Hadith 25350

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ، قَالَتْ : " مَا سَبَّحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى " . قَالَ : قَالَ : وَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ : " لَقَدْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتْرُكُ الْعَمَلَ ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَهُ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَنَّ بِهِ النَّاسُ ، فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ " . قَالَتْ : " وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ مَا خَفَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ " .
It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) never performed the Duha prayer. Sometimes, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would abandon a deed despite loving it, solely because he feared that people might start acting upon it and as a result, it would become obligatory upon them (and then they might not be able to do it). Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) preferred that there be more ease in the obligations upon the people.
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند النساء / 25350
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده صحيح، خ: 1128، م: 718