Chapter 3: STAYING AWAY FROM LUXURIES

There is such a wealth of Ahaadith about this aspect of the life of Nabi ﷺ that, it is really difficult to choose a few examples. He said:

“Abstinence (staying away from luxuries) is an asset of a believer.”

Rasulullah ﷺ has said: “My Allah wanted to turn the mountains of Makkah into gold for me, but my dua to Him was; ‘O, Allah! I like to eat one day and feel hungry the next, so that I will make dua to You and remember You when I am hungry and be grateful and thankful to You and praise You when my hunger is gone!’” We claim to follow Nabi ﷺ and are proud of being his followers. Isn’t it very important for us to follow him in practice also?

Once, Nabi ﷺ decided to stay away from his wives for one month as he was unhappy with them about something. For that one month he lived in a separate room upstairs in his house. A rumour began spreading among the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ that Nabi ﷺ had divorced his wives. When Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ heard of this, he came running to the Masjid and found the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ sitting in groups, very worried of Nabi’s ﷺ suffering. He went to his daughter Hafsah رضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهَ , who was a wife of Nabi ﷺ , and found her weeping in her room. He told her: “Why are you weeping now? Have I not warned you not to do anything that will make Nabi ﷺ angry?” He returned to the Masjid and found some of the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ sitting near the mimbar (pulpit) and weeping. He sat there for some time, but could not sit for long because of his concern. He went towards the room where Nabiﷺ was staying. He found Rabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , a slave, sitting on the steps. He asked him to go and ask Nabiﷺ if he would allow Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ to see him. Rabah went inside and came back to tell him that Nabi ﷺ remained silent and said nothing. Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ returned to the Masjid and sat near the mimbar. The worry in his heart would not allow him any rest, and he asked Rabah رضِوالله عَنهُ to ask Nabiﷺ for a second time. Nabi ﷺ did not give any answer this time too. After sitting near the mimbar again, Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked for the third time for permission to see Nabi ﷺ . This time, permission was given. When he was taken inside, he saw Nabi ﷺ lying on a date leaf mat. The pattern of the mat could easily be seen on his handsome body. His pillow was a leather bag filled with the bark of the date tree. Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “I greeted him with Assalaamu Alaykum and asked: ‘Have you divorced your wives, O, Nabi of Allah?’ He answered that he had not done so. Hearing this, I began to say a joke or two; ‘O, Nabi of Allah! We the Quraish have always controlled our women, but the Ansaar of Madinah are controlled by their women. Our women have also got influenced by the women over here.’ I said a few more things which made him smile. I noticed that his room had only three pieces of skin and a handful of barley lying in a corner. I looked about, but I failed to find anything else. I began to weep. He asked; ‘Why are you weeping?’ I replied: ‘O Nabi of Allah! Why should I not weep? I can see the marks of the mat on your body, and I have also noticed all your belongings that you have in this room. O, Nabi of Allah! Make dua that Allah Ta’ala grants us more provisions also. The Persians and the Romans who have no Imaan and do not worship Allah Ta’ala but worship their kings, Caesar and Chosroes, live in gardens with streams but you as the Nabi and accepted slave of Allah Ta’ala live in such poverty!’ Nabi ﷺ was resting against his pillow, but when he heard me talk like this, he sat up and said; ‘O, ‘Umar! Are you still in doubt? Ease and comfort in the Aakhirah is much better than ease and comfort in this world. The kuffaar are enjoying their share of the good things in this world, but we have all wonderful things waiting for us in the next.’ I begged him: ‘O Nabi of Allah! Ask forgiveness for me. I was really in the wrong.’” Look at the few possessions of the beloved Nabi of Allah Ta’ala. See how he scolds Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ when he asks him to make dua for some things of comfort in this world. Somebody asked Aa’ishah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ about the bedding of Nabi ﷺ in her house. She said: “It was just a skin filled with the bark of a date tree.” Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا was asked the same question. She said: “His bedding was a piece of thick cloth, which I double folded under him. Once I folded it four times to make it softer. The next morning he asked me: ‘What did you spread under me last night?’ I replied: ‘The same cloth, but I folded it four times instead of two.’ He said: ‘Keep it as it was before. The extra softness makes it difficult to get up for Tahajjud.’” Now let us look around and see the furniture of our bedrooms. We, who live in so much comfort, instead of being thankful and more obedient to Allah Ta’ala for His gifts, always complain of hard times.

