God’s Prophet came to Medina when they were fecundating the palm trees. He asked, “What are you doing?” and they replied, “We have been accustomed to do it.” He said, “Perhaps if you did not do it it would be better so they gave it up, but the crop was diminished. They mentioned that to him and he said, “I am only a human being. When I issue any command to you regarding your religion, accept it; but when I issue any command to you based on my own opinion, I am merely a human being.”
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.”
Abu Musa reported God's messenger as saying, “I and the message with which God has entrusted me are just like a man who came to a people and said, "I have seen the army with my own eyes, and I am a simple warner, so flee, flee.' A section of his people obeyed him, and setting off at nightfall, went away without hurry and escaped. But a section of them did not believe him and stayed where they were, and the army attacked them at dawn, destroying and extirpating them. That is a comparison with those who obey me and follow my message, and with those who disobey me and disbelieve the truth I have brought.”
Three people came to the Prophet’s wives and asked how the Prophet conducted his worship. When they were told about it they seemed to consider it little and said, “What a difference there is between us and the Prophet whose former and latter sins have been forgiven him by God!” One of them said, “As for me, I will always pray during the night.” Another said, “I will fast during the daytime and not break my fast.” The other said, “I will have nothing to do with women and will never marry.” Then the Prophet came to them and said, “Are you the people who said such and such? By God, I am the one of you who fears and reverences God most, yet I fast and I break my fast; I pray and I sleep; and I marry women. He who is displeased with my sunna has nothing to do with me.”
