Life of earlier Muslims

Article Submitted By Fahad Zafar | 21-Jul-2012 | Views: 800

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The followers of Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alaihe Wasallam), while eating out best of the dishes in Ramadhaan do every think how our beloved Prophet Muhammad(Salla Allahu Alaihe Wasallam) normally had in meals ? We shamelessly complaint of the want of luxurious life style.

A While reading the following lines in your cosy apartments do you Not going into detail let's have a look at some reports :-

Aa'isha, (Radhi Allahu anha) Muhammad's (Salla Allahu Alaihe Wasallam) 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."
Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2972, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2567

Sahl Ibn Sa'ad, (Radhi Allahu anhu )one of Muhammad's (Salla Allahu Alaihe Wasallam) 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." Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #5413, and Al-Tirmizi, #2364

Aa'isha, (Radhi Allahu anha )Muhammad s (Salla Allahu Alaihe Wasallam) wife, said, "The mattress of the Prophet , on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree." - Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2082, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6456

Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, (Radhi Allahu anhu )one of Muhammad's (Salla Allahu Alaihe Wasallam) 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. - Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2739, and Mosnad Ahmad, #17990

Muhammad P.B.U.H had this life despite the fact that a greater part of the Arabian Peninsula was under his disposal
We at our home, can't even have a glass of water for us , cant polish our shoe , cant do a lot of small things because we follow a person Muhammad P.B.U.H.

who used to milk his goat,
Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #25662

mend his clothes, repair his shoes,
Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #25517

help with the household work, and
Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #23706

visit poor people when they got sick.
Narrated in Mowatta' Malek, #531

He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with them. .
Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3034, and Saheeh Muslim, #1803, and Mosnad Ahmad, #18017
Can we find any resemeblance of such simplicity in our lives?

LIFE OF SAHABA

1... Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri: Allah's Apostle (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) said, "The thing I am afraid of most for your sake, is the worldly blessings which Allah will bring forth to you." It was said, "What are the blessings of this world?" The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)said, "The pleasures of the world." A man said, "Can the good bring forth evil?" The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)kept quiet for a while till we thought that he was being inspired divinely. Then he started removing the sweat from his forehead and said," Where is the questioner?" That man said, "I (am present)." Abu Sa'id added: We thanked the man when the result (of his question) was such. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) said ..

"Good never brings forth but good. This wealth (of the world) is (like) green and sweet (fruit), and all the vegetation which grows on the bank of a stream either kills or nearly kills the animal that eats too much of it, except the animal that eats the Khadira (a kind of vegetation). Such an animal eats till its stomach is full and then it faces the sun and starts ruminating and then it passes out dung and urine and goes to eat again. This worldly wealth is (like) sweet (fruit), and if a person earns it (the wealth) in a legal way and spends it properly, then it is an excellent helper, and whoever earns it in an illegal way, he will be like the one who eats but is never satisfied."
Volume 8, Book 76, Number 435 Sahih Bukhari

2... 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) lived by trade before becoming Khalifah. When he was made Khalifah after Abu Bakr (Radhi Allahu Anhu), he assembled the people and said to them: "I earned my living through trade. As you people have engaged me as Khalifah, I cannot attend to my business. Now, what about my living?" Different amounts of daily allowance from the Bait-ul-Mal were suggested by different people, but Ali (Radhi Allahu Anhu) did not speak.. 'Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu inquired of him: "Oh Ali what is your suggestion?" He replied: I suggest that you should take such amount as may be on average be sufficient for your family." 'Umar Radhi Allahu Anhu accepted his suggestion and a moderate amount was fixed as his daily allowance. Later on, some people including Ali, 'Uthman, Zubair and Talhah (Radiyallaho 'anhum) once proposed that 'Umar's allowance might be increased, as it was hardly sufficient for him, but nobody dared to suggest that to 'Umar. People approached Ummul-momineen Hafsah (Radhi Allahu Anha), 'Umar's daughter, and requested her to ascertain 'Umar's reaction to the suggestion without mentioning their names to him. When Hafsah Radhi Allahu Anha talked about it to 'Umar, he became angry and said, "Who are the persons making this suggestion?" Hafsah said, "Let me first know your opinion." 'Umar said, "If I knew them, I would smite them on their faces Hafsah! Just tell me what was the Prophet's (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) best dress in your house?" Hafsah replied, "It was a pair of reddish brown clothes, which the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) wore on Friday or while receiving some envoy."
'Umar then asked, "What was the best of food that the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) ever took at your house?" Hafsah replied, "Simple barley bread was the only food we used to take. One day I anointed a piece of bread with the sediments from an empty butter tin, and he ate it with relish and offered it to others as well."
'Umar asked again, "What was the best bedding that the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)ever used in your house?" Hafsah again replied, "It was a piece of thick cloth. In the summer it was spread in four layers, and in the winter in two, half he spread underneath and with the other half he covered himself."
'Umar said, "Hafsah! Go and tell these people that the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) has set a standard by his personal example. I must follow him. My example and that of my other two companions, the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) and Abu Bakr (ra) is like that of three men travelling on the same road. The first man started with a provision and reached the goal. The second followed the first and joined him. Now the third is on his way. If he follows their way, he will also join them, otherwise he can never reach them."
Source: From "Fada'il al 'Amaal by Shaykhul Hadith Muhammad Zakariyya Kaandhlawi.
3... One day 'Umar ibn al-Khattab Radhi Allahu anhu came into the house of the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)to find him lying on a simple mattress which left its marks on his body. Umar started to sob. 'Why are you crying? O 'Umar', said the Prophet. (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)'I thought of Caesar and Chosroes sitting on thrones of gold, wearing silk. And you are the messenger of Allah, yet here you are sitting on this simple mattress.'
'O Umar', said the Prophet, (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)'are you not satisfied that they have this world and we have the next?'
Source: "Sunshine at Madinah" - Zakaria Bashier, p. 154

4... Umar (Radhi Allahu anhu ) once entered Prophet Muhammad's (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)house and noticed the state of the furnishings in it. Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) himself had only one sheet of cloth round him to cover the lower part of his body. There was one simple bed with one pillow filled with nut fiber. On one side of the room was some barley and in one corner near his feet was an animal skin. There were some water-skins hanging beside his bed. `Umar said that on seeing this tears came into his eyes. Allah's Messenger asked the reason for his tears. He replied..

