The Simple Life of Muhammad (PBUH



If
we compare the life of Muhammad (Pease be upon him) before his mission
as a prophet and his life after he began his mission as a prophet, we
will conclude that it is beyond reason to think that Muhammad (PBUH)
was a false prophet, who claimed prophethood to attain material gains,
greatness, glory, or power.

Before
his mission as a prophet, Muhammad (PBUH) had no financial worries. As
a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad (PBUH) drew a satisfactory
and comfortable income. After his mission as a prophet and because of
it, he became worse off materially. To clarify this more, let us browse
the following sayings on his life:

-
Aa'isha (May Allah be pleased with her) , Muhammad's wife, said, "O my
nephew, we would sight three new moons in two months without lighting a
fire (to cook a meal) in the Prophet's houses." Her nephew asked, "O Aunt, what sustained you?" She said, "The two black things, dates and water. And the
Prophet (PBUH) had some Ansar neighbors (from the Supporters) who had a
"milk-giving" she-camel and they used to send the Prophet some of its
milk." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

-
Sahl Ibn Sa'ad, one of Muhammad's companions, said, "The Prophet (PBUH)
did not see bread made from fine flour from the time Allah sent him (as
a prophet) until he died." (Al-Bukhari and Al-Tirmithi)

-
Aa'isha said, "The mattress of the Prophet (PBUH), on which he slept,
was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)


Amr
Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad's companions, said that when the Prophet
(PBUH) died, he left neither money nor anything else except his white
riding mule, his arms, and a piece of land which he left to charity.(
Al-Bukhari and Mosnad Ahmad)

Muhammad
(PBUH) lived this hard life till he died although the Muslim treasury
was at his disposal, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula was
Muslim before he died, and the Muslims were victorious after eighteen
years of his mission.
Is
it possible that Muhammad (PBUH) might have claimed prophethood in
order to attain status, greatness, and power? The desire to enjoy
status and power is usually associated with good food, fancy clothing,
monumental palaces, colorful guards, and indisputable authority. Do any
of these indicators apply to Muhammad? A few glimpses of his life that
may help answer this question follow.

Despite
his responsibilities as a prophet, a teacher, a statesman, and a judge,
Muhammad (PBUH) used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, repair his
shoes, help with the household work, and visit the poor and the sick
people. He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving
sand with them. His life was an amazing model of simplicity and
humbleness.

Muhammad's
followers loved him, respected him, and trusted him to an amazing
extent. Yet he continued to emphasize that deification should be
directed to Allah and not to him personally. Anas, one of Muhammad's
companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than the
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), yet he did not allow them to stand up for him as other people do with great personalities.

Long before there wasn't any prospect of success for Islam (in the eyes of the polytheists) and
at the outset of a long and painful era of torture, suffering, and
persecution of Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers, he received an
interesting offer. An envoy of the pagan leaders, Otba, came to him
saying, "...If you want money, we will collect enough money for you so
that you will be the richest one of us. If you want leadership, we will
take you as our leader and never decide on any matter without your
approval. If you want a kingdom, we will crown you king over us..."

Only
one concession was required from Muhammad (PBUH) in return for that, to
give up calling people to Islam and worshipping Allah alone without any
partner. Wouldn't this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly
benefit? Was Muhammad (PBUH) hesitant when the offer was made? Did he
turn it down as a bargaining strategy leaving the door open for a
better offer? The following was his answer: {In the Name of God, the
Most Gracious, the Most Merciful} And he recited to Otba the verses of
the Quran 41:1-38. The Following are some of these verses:
"A
revelation from (Allah), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; a Book
whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Quran in Arabic, for
people who know, giving good news and warning, yet most of them turn
away, so they do not listen." (Quran, 41:2-4)

On
another occasion and in response to his uncle's plea to stop calling
people to Islam, Muhammad's answer was as decisive and sincere: "I
swear by the name of Allah, O Uncle!, that if they place the sun in my
right-hand and the moon in my left-hand in return for giving up this
matter (calling people to Islam), I will never desist until either the
Almighty Allah makes it triumph or I perish defending it."

Muhammad
(PBUH) and his few followers did not only suffer from persecution for
thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill Muhammad (PBUH)
several times. On one occasion they attempted to kill him by dropping a
large boulder, which could barely be lifted, on his head.
Another time they tried to kill him by poisoning his food.

What
could justify such a life of suffering and sacrifice even after he was
fully triumphant over his adversaries? What could explain the
humbleness and nobility which he demonstrated in his most glorious
moments when he insisted that success is due only to God's help and not
to his own genius?

Are these the characteristics of a power-hungry or a self-centered man?

The Simple Life of Muhammad (PBUH

The Simple Life of Muhammad (PBUH