Being more pious does not mean making life more difficult
Taqwa is not choosing the hardest option
Some people assume that the harder a religious practice is, the more pious it must be. They believe that choosing the strictest opinion, avoiding concessions or putting themselves through additional hardship will necessarily bring them closer to Allah Almighty. However, this is not how the Prophet ﷺ taught us to understand taqwa.
True taqwa is not about choosing the hardest option. It is about following the guidance of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.
Sometimes that means being patient and persevering during difficult times. But at other times, it means accepting the ease Allah has granted us. And that is where we require understanding, as both can be acts of obedience.
Allah wants ease. What is ease?
It is a rookie mistake to assume that hardship itself is a measure of righteousness, but this mistake often carries throughout life. Allah has stated clearly that He wants ease for us, not hardship.
Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an:
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ
“Allah intends ease for you, not hardship.”
(Surah al-Baqarah, 2:185)
This verse appears in the context of fasting during Ramadan, where Allah grants concessions to those who are ill or travelling. However, it also reflects an important principle if Islam – Allah has not prescribed religion to cause us unnecessary hardship.
In another verse, Allah says:
وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ
“And He has not placed upon you in the religion any hardship.”
(Surah al-Hajj, 22:78)
Practicing Islam requires commitment. It takes discipline; it requires sacrifice and above all it’s central message is obedience. That does not meant that Allah does not acknowledge our human limitations. He knows that we become tired, ill and overwhelmed, and that our circumstances change. This is why the Shariah contains concessions for illness, travel and other genuine difficulties. These concessions are not compromises in our religion. They are part of the religion itself.
Prophetic example
When he had a choice, the Prophet ﷺ chose the easier of two permissible options.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ قَطُّ إِلَّا أَخَذَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا، مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا، فَإِنْ كَانَ إِثْمًا كَانَ أَبْعَدَ النَّاسِ مِنْهُ
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was never given a choice between two matters except that he chose the easier of them, provided it was not sinful. If it was sinful, he was the furthest of people from it.”
(Sahih Bukhari)
This hadith shows that the Prophet ﷺ did not deliberately choose difficulty when an easier, permissible option was available. At the same time, he never sought ease by compromising Allah’s commands or approaching what was prohibited.
The deciding factor was what was pleasing to Allah. Overburdening oneself and then heading for burnout is not, therefore the most pleasing to Him. The Prophet ﷺ stated:
أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ
“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are done consistently, even if they are small.”
(Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
If both options were permissible, the Prophet ﷺ chose the easier one.
Therefore, we should not assume that taking the more difficult route makes us more righteous.
The difference between Azimah and Rukhsah: Original rulings and concessions
Islamic scholars distinguish between two important concepts:
العزيمة (Azimah) – Adhering to the original Shariah ruling under normal circumstances.
الرخصة (Rukhsah) – Following a concessionary ruling when the conditions justifying it are met.
For example, Muslims are required to fast during Ramadan. However, Allah permits those who are ill or travelling to postpone their fast and make up the missed days later. Similarly, the obligatory Dhuhr, Asr and Isha prayers normally consist of four rak’ahs, but travellers may shorten them to two. The schools of thought differ on whether shortening the prayer is obligatory or recommended, but they recognise the special ruling for travellers.
The existence of a concession does not mean that the original ruling has been abolished. it means that Allah has provided an alternative for extenuating circumstances, when the norm becomes difficult. A concession is itself part of the original divine ruling.
A rukhsah is therefore not a loophole or a way of avoiding religious responsibilities. It is a legitimate ruling established by the Shariah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى رُخَصُهُ كَمَا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ تُؤْتَى مَعْصِيَتُهُ
“Indeed, Allah loves that His concessions be accepted, just as He dislikes that acts of disobedience be committed.”
(Musnad Ahmad)
In another narration, the ending states:
كَمَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُؤْتَى عَزَائِمُهُ
“Just as He loves that His original commands be observed.”
(Musnad Ahmad)
This highlights the balance between rukhsah and azimah. Observing Allah’s original commands is obedience, and accepting His concessions when applicable is also obedience.
The overarching principle is that the best course of action for a Muslim is that which most closely accords with the intention of the Lawgiver.