"O Allah's Messenger! Why shouldn't I cry! The strings of the bed have left marks on your body. This is a small room with all your furniture, I can see what there is. The Byzantine Emperor and the Persian Emperor enjoy luxurious living while you, the Messenger of Allah and the Chosen One, live like this."
He said, "Ibn al-Khattab! Don't you like that they choose this world and we choose the Hereafter?"
5... Narrated Asma' bint Abu Bakr: Radhi Allahu anha
When Az-Zubair married me, he had no real property or any slave or anything else except a camel which drew water from the well, and his horse. I used to feed his horse with fodder and drew water and sew the bucket for drawing it, and prepare the dough, but I did not know how to bake bread. So our Ansari neighbors used to bake bread for me, and they were honorable ladies. I used to carry the date stones on my head from Zubair's land given to him by Allah's Apostle (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)and this land was two third Farsakh (about two miles) from my-house.

One day, while I was coming with the date stones on my head, I met Allah's Apostle (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)along with some Ansari people. He called me and then, (directing his camel to kneel down) said, "Ikh! Ikh!" so as to make me ride behind him (on his camel).

I felt shy to travel with the men and remembered Az-Zubair and his sense of Ghira, as he was one of those people who had the greatest sense of Ghira. Allah's Apostle (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) noticed that I felt shy, so he proceeded.

I came to Az-Zubair and said, "I met Allah's Apostle (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)while I was carrying a load of date stones on my head, and he had some companions with him. He made his camel kneel down so that I might ride, but I felt shy in his presence and remembered your sense of Ghira (envy). On that Az-Zubair said, "By Allah, your carrying the date stones (and you being seen by the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)in such a state) is more shameful to me than your riding with him." (I continued serving in this way) till Abu Bakr sent me a servant to look after the horse, whereupon I felt as if he had set me free.
Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 151

6... Usama Bin Zayd, Radhi Allahu anhu who lived in Medina in the reign of Uthman, the third Caliph, was very obedient to his mother and did everything possible to please her, and to serve her and bring her joy and comfort.

But one day, something his mother asked for created a problem. She wanted a drink of juice from the trunk of their palm tree. In those days, palm trees were the people's most precious possession and if juice was taken from it, the palm tree would lose its value and become barren and bear no fruit...
Usama, although not wanting to damage the palm tree, could not refuse his mother the juice of the palm tree. So, he took out a sharp knife and sank the blade of the knife in the palm tree. The juice began to flow out at once.

Several people passing by crowded around Usama and started asking if he had lost his mind to damage his tree, but Usama remained calm knowing he had done the right thing.

My mother wants the juice of this tree to drink. Nothing is more precious to me than to grant my mother?s wishes. It does not matter that the palm tree is valuable. As long as I am able to do so, I will always fulfill my mother?s desires??

We command man, Be kind to parents; In pain did his mother bear him, And in pain she gave birth to him, His bearing and weaning took thirty months.
Al-Ahqaf: 15

7... Although Asmaa's father, Abu Bakr (Radhi Allahu anhu), was a very devout Muslim and always took care to live by the laws of Allah, he had not been able to persuade Asmaa?s mother to share his faith. She was still a Kafir (those who refuse to submit to the One God, or a disbeliever) . She was a paganist who worshipped idols.

Asmaas mother was coming to see her in Madina. Seven years had passed since Asmaa had migrated from Makkah, and that was a very long time for mother and daughter to be parted. Naturally, Asma?a was anxious to see her mother again, but the problem remained, that her mother was a Kafir.
She is my mother?, Asmaa thought to herself. ?She is traveling a long way to see me and the journey is a hard one. I should welcome her with open arms and show her all the love that is due to a mother. And yet, she is a kafir as well. How can I welcome a kafir with love and joy??
Asmaa thought about this problem for some time and decided that the only solution was to go to the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) and ask his advice.

I do not know what I should do, O Prophet! (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam) Asma?a said when she came before him. ?My mother is coming to Madina to visit me, but she is not a Muslim. She still worships idols and does not see that the only right way is to submit to Allah. I do not know whether I ought to receive her and welcome her to my home with gladness in my heart. I do not know what I should do.?

The Blessed Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihe wasallam)said with a smile, The answer is simple. She is your mother. You must receive her and do good to her.
Even though she is not a Muslim?? asked Asmaa.

She is still your mother. Of course you must treat her kindly when she arrives, and you must give her all her rights, all that is due to her. If she had fought against you being a Muslim, or thrown you out of your home because of your faith, that would be a different matter. But since your mother has never done that to you, Allah enjoins that you must be just and kind to her and love her as a daughter should.

Should your parents command you to worship along with Me Anything of which you have no knowledge Then obey them not; But keep their company in kindness; And follow those who turn to Me Luqman: 15

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