عن أم المؤمنين عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: إِنْ كَانَ رسولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَيَدَعُ العَمَلَ، وهو يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ؛ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ بِهِ النَّاسُ فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ.
‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give up a deed, even though he liked to perform it, for fear that people would follow him and perform it, and it would thus become obligatory for them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give up a deed, despite his love to perform it, lest people would do it as well, and therefore the deed would be made obligatory for them. The people would thus be put in a real hardship, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not like to put them into hardships.