The Simple Life of Muhammad

(6) The Simple Life of Muhammad r

37

If we compare the life of Muhammad r 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 r

was a false prophet, who claimed prophethood to attain material

gains, greatness, glory, or power.

Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad r had no finan-

cial worries. As a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad r

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     r    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             r   houses.” Her

nephew asked: “O Aunt, what sustained you?” She said: “The

two black things, dates and water, but the Prophet r had some

Ansar neighbors who had milk-giving she-camels and they

used to send the Prophet r some of its milk.”¹

§ Sahl Ibn Sa’ad, one of Muhammad’s         r   companions, said:

“The Prophet of God r did not see bread made from fine flour

from the time God sent him (as a prophet) until he died.”²

§ Aa’isha, Muhammad’s r       wife, said: “The mattress of the

Prophet r, on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with

the fiber of the date-palm tree.”³

§ Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad’s r companions, said

that when the Prophet      r    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 r     lived this hard life till he died although the

Muslim treasury was at his disposal, the greater part of the Arabian

(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2972, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2567.

(2) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #5413, and Al-Tirmizi, #2364.

(3) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2082, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6456.

(4) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2739, and Mosnad Ahmad, #17990.

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38

(6) The Simple Life of Muhammad

Peninsula was Muslim before he died, and the Muslims were

victorious after eighteen years of his mission.

Is it possible that Muhammad            r     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 Mu-

hammad r? 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 r        used to milk his goat,¹mend his

clothes, repair his shoes,²help with the household work,³and visit

poor people when they got sick.⁴He also helped his companions

in digging a trench by moving sand with them.⁵His life was an

amazing model of simplicity and humbleness.

Muhammad’s r     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 person-

ally. Anas, one of Muhammad’s r companions, said that there was

no person whom they loved more than Muhammad r, yet when he

came to them, they did not stand up for him because he hated their

standing up for him,⁶as 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 r 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

(1) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #25662.

(2) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #25517.

(3) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #23706.

(4) Narrated in Mowatta’ Malek, #531.

(5) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3034, and Saheeh Muslim, #1803,

and Mosnad Ahmad, #18017.

(6) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #12117, and Al-Tirmizi, #2754.

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(6) The Simple Life of Muhammad

39

crown you king over us...” Only one concession was required from

Muhammad r 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 Muham-

mad r 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 Qur’an 41:1-38.¹The Following are some of these verses:

( A revelation from (God), the Most Gra-

cious, the Most Merciful; a Book whereof the

verses are explained in detail; a Qur’an in

Arabic, for people who know, giving good

news and warning, yet most of them turn

away, so they do not listen. ) (Qur’an, 41:2-4)

On another occasion and in response to his uncle’s plea to stop

calling people to Islam, Muhammad’s r 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. }²

Muhammad r and his few followers did not only suffer from

persecution for thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill

Muhammad r several times. On one occasion they attempted to

kill him by dropping a large boulder, which could barely be lifted,

on his head.³Another time they tried to kill him by poisoning his

food.⁴What 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?

(1)  Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 293-294.

(2)  Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 265-266.

(3)  Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 298-299.

(4) Narrated in Al-Daremey, #68, and Abu-Dawood, #4510.

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40  (7) The Phenomenal Growth of Islam

(7) The Phenomenal Growth of Islam

At the end of this chapter, it may be appropriate to point out an

important indication of the truth of Islam. It is well known that in

the USA and the whole world, Islam is the fastest-growing relig-

ion. The following are some observations on this phenomenon:

§ “Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and

pillar of stability for many of our people...” (Hillary Rodham

Clinton, Los Angeles Times).¹

§ “Moslems are the world’s fastest-growing group...” (The

Population Reference Bureau, USA Today).²

§ “....Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country.” (Ger-

aldine Baum; Newsday Religion Writer, Newsday).³

§ “Islam, the fastest-growing religion in the United States...”

