Hadith: What is the matter with those people who said such-and-such? Indeed, I pray and I sleep too, I fast sometimes and do not fast other times, and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah does not belong to me

عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه أن نفرًا من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سألوا أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن عمله في السر؟ فقال بعضهم: لا أتزوج النساء. وقال بعضهم: لا آكل اللحم. وقال بعضهم: لا أنام على فراش. فبلغ ذلك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فحمد الله وأثنى عليه، وقال: «ما بال أقوام قالوا كذا؟ لكني أصلي وأنام وأصوم وأفطر، وأتزوج النساء؛ فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس مني».
[صحيح] - [متفق عليه]

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A group from among the Prophet's Companions asked the Prophet's wives about the acts of worship that he performed in private. Some of them said: "I will not marry women." Others said: "I will not eat meat." Some others said: "I will not lie down on a bed." Their words reached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, he praised Allah and glorified Him and said: "What is the matter with those people who said such-and-such? Indeed, I pray and I sleep too, I fast sometimes and do not fast other times, and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah does not belong to me."
Sahih/Authentic. - [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Explanation

The sublime Islamic Shariah is built upon tolerance and ease, as well as pleasing the souls by the good things of this world that are permissible. It is also built upon the dislike of hardship, difficulty, or depriving oneself of the good and wholesome things of this worldly life. A group of the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) motivated by their love for good and righteousness and their desire to do good deeds, went to ask about the actions which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did in private, that no one else knew about except his wives. When they learnt what they wanted to know, they regarded his deeds as little, out of their eagerness and diligence in doing good deeds. They said: "Where are we in comparison to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) the one whom Allah has forgiven his previous and future sins?" According to their assumption, he was in no need of exerting himself in worship. So, some of them was determined to abandon women so that he would devote himself to worship. Another one thought of giving up eating meat out of abstention from the pleasures of this world. Another one decided to pray the entire night without sleeping. Their speech reached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who was the most pious among them, and the most righteous, and more knowledgeable than them about conditions and laws. He, thus, addressed the people after praising Allah and gave them a general sermon without naming certain individuals, as per his noble habit in this regard. He informed them that everyone should give everything its due right. Thus, one should worship Allah, the Almighty,, and also engage in some of the permissible pleasures of this worldly life. For he himself prayed and slept, fasted and broke his fast, and he married women. So, whoever turns away from his noble Sunnah, then he is not considered to be from among his followers. Rather, he has trodden the path of those who adopt religious innovations.