When the Companions rejected a concession
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, narrated:
صَنَعَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَيْئًا فَرَخَّصَ فِيهِ، فَتَنَزَّهَ عَنْهُ قَوْمٌ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَخَطَبَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَتَنَزَّهُونَ عَنِ الشَّيْءِ أَصْنَعُهُ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ، وَأَشَدُّهُمْ لَهُ خَشْيَةً
“The Prophet ﷺ did something and permitted it as a concession, but some people refrained from it.
When this reached the Prophet ﷺ, he delivered a khubah, praised Allah and said:
‘What is the matter with some people who refrain from doing something that I myself do? By Allah, I am the most knowledgeable of them about Allah, and the most fearful of Him.’”
(Sahih Bukhari)
Two further narrations in Sahih Muslim provide additional details about the incident.
In the first, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
صَنَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمْرًا فَتَرَخَّصَ فِيهِ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَكَأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوهُ وَتَنَزَّهُوا عَنْهُ، فَبَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ، فَقَامَ خَطِيبًا فَقَالَ: مَا بَالُ رِجَالٍ بَلَغَهُمْ عَنِّي أَمْرٌ تَرَخَّصْتُ فِيهِ، فَكَرِهُوهُ وَتَنَزَّهُوا عَنْهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَأَنَا أَعْلَمُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ، وَأَشَدُّهُمْ لَهُ خَشْيَةً
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did something, availing himself of a concession concerning it. When some of his Companions heard about this, they appeared to disapprove of it and refrained from doing it.
When this reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he stood up to deliver a khutbah and said:
‘What is the matter with some men who have heard that I availed myself of a concession, yet they disapprove of it and refrain from it? By Allah, I am more knowledgeable of Allah than any of them, and I have greater fear of Him than any of them.’”
(Sahih Muslim)
In the second narration, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
رَخَّصَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي أَمْرٍ، فَتَنَزَّهَ عَنْهُ نَاسٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَغَضِبَ حَتَّى بَانَ الْغَضَبُ فِي وَجْهِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَرْغَبُونَ عَمَّا رُخِّصَ لِي فِيهِ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَأَنَا أَعْلَمُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ وَأَشَدُّهُمْ لَهُ خَشْيَةً
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ granted a concession concerning a particular matter, but some people refrained from taking advantage of it.
When the Prophet ﷺ learned of this, he became angry, to the extent that his anger was visible on his face. He then said:
‘What is the matter with some people who turn away from a concession that has been permitted to me? By Allah, I am more knowledgeable of Allah than any of them, and I have greater fear of Him than any of them.’”
(Sahih Muslim)
These narrations are particularly striking because they show that some Companions not only refrained from the concession but appeared to disapprove of the Prophet ﷺ taking it. The Prophet ﷺ became visibly angry at their reaction. Why? Because they were treating abstaining from something permissible as though it demonstrated greater devotion, even though the Prophet ﷺ himself had accepted the concession. He reminded them that he was the most knowledgeable about Allah and the most fearful of Him. If avoiding the concession had been inherently more pious, the Prophet ﷺ would have been the first to do so. Instead, he demonstrated that genuine reverence for Allah lies in following His guidance, not inventing additional restrictions for ourselves. We cannot claim to be more pious than the Prophet ﷺ by rejecting what he permitted.
What was the concession that the Prophet ﷺ took?
An interesting question arises from these narrations: what exactly had the Prophet ﷺ done that some of his Companions refused to do? The narrations themselves do not identify the specific action. Scholars of hadith discussed this question, including al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in his commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Fath al-Bari.
Ibn Hajar explains that the particular action and the identities of those who refrained from it were not definitively established. He reports two possible explanations suggested by earlier commentators.
The first, alluded to by Ibn Battal, is that the concession concerned kissing one’s wife while fasting. The Prophet ﷺ permitted and practiced this, while some people may have regarded abstaining from it as more pious.
The second possibility is that it concerned breaking one’s fast while travelling, another concession that the Prophet ﷺ accepted. However, neither explanation can be established conclusively from the narration. They remain scholarly interpretations rather than definitive identifications of the incident. The precise action is less important than the principle being taught.