(Ari L. Goldman, New York Times).⁴

This phenomenon indicates that Islam is truly a religion from

God. It is unreasonable to think that so many Americans and peo-

ple from different countries have converted to Islam without care-

ful consideration and deep contemplation before concluding that

Islam is true. These converts have come from different countries,

classes, races, and walks of life. They include scientists, profes-

sors, philosophers, journalists, politicians, actors, and athletes.

The points mentioned in this chapter constitute only some of

the evidence supporting the belief that the Qur’an is the literal word

of God, that Muhammad r is truly a prophet sent by God, and that

Islam is truly a religion from God.

# # #

(1) Larry B. Stammer, Times Religion Writer, “First Lady Breaks

Ground With Muslims,” Los Angeles Times, Home Edition, Metro

Section, Part B, May 31, 1996, p. 3.

(2) Timothy Kenny, “Elsewhere  in  the  World,”     USA Today, Final

Edition, News Section, February 17, 1989, p. 4A.

(3) Geraldine Baum, “For Love of Allah,” Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk

Edition, Part II, March 7, 1989, p. 4.

(4) Ari L. Goldman, “Mainstream Islam Rapidly Embraced By Black

Americans,” New York Times, Late City Final Edition, February 21,

1989, p. 1.

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(1) The Door to Eternal Paradise

Chapter 2

some benefits of islam

41

Islam provides many benefits for the individual and the soci-

ety. This chapter mentions some of the benefits gained through

Islam for the individual.

(1) The Door to Eternal Paradise

God has said in the Qur’an:

(   And give good news (O Muhammad) to

those who believe and do good deeds, that

they will have gardens (Paradise) in which

rivers flow.... ) (Qur’an, 2:25)

God has also said:

( Race one with another for forgiveness from

your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is

as the width of the heavens and the earth,

which has been prepared for those who be-

lieve in God and His messengers.... ) (Qur’an,

57:21)

The Prophet Muhammad      r   told us that the lowest in rank

among the dwellers of Paradise will have ten times the like of this

world,¹and he or she will have whatever he or she desires and ten

times like it.²Also, the Prophet Muhammad r said: { A space

in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better

than the world and what is in it. }³He also said: { In Paradise

there are things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and

no human mind has thought of. }⁴He also said: { The most

miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will

(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #186, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6571.

(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #188, and Mosnad Ahmad, #10832.

(3) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6568, and Mosnad Ahmad, #13368.

(4) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2825, and Mosnad Ahmad, #8609.

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42

(2) Salvation from Hellfire

be dipped once in Paradise. Then he will be asked: “Son of

Adam, did you ever face any misery? Did you ever experience

any hardship?” So he will say: “No, by God, O Lord! I never

faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship.” }¹

If you enter Paradise, you will live a very happy life without

sickness, pain, sadness, or death; God will be pleased with you;

and you will live there forever. God has said in the Qur’an:

( But those who believe and do good deeds,

We will admit them to gardens (Paradise) in

which rivers flow, lasting in them forever.... )

(Qur’an, 4:57)

(Please visit    www.islam-guide.com/hereafter for more in-

formation on Paradise or the life after death.)

(2) Salvation from Hellfire

God has said in the Qur’an:

(   Those who have disbelieved and died in

disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be

accepted from any of them if one offered it as

a ransom. They will have a painful punish-

ment, and they will have no helpers.               )

(Qur’an, 3:91)

So, this life is our only chance to win Paradise and to escape

from Hellfire, because if someone dies in disbelief, he will not have

another chance to come back to this world to believe. As God has

said in the Qur’an about what is going to happen for the unbelievers

on the Day of Judgment:

( If you could but see when they are set before

the Fire (Hell) and say: “Would that we might

return (to the world)! Then we would not

reject the verses of our Lord, but we would

be of the believers!” ) (Qur’an, 6:27)

But no one will have this second opportunity.

(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.

