The good things that Allah has made lawful for you are what is pure and pleasing from the lawful. And the meaning of "do not prohibit" is do not deny them to yourselves, as in the prohibition of what is forbidden. Or do not say, "We have forbidden it to ourselves," as an exaggeration from you in the determination to abandon it, out of asceticism and austerity. [The saying "austerity" and in the authentic texts "qashf" with a kasra: qashfa, if the sun scorches it or poverty changes it. And the ascetic:]

He who sustains himself with food and with the patch. It was narrated that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, described the Day of Resurrection one day to his companions. He elaborated and filled his words with warning. They were frightened and gathered in the house of Uthman ibn Maz'oon. They agreed to remain fasting and standing in prayer, and not to sleep on beds nor eat meat and fat, nor approach women or perfume, and to reject the world and wear coarse garments. The saying "and wear coarse garments" refers to thick garments made from which sacks for straw are made. This was mentioned in the Sahih in the context of the word 'wear'. They would roam the earth and would castrate themselves. This reached the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and he said to them: 'I was not commanded with that. Your souls have rights over you. So fast and break your fast, stand in prayer and sleep. For I stand and sleep, I fast and break my fast, I eat meat and fat, and I approach women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.' This was mentioned by Al-Wahidi in his Asbab without a chain of narration. However, the commentators mentioned it from others, and Al-Tabari reported it through Al-Suddi regarding this verse, saying: 'That was when the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, sat one day and mentioned the people, then he stood up and did not increase them except in fear. Some of his companions stood up and mentioned to him something similar to what has been mentioned.' This is derived from the hadiths, and its origin is in the two Sahihs from Aisha, that some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, asked his wives about his actions in secret. Some of them said: 'I do not eat meat.' Some said: 'I do not marry women.' Some said: 'I do not sleep on a bed.' This reached the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and he said: 'What is with some people that one of them says such and such? But I fast and break my fast, I sleep and stand, I eat meat and marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.' In the two Sahihs from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, he said: 'The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, rejected the practice of Uthman ibn Maz'oon of celibacy. If he had been permitted, he would have castrated himself.' In the two Sahihs from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, regarding his discussion with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, about fasting and prayer, he said: 'Fast and break your fast, stand and sleep. For your soul has rights over you.' Al-Tabari narrated from Ibn Jurayj from Mujahid, who said: 'Some men, including Uthman ibn Maz'oon and Abdullah ibn Amr, wanted to practice celibacy and to isolate themselves and wear coarse garments.' And from Ibn Jurayj from Ikrimah: 'Uthman ibn Maz'oon, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ibn Mas'ud, and Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad, along with a group of the companions, isolated themselves. They sat in their houses, distanced themselves from women, wore coarse garments, and prohibited themselves from good food and clothing. They intended to castrate themselves and gathered for night prayer and daytime fasting. Then the verse was revealed: 'O you who have believed, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful for you.' The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, sent to them and said: 'Your souls have rights over you. So fast and break your fast, pray and sleep. Whoever leaves our Sunnah is not from us.' And it was revealed. It was narrated that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, used to eat chicken and falooth, and he liked sweets and honey. He said: 'The believer is sweet and loves sweetness.' This is derived from hadiths. As for eating chicken, it is agreed upon from the hadith of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari in his story. As for his eating falooth, Al-Hakim narrated it from the hadith of Abdullah ibn Salam, who said: 'I was with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, among some of his companions when Uthman ibn Maz'oon came with a camel carrying two sacks. He mentioned the hadith - and in it he cooked flour, ghee, and honey until it was fragrant, then he ate.' This is from the narration of Al-Walid ibn Muslim from Muhammad ibn Hamzah, weakened by Ibn al-Jawzi due to the weakness of Al-Walid. As for 'he liked sweets and honey,' it is agreed upon from the hadith of Hammam from his father from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. As for the last part, it was mentioned by Al-Dailami in Al-Firdaws from Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. And from Ibn Mas'ud, a man said to him: 'I have prohibited myself from the bed.' He recited this verse and said: 'Then on your bed, and expiate for your oath.' And from Al-Hasan, he was invited to a meal with Farqad al-Sanji and his companions. They sat at the table, which had various dishes of fattened chicken and falooth and other things. Farqad distanced himself. Al-Hasan asked: 'Is he fasting?' They said: 'No, but he dislikes these dishes.' Al-Hasan approached him and said: 'O Farqad, do you see the honeybee's saliva in the heart of wheat with pure ghee? Is it disliked by a Muslim?' And it was said to him: 'So-and-so does not eat falooth and says: 'I do not fulfill its gratitude.' He said: 'Does he drink cold water? They said:

Yes. He said: Indeed, he is ignorant. The blessing of Allah upon him in cold water is greater than His blessing upon him in faludh. And it is narrated that Allah, glorified and exalted is He, has educated His servants and perfected their education. Allah, glorified and exalted is He, said: (Let the one of abundance spend from his abundance). Allah did not blame a people for being granted abundance in this world so they enjoyed it and obeyed, nor did He excuse a people from whom it was withheld and they disobeyed. (And do not transgress) means do not exceed the limits of what Allah has made lawful for you to what He has made unlawful for you. Or do not be excessive in consuming the good things. Or He made the prohibition of good things an act of transgression and injustice, so He prohibited transgression in order to include the prohibition of making them unlawful as a primary entry for its coming after it, or He meant do not transgress by that. And eat from what Allah has provided you, meaning from the good things that are called lawful sustenance, while it is lawful from what Allah has provided you. And fear Allah, a confirmation of the recommendation of what He has commanded. And He emphasized it by saying: (in which you believe) because belief in Him necessitates piety in adhering to what He has commanded and avoiding what He has prohibited.