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The Simple Life of Muhammad (SAWS)
If we compare the life of Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi wa sallam - SAWS) 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 (SAWS) was a
false prophet, who claimed prophethood to attain material gains, greatness,
glory, or power.
Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad (SAWS) had no financial worries. As a
successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad (SAWS) 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 (RA) , Muhammad's (SAWS) 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 (SAWS) houses." Her nephew asked, "O Aunt, what sustained you?" She
said, "The two black things, dates and water, but the Prophet (SAWS) had some
Ansar neighbors who had milk-giving she-camels and they used to send the
Prophet (SAWS) some of its milk." (Al-Bukhari andMuslim)
- Sahl Ibn Sa'ad, one of Muhammad's (SAWS) companions, said, "The Prophet of
God (SAWS) did not see bread made from fine flour from the time God sent him
(as a prophet) until he died." (Al-Bukhari and Al-Tirmizi)
- Aa'isha (RA), Muhammad's (SAWS) wife, said, "The mattress of the Prophet
(SAWS), on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the
date-palm tree." ." (Al-Bukhari andMuslim)
n Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad's (SAWS) companions, said that when the
Prophet (SAWS) 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 (SAWS) 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 (SAWS) 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 (SAWS)? 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 (SAWS) used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, repair his shoes, help
with the household work, and visit poor people when they got sick. 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 (SAWS) followers loved him, respected him, and trusted him to an
amazing extent. Yet he continued to emphasize that deification should be
directed to God and not to him personally. Anas, one of Muhammad's (SAWS)
companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than the Prophet
Muhammad (SAWS), yet when he came to them, they did not stand up for him
because he hated their standing up for him, as other people do with their great
people.
Long before there was any prospect of success for Islam and at the outset of a
long and painful era of torture, suffering, and persecution of Muhammad (SAWS)
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 (SAWS) in return for that, to
give up calling people to Islam and worshipping God alone without any partner.
Wouldn't this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly benefit? Was Muhammad
(SAWS) 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 (God), 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 (SAWS) answer was as decisive and sincere: "I swear by the
name of God, 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 God makes it triumph or I perish defending it."
Muhammad (SAWS) and his few followers did not only suffer from persecution for
thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill Muhammad (SAWS) 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
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