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(3) Real Happiness and Inner Peace

43

The Prophet Muhammad r said: { The happiest man in the

world of those doomed to the Fire (Hell) on the Day of Judg-

ment will be dipped in the Fire once. Then he will be asked:

“Son of Adam, did you ever see any good? Did you ever expe-

rience any blessing?” So he will say: “No, by God, O Lord!” }¹

(3) Real Happiness and Inner Peace

Real happiness and peace can be

found in submitting to the commands of

the Creator and the Sustainer of this

world. God has said in the Qur’an:

( Truly, in remembering

God do hearts find rest. )

(Qur’an, 13:28)

On the other hand, the one who

turns away from the Qur’an will have a

life of hardship in this world. God has

said:

( But whoever turns away from the Qur’an,²

he will have a hard life, and We will raise him

up blind on the Day of Judgment. ) (Qur’an,

20:124)

This may explain why some people commit suicide while they

enjoy the material comfort money can buy. For example, look at

Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who

used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night. After he

converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he

had not found in material success.³

(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.

(2) i.e. neither believes in the Qur’an nor acts on its orders.

(3) The present mailing address of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), in case

you would like to ask him about his feelings after he converted to

Islam, is: 2 Digswell Street, London N7 8JX, United Kingdom.

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44

(4) Forgiveness for All Previous Sins

To read the stories of people who have converted to Islam,

please visit www.islam-guide.com/stories or refer to the book

entitled Why Islam is Our Only Choice.¹At this web page and in

this book, you can read the thoughts and feelings of these people,

who are from different countries and have different backgrounds

and levels of education.

(4) Forgiveness for All Previous Sins

When someone converts to Islam, God forgives all of his

previous sins and evil deeds.         A man called Amr came to the

Prophet Muhammad r and said: “Give me your right hand so

that I may give you my pledge of loyalty.” The Prophet r

stretched out his right hand. Amr withdrew his hand. The

Prophet r said: { What has happened to you, O Amr? } He

replied: “I intend to lay down a condition.” The Prophet r

asked: { What condition do you intend to put forward? } Amr

said: “That God  forgive my sins.”           The Prophet    r    said:

{ Didn’t you know that converting to Islam erases all previous

sins? }²

After converting to Islam, the person will be rewarded for his

or her good and bad deeds according to the following saying of the

Prophet Muhammad r:       { Your Lord, Who is blessed and ex-

alted, is most merciful. If someone intends to do a good deed

but does not do it, a good deed will be recorded for him. And

if he does do it, (a reward of) ten to seven hundred or many

more times (the reward of the good deed), will be recorded for

him. And if someone intends to do a bad deed but does not do

it, a good deed will be recorded for him. And if he does do it, a

bad deed will be recorded against him or God will wipe it out. }³

# # #

(1) This book is by Muhammad H. Shahid. For a copy of this book,

please visit     www.islam-guide.com/stories          or contact one of the

organizations listed on pages 69-70.

(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #121, and Mosnad Ahmad, #17357.

(3) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #2515, and Saheeh Muslim, #131.

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What Is Islam?      Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

Chapter 3

general information

on islam

What Is Islam?

45

The religion of Islam is the acceptance of and obedience to

the teachings of God which He revealed to His last prophet,

Muhammad r.

Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

1) Belief in God:

Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has

no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped

but Him alone.  He is the true God, and every other deity is false.

He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes.

No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. In the Qur’an, God

describes Himself:

( Say: “He is God, the One. God, to Whom

the creatures turn for their needs. He begets

not, nor was He

begotten,

and

there is none like

Him.” )

(Qur’an, 112:1-4)

No one has the right to

be    invoked,      supplicated,

prayed to, or shown any act

of worship, but God alone.

Chapter 112 of the Qur’an written in Arabic

calligraphy.

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46

Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the

Sustainer of everything in the whole universe. He manages all

affairs. He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His

creatures depend on Him for all that they need. He is the All-Hear-

ing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. In a perfect manner,

His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret,

and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, what

will happen, and how it will happen. No affair occurs in the whole

world except by His will. Whatever He wills is, and whatever He

does not will is not and will never be. His will is above the will of

all the creatures. He has power over all things, and He is able to

do everything. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and

the Most Beneficent. In one of the sayings of the Prophet Muham-

mad r, we are told that God is more merciful to His creatures than

a mother to her child.¹God is far removed from injustice and

tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. If

someone wants something from God, he or she can ask God

directly without asking anyone else to intercede with God for him

or her.

