Hadith

A report about the Prophet’s (Pbuh) poverty is given by Abu Hurayrah, who says:


“I went to the Prophet and found him offering his prayers while seated, I said: ‘I see that you are praying seated. Do you complain of something?’ He said: ‘It is hunger!’


I was in tears, but he said to me: ‘Do not cry, Abu Hurayrah! A person who endures hunger in this life accepting it as God’s will and resigns himself to it will be spared hard questioning and reckoning on the Day of Judgement.’”


Sometimes accusations are levelled at the advocates of Islam, raising doubts about their motives and alleging that they use Islam in order to achieve some worldly gain, such as position, wealth or even good reputation. While ulterior motives could influence people’s actions, even when they claim to serve a noble cause, it is often the case that advocating Islam is associated with enduring hardship, rather than making gains and enjoying benefits. This has been true ever since the first prophet advocated the divine faith. Indeed most prophets endured a hard life. As far as we know, the exceptions are Joseph, who achieved a high position in government after spending several years in prison; Shuayb, who was a prosperous man in an affluent trading community; David and Solomon, who were kings. Today, we find the advocates of Islam being subjected to much hardship and a great variety of pressures. In order to be able to endure such hardship, they need to have some earlier and practical examples, so that they will be reassured that their pre-decessors in Islamic advocacy suffered similar hardship.


The best example is always provided by God’s messenger, Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him). He endured all sorts of hardship, even after he established the first Muslim state in Madinah and was its ruler. During this period, he rarely had enough to eat. Al-Numan ibn Basheer questioned some people who were complaining about various things, saying: “Do you not have whatever you want of food and drink? I have seen your Prophet unable to find a meal of even the worst type of dates.” (Related by Muslim and Al-Tirmidhi.) Umar ibn Al-Khattab makes a similar statement, wondering how people were enjoying life’s comforts in plenty: “I saw the Prophet feeling the pangs of hunger the whole day. He could not have a meal of even the worst type of dates.” (Related by Ahmad and Ibn Majah.) A similar report about the Prophet’s poverty is given by Abu Hurayrah, who says: “I went to the Prophet and found him offering his prayers while seated. I said: ‘I see that you are praying seated. Do you complain of something?’ He said: ‘It is hunger!’ I was in tears, but he said to me: ‘Do not cry, Abu Hurayrah! A person who endures hunger in this life accepting it as God’s will and resigns himself to it will be spared hard questioning and reckoning on the Day of Judgement.’”


Why would the Prophet be left to endure such hard life when he was the man best loved by God? Of course God could have easily provided him with a comfortable life in which he would lack nothing and could enjoy whatever he wished. Islam, however, stresses that a person’s fortunes in this life cannot be considered a measure by which we know his position with God. Indeed, God allows all sorts of people to have any amount of wealth, luxury, position and power. We see criminals enjoying a life of ease, power and luxury. This is by no means an indication of a favourable position with God. What indicates that is the way they use such blessings. By the same token, it is the way the poor and the weak endure their lot that indicates their position with God. A person who uses his wealth and position for the benefit of his family and community, helping those in need, will earn rich reward from God. Similarly, one who endures hardship accepting God’s will and realising that the life to come is the one to mark one’s position with God will have similar rewards. We must always remember that in this life, we all go through a test, which may vary in nature, and it is how we perform in this test that determines our future life.


The Prophet (Pbuh) and his family provide a good example for us to follow. We have numerous reports about the type of life in the Prophet’s homes. These reports indicate that poverty was their lot most of the time. Ahmad relates an authentic Hadith in which Aishah (RA) reports: “One night, Abu Bakr’s family (i.e. her own family) sent us one portion of a lamb’s leg. I held it firm and the Prophet cut it, (or she said that the Prophet held it firm and she cut it).” Her interlocutor asked: “You had a lamp, though?” She said: “Had we had the fat to light a lamp, we would have eaten that.”


Abu Hurayrah reports: “Months could pass by with neither a lamp being lit in any of the Prophet’s homes nor a fire for cooking. If they had some oil, they would apply it to their bodies, and if they had animal fat, they would eat it.”


Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr quotes his aunt, Hazrath Aishah as saying: “By God, we could witness one new moon followed by another and a third, i.e. three new moons in two months, without a fire being lit in any of the Prophet’s homes for cooking.” I said: “Dear aunt! How did you survive?” She said: “On water and dates. However, God’s messenger had certain neighbours from the Ansar who had assigned the milk of some of their sheep, cows and camels to others, and they would send us some of that milk.”


