THE SIMPLE LIFE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD S*A*W

[ummita]

   
If we compare the life of Muhammad  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  was a false prophet, who claimed prophethood to attain material gains, greatness, glory, or power.
 
Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad  had no financial worries.  As a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad  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:

n  Aa'isha, 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, but the Prophet  had some Ansar neighbors who had milk-giving she-camels and they used to send the Prophet  some of its milk."1

n  Sahl Ibn Sa'ad, one of Muhammad's  companions, said, "The Prophet of God  did not see bread made from fine flour from the time God sent him (as a prophet) until he died."2

n  Aa'isha, Muhammad's  wife, said, "The mattress of the Prophet , on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree."3

n  Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad's  companions, said that when the Prophet  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.4  

Muhammad  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  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  used to milk his goat,5 mend his clothes, repair his shoes,6 help with the household work,7 and visit poor people when they got sick.8  He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with them.9  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 God 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 , yet when he came to them, they did not stand up for him because he hated their standing up for him,10 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  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  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  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 41:1-38.11  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  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.}12

Muhammad  and his few followers did not only suffer from persecution for thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill Muhammad  several times.  On one occasion they attempted to kill him by dropping a large boulder, which could barely be lifted, on his head.13  Another time they tried to kill him by poisoning his food.14  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?

He has lead an example, can we follow his steps?

[Bagumel]

Malama Ummita  Allah ya saka miki da Alheri.Its really very encouraging to see our Sisters trying to
encourage  brothers and Sisters to follow the simple way of life of Rasulullah which brings  success  in both Duniya and Akhirah.May  Allah make all of us sincere to serve His cause and I pray to Him specially to  give you the ability to follow
and be like Aishah  Fatimah and Khadijah,and all our Muslim Sisters who have got concern for the Deen which has become
Yatim (Maraya Orphan) .Unfortunately now no body is willing to shoulder the responsibility of conveying the message,for the fear that we will be dubbed as fanatic or fundementalist we only leave it to the Ulama forgetting that it is all our collective responsibility whether we like it or not.Once more keep reminding us  about our Deen You and other Sisters dont
let  EMTL and few other dedicated brothers  be alone in the
struggle between Haq and Batil so as to champion the cause of our Deen. Wama taufiq illa  Billah Alaihi tawakaltu Wa ilaihi Unib.

BAGumel

[Hafsy_Lady]

MASHALLAH HONEE COMBS, MASHALLAH..............MAY ALLAH GUIDE US TO LEAD FOLLOW THE PROPHETS FOOTSTEPS

[EMTL]

Assalamu alaikum.
Thank you Brother and Sisters for your contributions:

Let us remind each other on the way the Holy Prophet (SAW) taught what size of dress (men) to wear.

Abdullah Bn Umar (R.A) relates that, “Once I passed by the Holy Prophet (SAW) when my loincloth was dangling. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Abdullah, pull up your loincloth!’ Accordingly I pulled it up a little. He (SAW) said, ‘A little more,’ and I pulled it up little more. Since then, I have always worn it high.” Someone of his tribe asked, “how high? “ He said, “Half way up to the knees.”12
It is worth noting that, the length of trousers or a shirt is not to exceed the ankles, and preferably, should be half way between the knees and the ankles. The sleeves and the cloth in general, should not be unnecessarily large, but of reasonable size.

The  lessons to note from the above series of Hadith are in summary:
(i)      The Holy Prophet (SAW) categorically forbids the wearing of cloth that extends beyond the ankle,
(ii)      It is a sign of arrogance to sew/wear clothes that extends beyond the ankles,
(iii)      Those who commits such acts may not receive Allah's mercy on the Day of Judgement,
(iv)      The length of Muslim dress should preferably be halfway between his ankles and knees,
(v)      The prayers of a male worshipper who wear dress that extends his ankles may be void,
(vi)      The loincloth (dress) of Abubakar (RA) sometimes slips down unintentionally, he was explicitly exempted as not being arrogant, by the Holy Prophet (SAW). The actions of contemporary Muslims who intentionally sew dresses that extent beyond their ankles, could be interpreted as being non-compliance to the Holy Prophet's (SAW) above warnings, may Allah (SWT) continue to guide us-amin.