If we compare the life of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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 (صلى الله عليه و سلم) was a false prophet, who claimed prophet hood to attain material gains, greatness, glory, or power.
Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) had no financial worries. As a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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 (May Allah be pleased with her) , Muhammad's 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 (صلى الله عليه و سلم) houses." Her nephew asked, "O Aunt, what sustained you?" She said, "The two black things, dates and water. And the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) had some Ansar neighbors (from the Supporters) who had a "milk-giving" she-camel and they used to send the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) some of its milk." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
- Sahl Ibn Sa'ad, one of Muhammad's (صلى الله عليه و سلم) companions,said, "The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) did not see bread made from fine flour from the time Allah sent him (as a prophet) until he died." (Al-Bukhari and Al-Tirmithi)
- Aa'isha said, "The mattress of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم), on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad's (صلى الله عليه و سلم)companions, said that when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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.( Al-Bukhari and Mosnad Ahmad)
Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) lived this hard life till he died although the Muslim treasury was at his disposal, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula was Muslim before he died, and the Muslims were victorious after eighteen years of his mission.
Is it possible that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) might have claimed prophet hood 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 Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)? 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 (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, repair his shoes, help with the household work, and visit the poor and the sick people. He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with them. His life was an amazing model of simplicity and humbleness.
Muhammad's (صلى الله عليه و سلم) followers loved him, respected him, and trusted him to an amazing extent. Yet he continued to emphasize that deification should be directed to Allah and not to him personally. Anas,(May Allah be pleased with him) one of prophets (صلى الله عليه و سلم) companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم), yet he did not allow them to stand up for him as other people do with great personalities.
Long before there wasn't any prospect of success for Islam (in the eyes of the polytheists) and at the outset of a long and painful era of torture, suffering, and persecution of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) ) 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 crown you king over us..."
Only one concession was required from Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) in return for that, to give up calling people to Islam and worshiping Allah alone without any partner. Wouldn't this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly benefit? Was Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) 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 Quran 41:1-38. The Following are some of these verses:
"A revelation from (Allah), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; a Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Quran in Arabic, for people who know, giving good news and warning, yet most of them turn away, so they do not listen." (Quran, 41:2-4)
On another occasion and in response to his uncle's plea to stop calling people to Islam, Muhammad's(صلى الله عليه و سلم) answer was as decisive and sincere: "I swear by the name of Allah, 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 the Almighty Allah makes it triumph or I perish defending it."
Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and his few followers did not only suffer from persecution for thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) several times. On one occasion they attempted to kill him by dropping a large boulder, which could barely be lifted, on his head.
Another time they tried to kill him by poisoning his food.
What 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?
Source: www.islam-guide.com
No comments:
Post a Comment