The Attitude of the Prophet towards Wealth (1/4)

The Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) attitude towards wealth and his behaviour with his family (keeping particularly in mind that he (Peace be upon him) had utmost affection for the Ummah and was its greatest well-wisher and he himself has said: ‘The best among you is he who is good for his household; and among you, I am the best for my household.’ [1]was typically illustrative of the apostolic point of view. It was the attitude of a man to whom the Sublimity and All-powerfulness of the Divine Being was an absolute and self-evident   reality, whose morals were the morals of God and who was permanently solicitous of the Day of Resurrection and Final Judgement. “The Day whereon neither riches nor sons will be of any avail; unless it be he, who shall bring to Allah a whole heart.” [Surah Ash-Shu'ara': 88-89] The holy Prophet was more impatient for the Hereafter than the bird is for the nest after a whole day’s flight. He would exclaim: ‘O God!  There is no joy other than the joy of Futurity.’ [2]Wealth, in his eyes, was of no greater significance than the foam of the sea or the grime of the palm. To him the whole of mankind was the family of Allah and he regarded himself to be the guardian and protector of the orphans, the needy and the destitute. For others he wished ease and comfort, but for his own household, poverty and indigence. It was he who uttered spontaneously the words: ‘I may eat my fill on one day and go without a meal on the other’ [3]and also: ‘O God! Bestow upon the descendents of Mohammad only as much provision as may be necessary to sustain life.’ [4]He candidly conveyed his Lord’s message that was comfort to his eyes and a solace to his heart to his wives:

“O Prophet! Say to your wives: ‘If it be that you seek the life of the world and its adornment, then come, I shall make a provision for you, and shall release you with a handsome release. And if you seek Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter then verily Allah has prepared for the well-doers among you a mighty reward.” [Surah Al-Ahzab: 28-29]

The pious wives of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), on hearing the Allah’s message, opted, without a moment’s hesitation, in favour of living with him (Peace be upon him) and  not  with  their  parents  or  brothers where  every  comfort  and  luxury  was  waiting with extended arms to receive and embrace them.

The Life of the Prophet and his Family

What was the life which the Prophet’s wives had opted for and deemed preferable? Here it is as described by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) with her hereditary truthfulness and her vast personal experience and knowledge. She says:

“The members of the Prophet’s household never had even the barley bread to their fill. Sometimes for an entire month and sometimes for a couple of them no fire burnt in our hearths and we lived only on dates and water.  When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) died there was nothing in our house which a living creature could eat except a piece of bread that was left on a shelf.”[5]

Once Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) paid a visit to the Prophet and found that the prophet was sitting on a mat which had made its impressions on his body. On looking around, he saw nothing except a small water-skin hanging by the wall, a very little quantity of barley and a worn-out mat. Seeing this Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) burst into tears. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked him as to what made him burst into tears. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: O Prophet of God! How could I restrain myself from doing so! Here it is the mat that has made its impressions on your sides. It is all the treasure that I am seeing here that you have while Chosroes of Persia and Caesars of Rome are wallowing in the midst of their gardens of fruits and lakes, though you are the Apostle of Allah. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) remarked: “O Ibne-Khattab! Are you being skeptical? These are the people whom to all the amenities of life and comfort have been given away in this world itself.”[6]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not like to keep, even for a short while, money in excess of his need, in his house. Likewise, he did not allow the goods of charity which were the property of common Muslims to remain with him for a moment. He would not have the peace of mind unless he had them given away.

It is related by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that: “I had, during the Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) terminal illness, six or seven dinars with me. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) commanded me to have them distributed. Because of his illness, I could not find time to do it. Later, he asked me what I had done with those six/seven dinars. I told him   that   owing   to      his   illness   I   was   too preoccupied to think of them. He then sent for them and placing them on the palm of his hand said: ‘What would be the assumption about the Apostle of Allah if he joined Him in such a state when these were lying with him.’[7]

He (Peace be upon him) would not delay at all having all such goods and articles distributed and given away to the deserving. He would not postpone it for some other time. Uqaba Bin Harith states that: Once in Madina I offered my Asr prayers behind the Prophet (Peace be upon him). The moment he had finished the prayer he rushed hurriedly, scaling over the peoples’ shoulders, towards the chamber of some of his wives. The people got very worried because of his haste. Then he came out and felt that the people were greatly amazed at this haste. He then said: ‘I recalled that there was some gold lying in my house. I did not like to pass the night with this thing lying with me. I have, therefore, given instructions to have it distributed.’[8]

This is the morality and the character which the Prophet (Peace be upon him) taught his Companions and guided them to and the entire Ummah. In inducement on expending one’s wealth and possessions in deeds of charity he gave so forceful homilies and  exhortations that, as one reads them, starts wondering if the owner himself really had any claim over whatever is in excess of his needs. After having read these traditions when one looks at his own life and the comfort, ease and luxury he enjoys he is overcome by a feeling of great uneasiness. Everything appears to him unnecessary and superfluous. All these glamorous garments, numerous varieties of food items, luxury cars and vehicles and the abundance of amenities of life all appear to him unfair and unjust; although those advices and exhortations were only by way of inducement and these things are not totally banned by the Shari’ah and the law. But such was the way of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).

“Assuredly there has been an excellent pattern for you in the Messenger of Allah, for him who hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” [Surah Al-Ahzab: 21]

According to a well-authenticated Tradition, the prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “Whoever has a conveyance in excess should give it to one who is without a conveyance. Whoever has a supply of victuals in excess should give it to one who is without a meal.”[9]

He (Peace be upon him) also said, “One who has a meal for two should make a third partake in it; and one who has meal for three should make a fourth partake it.”[10]

Once he (Peace be upon him) said, “He is not a believer in me who, having had his fill, went and slept all the night while his neighbour remained hungry, although he was aware of it.”[11]

Another Tradition has it that: “A man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said, ‘Get me clad, O Allah’s Prophet’. He (Peace be upon him) asked him: ‘Is there no one among your neighbours who has a couple of pairs in excess?’ He said, ‘There are more than one’. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, ‘May then Allah not get you and him together in the Paradise.’[12]

 (Continued)