God is not Jesus, and Jesus is not God.²Even Jesus himself

rejected this. God has said in the Qur’an:

(   Indeed, they have disbelieved who have

said: “God is  the Messiah (Jesus), son of

Mary.” The Messiah said: “Children of Is-

rael, worship God, my Lord and your Lord.

Whoever associates partners in worship with

God, then God has forbidden Paradise for

him, and his home is the Fire (Hell). For the

(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2754, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #5999.

(2) It was reported by the Associated Press, London, on June 25, 1984,

that a majority of the Anglican bishops surveyed by a television

program said: “Christians are not obliged to believe that Jesus Christ

was God.” The poll was of 31 of England’s 39 bishops. The report

further stated that 19 of the 31 bishops said it was sufficient to regard

Jesus as “God’s supreme agent.” The poll was conducted by London

Weekend Television’s weekly religious program, “Credo.”

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Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

wrongdoers,¹there will be no helpers.”           )

(Qur’an, 5:72)

God is not a trinity. God has said in the Qur’an:

( Indeed, they disbelieve who say: “God is the

third of three (in a trinity),” when there is no

god but one God. If they desist not from what

they say, truly, a painful punishment will

befall the disbelievers among them. Would

they not rather repent to God and ask His

forgiveness? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most

Merciful. The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary,

was no more than a messenger... ) (Qur’an,

5:73-75)

47

Islam rejects that God rested on the seventh day of the creation,

that He wrestled with one of His angels, that He is an envious

plotter against mankind, or that He is incarnate in any human being.

Islam also rejects the attribution of any human form to God. All

of these are considered blasphemous. God is the Exalted. He is

far removed from every imperfection. He never becomes weary.

He does not become drowsy nor does he sleep.

The Arabic word Allah means God (the one and only true God

who created the whole universe). This word Allah is a name for

God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and

Arab Christians. This word cannot be used to designate anything

other than the one true God. The Arabic word Allah occurs in the

Qur’an more than 2150 times. In Aramaic, a language related

closely to Arabic and the language that Jesus habitually spoke,²

God is also referred to as Allah.

2) Belief in the Angels:

Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they

are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him,

and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who

brought down the Qur’an to Muhammad r.

(1) The wrongdoers include the polytheists.

(2)  NIV Compact Dictionary of the Bible, Douglas, p. 42.

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48

Some Basic Islamic Beliefs

3) Belief in God’s Revealed Books:

Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers

as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these

books is the Qur’an, which God revealed to the Prophet Muham-

mad r. God has guaranteed the Qur’an’s protection from any

corruption or distortion. God has said:

( Indeed, We have sent down the Qur’an, and

surely We will guard it (from corruption). )

(Qur’an, 15:9)

4) Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:

Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God,

starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac,

Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). But God’s final

message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was

revealed to the Prophet Muhammad r. Muslims believe that

Muhammad r is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:

( Muhammad is not the father of any one of

your men, but he is the Messenger of God and

the last of the prophets... ) (Qur’an, 33:40)

Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were

created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.

5) Belief in the Day of Judgment:

Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resur-

rection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment

according to their beliefs and deeds.

6) Belief in Al-Qadar:

Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination,

but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human

beings do not have freewill. Rather, Muslims believe that God has

given human beings freewill. This means that they can choose

right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.

The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four

things: 1) God knows everything. He knows what has happened

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Is There Any Sacred Source Other than the Qur an?      Examples of the Prophet Muhammad s     Sayings                                 49

and what will happen. 2) God has recorded all that has happened

and all that will happen. 3) Whatever God wills to happen hap-

pens, and whatever He wills not to happen does not happen.

4) God is the Creator of everything.

(Please visit www.islam-guide.com/beliefs for more infor-

mation on basic Islamic beliefs.)