Where a concession is prescribed and appropriate, accepting it with the intention of following the Sunnah may be preferable to insisting upon the original ruling. In some circumstances, rejecting the concession out of an unwillingness to follow the prophetic example may even be blameworthy.
When the Prophet ﷺ called those who continued fasting disobedient
An especially striking example occurred during the Prophet’s ﷺ journey to Makkah in Ramadan. Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ set out for Makkah during the year of the Conquest. He and his Companions were fasting until they reached Kura’ al-Ghamim.
The Prophet ﷺ then called for a cup of water, raised it so that the people could see it, and drank. Later, he was informed that some people had continued fasting. He said:
أُولَئِكَ الْعُصَاةُ، أُولَئِكَ الْعُصَاةُ
“Those are the disobedient ones! Those are the disobedient ones!”
(Sahih Muslim)
Why did the Prophet ﷺ describe them in such strong terms when fasting is normally an act of worship? The context is important. The Prophet ﷺ had broken his fast openly, demonstrating the concession at a time when the journey was difficult. Yet some continued fasting despite this guidance.
The criticism was not directed at every traveller who chooses to fast. The Prophet ﷺ himself sometimes fasted while travelling, and he permitted others to do so when they were able. Rather, the criticism concerned those who persisted in fasting in these particular circumstances instead of following his direction to accept the concession. When Allah has granted a concession and circumstances call for it, insisting on the harder course is not necessarily an expression of greater taqwa.
When unnecessary hardship drives people away from Islam
There is also a wider consequence to making religion unnecessarily difficult. Some people develop the mentality that the strictest opinion must always be the most correct, or that the more they suffer, the greater their reward. They may then impose this approach upon their families, children, students or communities.
Over time, religion can begin to feel like a collection of burdens rather than a path of guidance and mercy. Someone who is already struggling may be made to feel guilty for accepting a concession that Allah has explicitly permitted. A young person may be led to believe that genuine religious commitment requires constant hardship. Others may become overwhelmed by restrictions that were never obligatory in the first place.
This can create frustration, exhaustion and resentment. In some cases, people may begin to distance themselves from religious practice altogether. The tragedy is that the hardship driving them away may not have been required by Allah at all.
The Prophet ﷺ understood the importance of making religious guidance accessible. He said:
يَسِّرُوا وَلَا تُعَسِّرُوا، وَبَشِّرُوا وَلَا تُنَفِّرُوا
“Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Give glad tidings and do not drive people away.”
(Sahih Bukhari)
This does not mean diluting the teachings of Islam or abandoning obligations to make people comfortable. There is a difference between helping someone fulfil their religious responsibilities and making those responsibilities harder than they need to be.
Taqwa is not the pursuit of hardship
It is important not to misunderstand this principle. Islam does not teach that we should always choose whatever is easiest, regardless of its ruling. Nor does it suggest that acts of worship requiring effort should be avoided. Fasting, praying, giving charity, performing Hajj, controlling our desires and remaining patient during adversity can all require considerable sacrifice.
We must also distinguish between a valid concession and selecting whichever religious opinion happens to suit our personal desires. Concessions have conditions, and scholarly differences should be approached responsibly, with guidance from knowledgeable scholars.
The highest form of taqwa is following the Prophet ﷺ
The Prophet ﷺ knew Allah best and feared Him most, yet he accepted concessions and chose the easier of two permissible options.
True taqwa is not about seeking hardship or choosing rulings that suit our desires. It is about following the Shariah, observing its obligations and accepting its concessions when appropriate.
The Prophet ﷺ was the person who knew Allah best, feared Him most and worshipped Him with the greatest devotion. Yet he accepted concessions, chose the easier of two permissible options and corrected those who believed that deliberately choosing hardship made them more righteous.
We should not make religion difficult for ourselves or others under the mistaken belief that hardship is always a sign of greater devotion. Allah knows our nature, our limitations and our circumstances. His guidance covers all scenarios and makes Islam practical. That is why the highest form of taqwa is not to choose the hardest path. It is to follow the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ.
Based on the hadith class of Shaykh Haytham Tamim.
https://www.utrujj.org/how-taqwa-opens-the-gates-of-jannah/
http://www.utrujj.org/the-balancing-act-taqwa-of-allah-vs-peoples-rights/