Zuhd is an often misunderstood term, most probably because among certain people- namely certain followers of Sufi orders-it is taken to an extreme; or it is understood only on a superficial level. In the Arabic language a Zahid -one who practices Zuhd- is someone who is abstemious, austere, and self denying in his life style. As an Islamic term a Zahid is someone who abjures worldly pleasures and comforts for the sake of Allah and because through leading a self denying existence in this life he hopes to enjoy a comfortable and pleasure-filled life in the hereafter.
Suffice it to say, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was the imam (the leader)of all Zahids. His Zuhd was based on his certain knowledge that this world is a fleeting abode: Its pleasures are few, limited and temporary; and life passes by so quickly that all people who live to be old agree that their lives went by quickly, that it seemed only yesterday that they were children. Such a life, therefore, cannot be compared to the everlasting life of the hereafter.
The Prophet(Peace be upon him) kept his sight focused on the hereafter being very cognizant of what Allah has prepared for his believing slaves in terms of rewards, comforts, pleasures and eternal bliss. As such, he refused to take from this world anything that was above and beyond his basic needs. He (Peace be upon him) understood that the more he possesses in this life the more attached one becomes to this world.
The prophet (Peace be upon him) was a Zahid not by force of circumstances, but by choice. As the leader of a Nation, but moreover as a favored and beloved Prophet of Allah, he (Peace be upon him) could have had mountains of gold and silver; he (Peace be upon him) could have led a luxurious and a comfortable lifestyle. He (Peace be upon him) only had to ask Allah and he would have been given great wealth. But he (Peace be upon him) preferred to follow the way of Zuhd, to save his share of good things for the hereafter. As a result of that choice, he(Peace be upon him) spent many nights of his life hungry; at times, at least a month would pass by without a cooking fire being ignited in his house. During such periods of hardships, he (Peace be upon him) would either go hungry for days or he (Peace be upon him) and his family would survive on water and dates. As one of his wives, stated it never occurred that he (Peace be upon him) ate a satisfying amount of barley bread for three consecutive nights. He (Peace be upon him) would sleep not on a real mattress, but on a makeshift bed that was made of straw, one that would leave mark on his side of his body. On various occasions of his life he (Peace be upon him) would stave off the pangs of hunger by tying a rock around his stomach. His companions who themselves suffered frequently from want were often saddened to see the sign of hunger on the prophets (Peace be upon him) face.
As for the prophets house, it was neither of bricks, nor cement, nor any other strong resistant and long lasting material; it was, on the contrary, made of simple clay. It was small and its roof was low. And rather than depend on the help of his companions the prophet (Peace be upon him) once left his armor as a collateral with a Jew so that he would borrow from him thirty Sa's of dates. (A single Sa’ is equal to four handful of something). His clothing was simple and plain, and never once did he sat at a dining table to eat. He underwent such hardships in order to discipline his soul, to preserve his faith ant to be deserving of the promise that Allah made to him:
[And verily, your Lord will give (all,i.e,.good)so that you shall be well-pleased](Quran 93:5)
Upon receiving wealth (such as certain kinds of war booty), the prophet (peace be upon him) would distribute it among the people, without keeping a simple dirham for himself. If he (Peace be upon him) hoped that certain people would embrace Islam, he (Peace be upon him) would, in order to encourage them, give them all of the camels, cows and sheep in his possession. And he (Peace be upon him) would walk away without keeping a single camel, cow or sheep for himself. He(Peace be upon him) once said” If I had wealth that was equal in quantities to the tress of tihamah(i.e., a very large sum of wealth), I would have distributed it, and you would not find me to be miser, a liar ,or a coward (regarding the manner I would liberally give away all of that wealth)
In the way he (Peace be upon him) turned from this world, without rejoicing in its treasures or enjoying its pleasures; and in the way he focused on the hereafter, performing deeds purely for the sake of Allah. The prophet (Peace be upon him) became the ideal model for all zahids, and more generally for all Muslims. Even though he (Peace be upon him) had the wealth of a nation at his disposal, and even though his companions would have given him all of their wealth if he (Peace be upon him) had only asked, he (Peace be upon him) built no castle and saved no money. When he (Peace be upon him) died he (Peace be upon him) left hardly any material possessions behind. And whatever he (Peace be upon him) leave behind was embarked for charity, for he said “We (we group of Prophets) are not inherited from; whatever we leave behind is charity”.
Source: Muhammad(Peace be upon him) as if you can see him by 'A'id ibn 'Abdullah al-Qarni/ Translated by Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq
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