Once, Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , after wiping his nose with a beautiful expensive cloth, told himself: “Look at me! I am cleaning my nose with an expensive cloth today. I remember the time when I used to lie down between the mimbar (pulpit) and the house of Nabi ﷺ . People thought that I was suffering from fits and put their feet on my neck (to try and make me better). But it was no sickness, instead it was pangs of hunger.” Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ had to remain hungry for days at a time. Sometimes he used to get so hungry that he would faint and people would think that he was having fits. It seems that in those days they treated fits by placing their foot on the neck of the patient. Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ is one of those people who suffered from extreme poverty in the early days of Islam. However, he saw better days in his later years. He was very pious and loved performing Nafl Salaah. He had a bag full of date seeds with him. He used these seeds for his Zikr. When the bag was empty, his maid filled it again with date seeds. Somebody was always busy in Salaah in his house during the night. His wife and his servant would take turns with him in performing Salaah.

Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ used to buy and sell cloth (material). After the death of Nabi ﷺ , people selected him as the Khalifah (leader). The next day, with some cloth in his arms, he was going to the market as usual when Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ met him on the way. ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked: “Where are you going to, Abu Bakr?” Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ replied: “To the market.” ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked: “If you get busy with your business, who will do the job of the Khalifah?” Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked: “How am I supposed to feed my family?” ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ suggested: “Let us go to Hadhrat Abu ‘Ubaidah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ (who was in charge of the Baitul Maal) to fix a wage for you from the Baitul Maal.” They both went to Hadhrat Abu ‘Ubaidah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ who fixed a small amount as wages for Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ . He fixed for Abu Bakr an allowance equal to what was usually paid to an average Muhaajir. Once, Hadhrat Abu Bakr’s رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ wife told him: “I would like to eat a sweet dish.”

Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ replied: “I have no money to arrange for the dish.” His wife said: “If you allow me, I shall try to save something daily from our spending, which will one day be enough to buy the ingredients for the sweet dish.” He agreed and a little money was saved in many days. When his wife brought him the money to buy the sweet dish, he said: “It seems that we have received so much more than what we need.” He returned the savings to the Baitul Maal and from then on got his wages cut down by the amount saved by his wife. Hadhrat Aa’ishah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا says: “When Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was chosen as the Khalifah, he told the people: ‘You know that I am a businessman. Now that I have to spend all my time looking after the country, my wages shall, therefore, be paid from the ‘Baitul Maal’.” Hadhrat Aa’ishah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا says: “At the time of his death, Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ instructed me to hand over, to the next Khalifah, all that was given to him from the Baitul Maal for his household needs.” It is said that Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ left no cash after him. Hadhrat Anas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ left behind a she camel used for providing milk, a bowl and a servant.” Some say that he also left a bedding. When all these were given to Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , he remarked: “May Allah Ta’ala show mercy to Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ ! He has set an example for us which is very hard to follow.”

Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ also used to do business. When he was made the Khalifah after Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , he gathered the people and told them: “I earned my money doing business. As you people have now made me the Khalifah, I cannot continue with my business. How will I live?”

Different amounts of money from the Baitul-Maal were suggested by different people. Hadhrat Ali رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ did not speak. ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked him: “O Ali, what is your suggestion?” He replied: “I suggest that you should take an average amount that may be enough for your family.” Hadhrat Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ accepted his suggestion and a moderate amount was fixed as his daily wage. Later on, some people including Hadhrat Ali رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , Hadhrat Usmaan رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , Hadhrat Zubair رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and Hadhrat Talhah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ once felt that Hadhrat ‘Umar’s رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ wages should be increased, as it was not enough for him, but nobody dared to suggest that to Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ .

Some people came to his daughter, Ummul-Mu’mineen Hadhrat Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا , and asked her to find out Hadhrat ‘Umar’s رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ reaction to the suggestion without mentioning their names to him. When Hadhrat Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا talked about it to Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , he became angry and said: “Who are the people making this suggestion?” Hadhrat Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا said: “First let me know your opinion.” Hadhrat‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ replied: “If I knew them, I would slap them on their faces. Hafsah! Just tell me what was Nabi’s ﷺ best clothing in your house?” Hadhrat Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا replied: “It was a pair of reddish brown clothes, which Nabi ﷺ wore on Friday or while receiving some prominent people.” Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked: “What was the best food that Nabi ﷺ ate at your house?”

Hadhrat Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا replied: “The only food we used to eat was simple barley bread. One day I spread the remains of an empty butter tin on a piece of bread which he ate with enjoyment and offered it to others as well.” Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked: “What was the best bedding that Nabi ﷺ ever used in your house?”

Hadhrat Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا replied: “It was a piece of thick cloth. In summer it was spread in four layers, and the winter in two layers, half of which he spread underneath and with the other half he covered himself.” Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ advising Hadhrat Hafsah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا said: “Hafsah! Go and tell these people that Nabi ﷺ has set an example for us which I must follow. My example and that of my other two friends viz., Nabi ﷺ and Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ 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.” Such is the life of the person who was feared by the kings of the world. What a simple life he lived! Once, while reading the Khutbah, it was noticed that his lower clothing had as many as twelve patches, including one of leather. Once he came late for his Jumu’ah salaah and told the people: “Excuse me, people! I got late because I was washing my clothes and had no other clothes to put on.” Once he was having his meal when ‘Utbah bin Abi Farqad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked permission to see him. He allowed him in and invited him to share the food with him. ‘Utbah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ started eating, but the bread was so rough that he could not swallow it. ‘Utbah bin Abi Farqad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked: “Why don't you use fine flour for your bread, ‘Umar?” Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ asked: “Can every Muslim afford fine flour for his bread?” ‘Utbah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ replied, “No. Everybody cannot afford it.” Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ said, “Alas! You wish to fulfil all my pleasures while I am in this world.” There are thousands of such stories about the noble Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ . Everybody should not try to copy them, for we are not as strong as they were and that is why the Sufi Sheikhs of our time do not ask us to do those things which tire the body too much, as the people are already weak. We should however keep the life of the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ as an example before us, so that we may at least give up some of our luxuries and lead a simpler life. With the Sahaabah’s رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ lives as an example, we can at least feel ashamed when competing with one another in running after the luxuries of this world.