Masrooq reports: “I went to see Aishah, and she ordered some food to be brought for me. Then she said: ‘Whenever I have a full meal I could cry.’ When I asked the reason for that, she said: ‘I remember our situation when God’s messenger passed away. By God, he never had a full meal of bread and meat twice in one day.’” (Related by Al-Tabari.)


These reports, and many other similar ones, give us a clear picture of the sort of life the Prophet was leading at a time when he was the head of the Islamic state, which gradually expanded until it covered the entire Arabian Peninsula at the end of his life. This means that his state included what comprises today’s Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. He could certainly have lived very comfortably, giving his wives and family a very comfortable and luxurious life. But he never took for himself anything other than what was due to the poorest of his people. Thus, he showed by clear example that having all riches of this world does not signify anything special, and living in dire poverty does not detract from anyone’s status with God. What determines such status is one’s own beliefs and actions.

The Prophet (Pbuh) teaches us how to be grateful for every type of blessing we enjoy, even when we have an ordinary meal after being hungry.


When Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) was delivering God’s message and established the first Muslim state, he lived a life of poverty, and his household rarely had enough food. He sought nothing of the luxuries of this world, although he could have had them if he wished. He thus set the example for his companions and future followers, practically showing them that a luxurious life does not indicate any special favour. A poor person could be in a higher position than a whole army of very rich people.


The Prophet’s poverty was at its most acute in Madinah, when the whole Muslim community endured hard times. The Prophet looked after his companions, working hard to alleviate their hardship. An authentic report by Abdullah ibn Abbas mentions that one day Abu Bakr (RA) went out into the mosque in the afternoon when the heat was at its highest. He noticed that Umar (RA) was already there and he asked him why he was in the mosque at such a time (when no prayer was due). Umar said that he came out because he was extremely hungry. Abu Bakr said that he too came for the same reason. In a little while the Prophet came to the mosque and asked them why they were there. He then said to them: “I too came out for no reason other than that. Let us go!”


They walked to Abu Ayyoub’s home. It was Abu Ayyoub’s habit to save some food or milk for the Prophet. On that day, the Prophet did not show up at his usual time. Therefore, Abu Ayyoub gave the food to his family and went into his farm to work. When the Prophet knocked at Abu Ayyoub’s door, his wife said: “Warm welcome to God’s Messenger and those with him.” The Prophet asked: “Where is Abu Ayyoub?” As he was nearby, Abu Ayyoub came quickly and welcomed them warmly. He said: “It is not your usual time.” The Prophet confirmed his remark. Abu Ayyoub went back quickly and brought a large cluster of dates that included a variety of ripe and semi-ripe fruit, as well as some just beginning to ripen. The Prophet said to him: “Why did you do this? You could have brought us some ripe dates.” Abu Ayyoub said: “I would like you to eat of all its variety, and I will also slaughter a goat for you.” The Prophet said: “If you do, then do not slaughter any that is giving milk.”


Abu Ayyoub then slaughtered a male goat, telling his wife to bake some bread. He then cooked half the goat and grilled the other half. When the food was ready it was served to the Prophet and his companions, he took some of the goat meat and put it in a loaf of bread, saying to Abu Ayyoub: “Send this to Fatimah, (his own daughter), for she has not had a meal like this for several days.” Abu Ayyoub sent it to her. When they had their meal, the Prophet remarked: “We have had bread, meat and a variety of dates! This is indeed the sort of joy that you will be questioned about on the Day of Judgement.”


This remark was a reference to the Qur’anic verse that asserts that people will indeed be questioned about the joys and comforts they have in this life. When the Prophet said this, his companions felt it too hard. By our standards today, we can appreciate their feelings. There was nothing extraordinary about their meal, yet the Prophet was asserting that they would be questioned about it. The Prophet comforted them saying: “If you have a meal like this, begin by saying, ‘in the name of God’, and when you have finished, say, ‘all praise is due to God who has given us such plentiful food and graced us with His blessings.’ When you do this, it repays what you have.” Thus the Prophet teaches us how to be grateful for every type of blessing we enjoy, even when we have an ordinary meal after being hungry.