and likewise if it leads him into something forbidden whose harm cannot be counterbalanced by the benefit of that worship, such as giving away all his wealth and then looking longingly at other people’s wealth and begging from them. If, however, it weakens him for something more beneficial than itself and causes him to fall into disliked acts, then it is disliked.

Concerning this, Allah Most High revealed His words:

“O you who believe, do not forbid the good things Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not love transgressors.”

This verse was revealed concerning some of the Companions who had gathered and resolved to devote themselves exclusively to worship: one would fast continuously, another would pray throughout the night, another would abstain from eating meat, and another would abstain from women. Allah, glorified and exalted is He, forbade them to prohibit such good things as eating meat and marital relations, and forbade them to transgress. Transgression means going beyond the prescribed religion in fasting, night prayer, recitation, remembrance of Allah, and the like; adding prohibitions beyond what has been forbidden; and extending the bounds of the permissible beyond what has been allowed. He then commanded them to expiate the binding oaths they had sworn to uphold these prohibitions and transgressions.

In the two Sahīh collections, Anas reported:

“A group of the Prophet’s Companions asked the wives of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about his worship in private. One of them said, ‘As for me, I will fast and never break my fast.’ Another said, ‘As for me, I will spend the night in prayer and not sleep.’ Another said, ‘As for me, I will not marry women.’ Another said, ‘As for me,