In a profound hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warns against excessive questioning and emphasizes obedience within one’s capacity — principles that protect faith and preserve the Ummah from confusion and hardship. This article explains the wisdom behind avoiding unnecessary or harmful inquiries, the balance between curiosity and submission, and how these timeless guidelines shape our understanding of Islamic rulings and daily worship.

Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Leave me with what I have left you with. (Don’t ask me the minor things that I have avoided telling you). Verily, the people before you were destroyed because of their excessive questioning and their opposition to the Prophets. If I prohibit you from something, then abstain from it. If I order you to do something, do it to the best of your ability.” [Agreed upon]

The questions that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) prohibited us to inquire about are the same prohibited questions referred to in Surat Al-Ma’idah (5:101). Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِنْ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ

“O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you.” 

These are questions related to issues of the Ghaib (unseen) that Allaah has exempted; neither declared as Haraam (prohibited), nor Wajib (obligatory), etc. If a questioner had inquired about them at the time of the revelation (Wahy) or when issues were prescribed, then perhaps, they would have become Wajib or Haraam due to the inquiry, and the questioner would be amongst those whom the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The worst in crime among the Muslims is the one who asks about something which has not been prohibited, but was prohibited because of his asking.” [Al-Bukhaari no. 7289]

Similarly, the slave is prohibited from asking questions about matters they do not want to or are unwilling to change, mistakes, and trivial matters. These and similar questions are prohibited by the Sharee’ah. Let the questions be about the important matters.

As for questions whereby one is seeking guidance concerning religious issues, the principles and it branches, acts of worship and transactions (Mu’amlaat); these are encouraged by Allaah and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). This is because questioning is the way to understanding, knowledge, and learning the facts. In Surat Al-Anbiyaa’ (21:7), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“Ask the people of the Message if you do not know.”

 Allaah (Ta’ala) also says in Surat Az-Zukhruf (43:45), and other similar verses:

وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ

“Ask those whom We sent before you of Our Messengers whether We made deities to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful.”

Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whosoever Allaah wishes good for, He gives him understanding of the Deen.” And this is by way of understanding the knowledge of the Deen by learning and inquiring.

Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “If Allaah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion [the understanding of the Qur’an and the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)].” [Al-Bukhaari no. 71]

Allaah has prescribed kindness towards the questioner, giving him what he requests, and to not be angered with him. In Surat Ad-Duha (93:10), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ

“Do not repulse the one asking.” 

This verse includes the questioner of beneficial knowledge, and the person asking for worldly needs in terms of wealth, etc.

What is also included in the prohibition of this Hadeeth is questioning the ‘How’ or way of description of Allaah’s Sifaat (Attributes). This is because all issues with regards to the Attributes of Allaah are like what was said by Imaam Maalik to the one who asked him about Allaah’s Istiwaa’ (rising) upon the Arsh (Throne). Imaam Maalik said: “Al-Istiwaa’ is known, the description is unknown, belief in it is obligatory, and questioning it is an innovation.”

Therefore, whosoever questions, ‘How is the Knowledge of Allaah’, or ‘How did Allaah create and manage’, he should be told: “Just like there is nothing like (similar to) the Being (Essence) of Allaah, there is nothing like (similar to) His Attributes. The creation knows Allaah, and they know the Attributes and Actions of Allaah which they are informed about – but ‘How’ or ‘the description’ of the Attributes and Actions – the meaning of, that is known to Allaah Alone.

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then mentioned two principles in this Hadeeth:

First Principle:
His (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying, “If I prohibit you from something, then abstain from it.” So, all actions and sayings that are prohibited by the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu ‘’alayhi wa sallam), the apparent and the hidden; it is obligatory to abandon them, and to stop from doing them, as an obedience to Allaah and His Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Every person is capable of abandoning everything that is forbidden by Allaah and His Messenger; no slave is forced to carry out the prohibitions absolutely/ eternally. The Halal (lawful) matters are vast; it can include all the worship and affairs of the creation, and all their actions.

As for the permissibility of (consuming) the dead, the blood, and the meat of the pig for the one who is forced (by necessity) – these can become Halal depending on the situation, because necessity makes the prohibition Halal – so necessity will make it Mubaah (allowable). Allaah has prohibited the Muharramat (prohibited matters) to preserve/ protect the slaves, and to protect them from evil and corruption, and it is good for them. But if a bigger benefit outweighs it, i.e., saving one’s life, then this benefit takes precedence as a Mercy and Benevolence from Allaah.

Medicines do not fall under this category because they do not fall under necessities; Allaah may cure the sick via various means. The cure is not restricted to medicines.

Even if a medicine is thought to be the most effective, it is not permissible to use prohibited ingredients like alcohol, milk of domesticated donkey, and other categories of prohibited ingredients, unlike eating of the dead because in this case, one is sure that he will die if he does not eat from the dead.

Second Principle:
The Prophet’s (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying, “If I order you to do something, do it to the best of your ability.“

This is a great principle which is also referred to in Surat At-Taghabun (64:16). Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ

 “Fear Allaah as much as you are able.”

The orders of the Sharee’ah are all in accordance with the ability of the slave. If he is unable to perform the obligation at all, then the obligation is waived for him. If he is capable of doing part of the worship, then he is obligated to do what he can and he is excused from what he is incapable of.
This principle is applicable to innumerable issues of Fiqh and rulings. For example, the sick must pray standing, and if one is unable to stand, then he may offer the Salaat sitting down. If he is unable to sit, he may offer the prayer lying on his side. If he is incapable of lying, he may offer with gestures of his head or his eyes.

• A slave should fast if he is able to fast. If he is unable due to an incurable sickness or disease, then he should feed a Miskeen (poor person) for each day that he does not fast. If the disease is curable, then when he will break his fast, he must make up for the fasts accordingly.
• Similarly, whosoever is incapable of placing a Sutrah before himself for prayer, or he is incapable of facing the Qiblah or purifying himself from impurity – he is excused from whatever he is incapable of. Similarly, other conditions of Salaat and its pillars and conditions of purification apply.
• Whosoever is incapable of purifying with water or fears harm from water – with regards to some or all purifications – then he may switch to Tayammum (dry ablution).
• Whosoever is incapable of performing Hajj, he may appoint someone to offer the Hajj on his behalf if he is financially capable.
• Ordering the good and forbidding the evil is obligatory on those who are capable of it with their hand. If one is incapable, then with the tongue and if one is incapable of that, then with the heart.
• The blind and crippled and those who find it difficult or even impossible are not blamed for foregoing worships they are incapable to offer.
• With regards to the obligation of maintenance, if one is incapable of maintaining all his dependants, he should start with his wife, then his children, then the parents, then the closest relatives, then other relatives. This is the innate nature.

Such is with regards to everything that a slave is ordered with, the obligatory acts and the recommended ones. If one is capable of some part, and incapable of the rest, he is only obligated for what he is capable of and is excused from what he is incapable of. Everything is included in this Hadeeth.

The issue of drawing lots also falls under this principle -because when the issues are confusing, i.e., who is it for, and who has the most right? – we refer to weighing issues (i.e., the most preponderant). But if weighing issues is still not helpful in any way, then this obligation is dropped due to inability, and one must turn to drawing lots, which is always possible. There are many such known issues in the religion.

All the major and minor leadership/ rulership positions are determined by this principle. For every leadership, the one who is attributed with certain qualities should be appointed as a leader. If it becomes difficult to have all these descriptions, then assign the most ideal, then the next.

Just like the previously mentioned verses and the Hadeeth under discussion are a proof of this rule, similarly, verses and Ahadeeth in which Allaah and His Messenger have negated difficulty for the Ummah, are a proof of the same. Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat Al-Baqarah (2:286):

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا

“Allaah does not require of any soul more than what it is capable of.”

In Surat At-Talaaq (65:7), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

لِيُنْفِقْ ذُو سَعَةٍ مِنْ سَعَتِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ قُدِرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ فَلْيُنْفِقْ مِمَّا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ ۚ لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا مَا آتَاهَا ۚ

“Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he whose provision is restricted – let him spend from what Allaah has given him. Allaah does not charge a soul except (according to) what He has given it.”

In Surat Al-Hajj (22:78), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ

“(Allaah has) laid upon you no hardship in the religion.”

In Surat Al-Ma’idah (5:6), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ 

“Allaah does not intend to burden you.”

In Surat Al-Baqarah (2:185), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْ

“Allaah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.”

In Surat An-Nisaa’ (4:28), Allaah (Ta’ala) says:

يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُخَفِّفَ عَنْكُمْ

“Allaah wants to lighten for you (your difficulties).”

All the legal ease (and lightening) in the acts of worship and all other kinds – in all its forms – are included in this principle – along with the fact that this principle is also deduced from the relevant Names and whatever implies an Attribute of Allaah, like Hamd (praise) and Hikmah (Wisdom), the vast Mercy, Kindness and Generosity. Just like the effects of these Magnificent and Beautiful Names are plentifully evident in the creation and its management/ arrangement. Similarly, these are evident in all Islamic laws (legislations)– rather more so because it is (one of) the purpose of creation. Also, it is one of the means of achieving eternal happiness.

Allaah (Ta’ala) created the Mukallaf (i.e., the creation who are responsible to carry out their obligations) in order to establish Uboodiyah (the worship of Allaah). He has made His Uboodiyah and establishing of His law, a means of achieving His Pleasure and Honor, as Allaah (Ta’ala) says – after ordaining the purification and its types:

مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِنْ يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

“Allaah does not intend to cause difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you, that you may be grateful.” [Surat Al-Ma’idah 5:6]

The impacts of His Mercy and Grace are apparent in the rulings and allowances (of the Sharee’ah), just like it is apparent in everything that exists. The most perfect and the highest of praise is for Him, and utmost gratitude and glorification. The greatest of love and glorification is for Him – and from Allaah is Tawfiq (guidance and success).

Source:
Bahjat Quloob Al-Abraar wa Qurrat Uyoon Al-Akhyar fee Sharh Jawami’ Al-Akhbar by Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (Rahimahullaah)