concerning the leniency of the prophet peace be upon him with his ummah, anas ibn malik may allah be pleased with him reported: "while we were in the masjid with the messenger of allah peace be upon him, a bedouin came in and urinated in the masjid. the companions exclaimed, "stop, stop!" but the messenger of allah peace be upon him said, "leave him and do not interrupt him." so, they left him until he finished. then the messenger of allah peace be upon him called him over and said to him,

 "these masjids are not for urination or anything unclean, but for remembrance of allah, the mighty and majestic, and recitation of the qur'an."

 he then instructed one of the men, who brought a bucket of water and poured over it. (al-bukhari and muslim)

another instance was when a young man came to the prophet peace be upon him and said, "o messenger of allah peace be upon him, permit me to fornicate." the people approached, rebuking him, but

the messenger of allah peace be upon him said, "come close," so he came near him.

he peace be upon him said, "would you like it for your mother?"

he answered, "no, by allah, may allah make me your ransom."

he peace be upon him said, "and people will not like it for their mothers. would you like it for your daughter"?

  he answered, "no, by allah, may allah make me your ransom."

he peace be upon him said, "and people will not like it for their daughters. would you like it for your sister?" 

he answered, "no, by allah, may allah make me your ransom."

he peace be upon him said, "and people will not like it for their sisters. would you like it for your paternal aunt?' 

he answered, "no, by allah, may allah make me your ransom."

he peace be upon him said, "and people will not like it for their paternal aunts. would you like it for your maternal aunt?"

he answered, "no, by allah, may allah make me your ransom."

he peace be upon him said, "and people will not like it for their maternal aunts." then he peace be upon him placed his hand on him and said, "o allah, forgive his sin, purify his heart and safeguard his chastity." the youth was never tempted after that. (ahmad) in this gentle manner, the prophet peace be upon him was able to affect the heart of that young man and make him see the offensiveness of what he had requested. and this led to his reform and his becoming upright and chaste.

and the prophet's peace be upon him compassion for his people is also shown by what ibn `abbas may allah be pleased with him reported: "while the prophet peace be upon him was giving an address a man was standing, so he asked about him. they told him, 'abu isra'eel has vowed to stand in the sun and not to sit down, shade himself or speak and to keep a fast.' the prophet peace be upon him said,

 'tell him to speak, to shade himself, to sit down and to complete his fast.' " (al-bukhari)

and it is shown by what `abdullah ibn `amr ibn al-`aas may allah be pleased with him reported: "the prophet peace be upon him was informed that i said, 'by allah, i will fast every day and pray every night as long as i live.' he asked, 'are you the one who said that?'  i replied, 'i said it, o messenger of allah peace be upon him.' he peace be upon him said,

"you will not be able to do that. so fast and break your fast, sleep and pray. fast from the month three days, for a good deed is worth ten, so that is like fasting for all time."

in another narration he peace be upon him said, "have i been told that you fast by day and pray by night?" `abdullah said, "yes, o messenger of allah." he peace be upon him said, "don't do it. fast and break your fast, sleep and pray, for your body has a right on you, your eyes have a right on you, your wife has a right on you and your guests have a right on you. it is sufficient for you to fast from each month three days, and you will have for every good deed the equivalent of ten; that is [like] fasting for all time."

 `abdullah added, "when i made it more difficult for myself he made it more difficult for me. i told him, 'i have the strength [for more].' so, he peace be upon him said, 'then fast as did allah's prophet, dawud, and no more.' i asked, "what was the fast of dawud?' he peace be upon him said, 'half of all time.' "[1]after he grew old, `abdullah would say, "i wish i had accepted the concession of allah's messenger peace be upon him." (al-bukhari and muslim)