This was not the first time the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made ease in regards to rulings and matters of sharia. Despite us being severe sinners, there are many occasions where he created ease for us in a wide host of matters. He does not want us to fall into hardship or difficulty.

On this topic, let us discuss 3 hadith of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , which detail his great authority and deeply profound care for the ummah:

لَوْلَا اَنْ اَشُقَّ عَلٰى اُمَّتِيْ لَفَـرَضْتُ عَلَيْہِمُ السِّوَاكَ كَمَا فَـرَضْتُ عَلَيْہِمُ الْوُضُو ْءَ     .1- “If I had not thought it difficult upon my ummah, I would have made miswak obligatory for them in the same manner as I did for wudu.”^[1]

2.   لَوْلَا اَنْ اَشُقَّ عَلٰى اُمَّتِيْ لَاَمَرْتُهُمْ اَنْ يُّـؤََخِّـرُوا الْعِشَاءَ اِلٰى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ اَوْ نِصْفِہٖ - “If I had not considered it difficult for my ummah, I surely would have ordered them to delay ‘Isha salah until one-third or half the night (had passed).”^[2]

3.   وَلَوْلاَ ضَعْفُ الضَّعِيفِ وَسُقْمُ السَّقِيمِ لَاَخَّرْتُ هٰذِهِ الصَّلَاةَ اِلٰى شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ - “If not for the elderly’s weakness and illness of the unwell, I certainly would have delayed this (Isha) salah until midnight.”^[3]

Dear Islamic brothers, as we have just learnt from these hadith, if the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had wanted, he could have changed the timing of ‘Isha salah entirely. Had he wanted, he could have made it impermissible to offer ‘Isha before one-third or half the night had passed. The very same applies to miswak; he could have made it so, that without using a miswak, salah remains invalid.^[4] However, our merciful master, the final Prophet of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not do this, as he always sought ease and comfort for his ummah.