Sahih Muslim Book - 15, Hadith - 3257

وَحَدَّثَنِى زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ أَخْبَرَنَا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ الْقُرَشِىُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ « أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْحَجَّ فَحُجُّوا ». فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ أَكُلَّ عَامٍ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَسَكَتَ حَتَّى قَالَهَا ثَلاَثًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لَوْ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ لَوَجَبَتْ وَلَمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ - ثُمَّ قَالَ - ذَرُونِى مَا تَرَكْتُكُمْ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ بِكَثْرَةِ سُؤَالِهِمْ وَاخْتِلاَفِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْبِيَائِهِمْ فَإِذَا أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِشَىْءٍ فَأْتُوا مِنْهُ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَإِذَا نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ شَىْءٍ فَدَعُوهُ ».

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) addressed us and said: ‘O people, Hajj has been enjoined upon you, so perform Hajj’ A man said: ‘Is it every year, O Messenger of Allah‘?’ He remained silent, until the man said it three times. Then the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘If I said yes, it would become obligatory, and you would not be able to do it.’ Then he said: ‘Leave me as I have left you; for those who came before you were doomed because of their questions and differences with their Prophets. If I command you to do something, then do as much of it as you can, and if I forbid you to do something, then refrain from it.”’