Hadith 25363

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ ، قَالَ : أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ شِهَابٍ ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ كَانَتْ تَقُولُ : " مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي سُبْحَةَ الضُّحَى " . قَالَ : وَكَانَتْ عَائِشَةُ تُسَبِّحُهَا . وَكَانَتْ تَقُولُ : " إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَتْرُكُ الْعَمَلَ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَنَّ بِهِ النَّاسُ ، فَيُفْرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ " .
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, despite loving a certain act, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would abandon it only because he feared that people might start practicing it regularly, and as a result, it might become obligatory upon them (and then they might not be able to perform it). Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) preferred that there should be more ease in the obligations upon the people.
Hadith Reference مسند احمد / مسند النساء / 25363
Hadith Grading حکم دارالسلام: إسناده صحيح، خ: 1128، م: 718