than that, and he merely drifts along with Satan until he loses all restraint, so much so that people end up saying, “Is there any rational person who would act like this?”

The same kind of excess appears in the full bath after major ritual impurity (ghusl): you will see a man exhausting himself, forcing water deep into his ears and far up his nostrils. All of this lies within the Prophet’s ﷺ warning: “Ruined are the zealots! Ruined are the zealots! Ruined are the zealots.” Anyone who makes things hard on himself in a matter that Allah has made easy falls under this ḥadīth. Allah is the One who grants success.

145 – Abū Hurayrah reports that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Indeed, this religion is ease itself; no one tries to overburden himself in practicing the religion except that it will defeat him. Therefore keep to the straight course, draw as near to it as you can, rejoice, and seek help in worship by devoting part of the early morning, part of the late afternoon, and a little of the last third of the night.” Collected by al-Bukhārī.

In another wording he ﷺ said, “Keep to the straight course and come as close to it as possible. Travel in the early morning, travel in the late afternoon, and travel a little in the last part of the night. Proceed with measured moderation and you will reach your goal.”

Explanation: in the phrase “this religion is ease” the word rendered “is ease” is in the passive and is also transmitted in the accusative; another reading has, “No one shall contend with the religion.” His words “except that it will defeat him” mean the religion will overpower the one who tries to wrestle with it, for its avenues are many. “Early morning (al-ghudwah)” refers to the first part of the day, “late afternoon (ar-rawḥah)” to its close, and “a portion of the night (ad-duljah)” to its last third. The statement is a metaphor and a vivid illustration,