sacha
Active Member
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 Subject: The Simple Life of Muhammad ...  Sat 30 Aug - 12:01 |
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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:
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.”
Sahl IbnSa’ad, one of Muhammad’s companions, said, “The Prophet of God did not see bread made from fine flour from thetime God sent him (as a prophet) until he died.”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.”
Amr IbnAl-Hareth, one ofMuhammad’s companions, said that when the Prophet died, he left neither money NOR anything elseexcept his white riding mule, his arms, and a piece of land which he left tocharity.Muhammad lived this hard life till he died although the Muslim treasury was at hisdisposal, 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, fancyclothing, monumental palaces, colorful guards, and indisputable authority. Doany 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, ateacher, a statesman, and a judge, Muhammad used to milk his goat, mendhis clothes, repair his shoes, help with the household work,andvisit poor people when they got sick.He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with
them. His life was anamazing model of simplicity and humbleness.Muhammad’s followers loved him, respected him, and trusted him to an amazing extent. Yethe continued to emphasize that deification should be directed to God and not tohim personally. Anas, one of Muhammad’s companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than the ProphetMuhammad ,yet when he came to them, they did not stand up for him because he hated theirstanding 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 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
The Following are some of these verses: A revelation from (God), the MostGracious, 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 mostof them turn away, so they do not listen. (Quran, 41:2-4)On another occasion and in response to his uncle’splea 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 inreturn for giving up this matter (calling people to Islam), I will never desistuntil either God makes it triumph or I perish defending it.}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 headAnother 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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Mohamed
Active Member
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| Subject: Re: The Simple Life of Muhammad ... Mon 1 Sep - 15:00 |
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So much thanks Miss sacha for this text , but I think I have read it somewhere in this forum
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