for fear that people might act on it and it might be made compulsory for them. The Prophet ﷺ never prayed the Duha prayer, but I offer it.  

البخاري:١١٢٨حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ

إِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيَدَعُ الْعَمَلَ وَهْوَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَا سَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَطُّ وَإِنِّي لأُسَبِّحُهَا  

muslim:718Yaḥyá b. Yaḥyá > Mālik > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUrwah > ʿĀʾishah

I have never seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ observing the supererogatory prayer of the forenoon, but I observed it. And if the Messenger of Allah ﷺ abandoned any act which he in fact loved to do, it was out of fear that if the people practised it constantly, it might become obligatory for them.  

مسلم:٧١٨حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ

أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَطُّ وَإِنِّي لأُسَبِّحُهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيَدَعُ الْعَمَلَ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ  

abudawud:1293al-Qaʿnabī > Mālik > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never offered prayer in the forenoon, but I offer it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would give up an action, though he liked it to do, lest the people should continue it and it is prescribed for them.  

أبو داود:١٢٩٣حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا سَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَطُّ وَإِنِّي لأُسَبِّحُهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيَدَعُ الْعَمَلَ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ  

malik:9-34Mālik > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az- Zubayr that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ said, "I never once saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ doing the voluntary prayer of duha, but I myself do it. Sometimes the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would refrain from a practice that he loved to do, fearing that people would do the same and it would become fard for them ."  

مالك:٩-٣٤وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَطُّ وَإِنِّي لأُسَبِّحُهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيَدَعُ الْعَمَلَ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهُ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ  

ahmad:25451ʿAbd al-Raḥman Mālik > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never offered prayer in the forenoon, but I offer it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would give up an action, though he liked it to do, lest the people should continue it and it is prescribed for them. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1293)  

أحمد:٢٥٤٥١قَرَأْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ مَالِكٌ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَطُّ وَإِنِّي لَأُسَبِّحُهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَيَدَعُ الْعَمَلَ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ  

ahmad:25870Ḥajjāj > Layth > ʿUqayl b. Khālid > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr

[Machine] "Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ , used to say that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to glorify the morning prayer. Aisha used to glorify it as well, and she used to say that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left many acts of worship for fear that people would consider them obligatory."  

أحمد:٢٥٨٧٠حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ كَانَتْ تَقُولُ مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُسَبِّحُ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تُسَبِّحُهَا وَكَانَتْ تَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ تَرَكَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَنَّ النَّاسُ بِهِ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ  

ahmad:25350ʿAbd al-Razzāq > Maʿmar > al-Zuhrī > ʿUrwah > ʿĀʾishah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , did not perform the Sunnah of the Duha prayer. Aisha said, "The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , used to leave performing an act, even though he loved to do it, out of fear that people might take it as an obligation." She also said, "He loved whatever was easy for people."  

أحمد:٢٥٣٥٠حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ

مَا سَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى قَالَ وَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لَقَدْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَتْرُكُ الْعَمَلَ وَإِنَّهُ لَيُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهُ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَنَّ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَتْ وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ مَا خَفَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ  

ذِكْرُ الْعِلَّةِ الَّتِي مِنْ أَجْلِهَا كَانَ يَتْرُكُ ﷺ الْأَعْمَالَ الصَّالِحَةَ بِحَضْرَةِ النَّاسِ

ibnhibban:312Ibn Qutaybah > Yazīd b. Mawhab > al-Layth > ʿAqīl > Ibn Shihāb > ʿUrwah b. al-Zubayr

[Machine] Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), used to say, "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not perform the morning prayer (Dhuha)." But Aisha used to perform it and she would say, "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) left many actions out of fear that people would take them as obligatory."  

ابن حبّان:٣١٢أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ مَوْهَبٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ عَنْ عَقِيلٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ كَانَتْ تَقُولُ «مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُسَبِّحُ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى» وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تُسَبِّحُهَا وَكَانَتْ تَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَرَكَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَنَّ النَّاسُ بِهِ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ  

ذِكْرُ مَا يُسْتَحَبُّ لِلْمَرْءِ أَنْ يُوَاظِبَ عَلَى سُبْحَةِ الضُّحَى

ibnhibban:2532Ibn Qutaybah > Yazīd b. Mawhab > al-Layth b. Saʿd > ʿAqīl > al-Zuhrī > ʿUrwah

[Machine] Aisha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, used to say, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never used to recite the Duha prayer." But Aisha used to recite it and she used to say, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ left many acts of worship out of fear that people would consider them obligatory upon them."  

ابن حبّان:٢٥٣٢أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ مَوْهَبٍ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَقِيلٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ كَانَتْ تَقُولُ «مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُسَبِّحُ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى» وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تُسَبِّحُهَا وَكَانَتْ تَقُولُ «إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَرَكَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَنَّ النَّاسُ بِهِ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ»