The Ruling on Deliberately Seeking Difficulty in Acts of Worship Under the Pretext of a Principle

The Shaykh : However, there is a point here that it is good for us to point out, which is that the statement of the jurists, based on the aforementioned hadith, that the reward is in proportion to the hardship, should not be understood from this principle or that noble Prophetic hadith to mean that it is permissible for the Muslim to deliberately seek difficulties and hardships in acts of worship on the assumption that the more arduous his worship is, the greater his reward and recompense will be with Allah. For example, instead of performing Hajj by plane, he performs it by car; instead of covering the distance in two hours, he covers it in two days; instead of performing Hajj by car, he performs it on a mount; instead of performing Hajj on a mount, he performs it on foot, and the reward is in proportion to the hardship. The response here is: "The best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)." He did not perform Hajj on foot, even though he was the strongest of men absolutely, and he was able to perform Hajj on foot, but he performed Hajj on his camel (peace and blessings be upon him). So it is not said here: "It is better for the Muslim to perform Hajj on foot," nor on a camel, donkey, or horse, nor even by car if he has the means for a plane. Otherwise, he descends in this manner . The one for whom a plane is made easy, it is best for him to perform Hajj by it. And the one for whom it is not made easy except to perform Hajj on foot, here it is said: "The reward is in proportion to the hardship," because he did not fabricate or force the hardship, exactly as happened to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her).