Someone asked Hadhrat Bilal رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ how Nabi ﷺ met his expenses. Hadhrat Bilal رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ replied: “He never kept back anything for later. Whenever a poor person, whether hungry or naked came to him, he would send him over to me and I would then arrange for his needs by borrowing money from somebody. This is what usually happened. Once a Mushrik came to me and said: ‘Look here! I have a lot of extra money. Don’t borrow money from anybody else. Whenever you need it, come straight to me.’ I said: ‘This is really fine.’ I began to borrow money from him to meet the needs of Nabiﷺ . One day, after I had made wudhu and was about to call the Azaan, the same Mushrik came with some people and shouted, ‘O, Negro!’ When I went to him, he began to abuse me, using filthy language and said: ‘How many days are left of this month?’ I said: ‘It is about to finish.’ He said most rudely: ‘Look here! There are only four days left of this month. If you fail to clear up your debts by the end of the month, I shall take you as my slave for my money and then you will be grazing sheep as you had been doing before.’ After saying this he went away. I remained very sad and full of grief throughout the day. After Isha Salaah, when Nabi ﷺ was alone, I went and told him the story, saying: ‘O, Nabi of Allah! You have nothing with you, nor can I arrange any money from somewhere so quickly. I am afraid the Mushrik will disgrace me. I therefore intend to keep away until such time that you get enough money to clear the debts.’ I went home, took my sword, shield and shoes and waited for the morning to leave for some other place. Just before dawn, somebody came to me and said. ‘Hurry up! Nabi ﷺ wants to see you.’ I hurried to the Masjid and found four loaded camels sitting near Nabi ﷺ . He said: ‘Good news, Bilal. Allah Ta’ala has made arrangements for clearing your debts. Take these camels with their load. The Chief of Fidak has sent them as a gift to me.’ I thanked Allah Ta’ala and took the camels and cleared up all the debts. In the meantime, Nabi ﷺ kept sitting in the Masjid. When I returned, I said: ‘Alhamdulillah! All the debts are now clear, O, Nabi of Allah.’ He asked: ‘Is there anything left from the gift?’ I said, ‘Yes, something is still left.’ He said, ‘Go and spend that as well. I shall not go home until the whole lot is spent.’ Nabi ﷺ kept sitting in the Masjid all day long. After Isha Salaah he asked again if everything had been spent. I said: ‘Something is still left unspent. A few of the poor have not come as yet.’ He slept in the Masjid that night. The next day after Isha Salaah he again called me and asked: ‘Bilal! Is everything finished now?’ I said: ‘Yes, Allah Ta’ala has blessed you with peace. Everything is now spent and gone.’ Nabi ﷺ began to praise Allah Ta’ala over this news, for he did not like death to come to him while any of the riches were with him. He then went home and met his family." Pious people do not like to keep any wealth with them. How could Nabi ﷺ , being the leader of the pious, like to keep anything with him? It is said of Maulana Abdur Rahim (May Allah have mercy on him), who was a Saint of our time, immediately spent all that he received as gifts from the people and he did not keep anything for himself. A few days before his death, he gave all his clothes to one of his attendants and said: “If I need to wear any clothes in my life, I shall borrow them from you.” I also know about my late father; whenever he had any money left after Maghrib, would give it to one of his creditors,(someone that he was owing money to) as he was several thousand rupees in debt and would say: “I would not like to keep this trouble with me for the night.”

Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “I wish you had seen some of us living on a starvation diet for many days, so much so that we could not even stand straight. Because of hunger, I would lie on my stomach and press my stomach against the ground or keep a stone tied to my stomach. Once, I intentionally sat waiting for some known person to pass that way. As Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ came along, I began to talk to him, intending to continue the talk until we reach his home, where I expected him to invite me to share his meals, as was his habit. But his answer was short, and my plan did not work. The same thing happened with Hadhrat Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , when he passed that way. Next to pass that way was Nabi ﷺ himself. A smile spread over his face when he saw me, for he at once knew why I was sitting there. ‘Come with me, Abu Hurayrah,’ he said, and I went with him to his house. He took me in and a bowl of milk was brought before him. He asked, ‘Who brought this milk?’ and was told that somebody had sent it as a present. He asked me to go and invite all the Suffah friends. The Suffah people were treated as everyone’s guests by all the Muslims. They were such people who had neither family nor home of their own and no means of livelihood. Their number changed all the time, but at that particular time, they were seventy in total. Nabi ﷺ would send them in groups of two or four to the well-to-do Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ as guests. He himself would give them all that came to him as ‘Sadaqah’, and would also share the gifts with them.” Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “When Nabi ﷺ asked me to invite all these people, I became disappointed because the milk was so little that it was not even enough for one person. I knew that Nabi صَلّ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمَ would ask me to serve the milk to the others first and a server is always the last, and usually gets the least. Anyway, out I went, and fetched all of them. Nabi ﷺ told me: ‘Abu Hurayrah, serve the milk to them.’ I took the bowl to each person until he drank to his fill and returned the bowl to me, till all of them were served. Nabi ﷺ then held the bowl in his own hand, smiled at me, and said; ‘Only the two of us are left now!’ ‘Yes,’ I replied. ‘He then requested me to drink.’ I took it and drank. He encouraged me to have more, and I drank to my fill, till I said that I had no space for any more. He then took the bowl, and drank the remaining milk.”

Some people were sitting with Nabi ﷺ when a person passed by. Nabi ﷺ asked the people: “What do you think of this person?” They replied: “O Nabi of Allah! He comes from a good family. By Allah, he is such that if he wants to marry a woman of the most well-known family, she will agree to marry him. If he advises someone, they will listen to him.” Nabi ﷺ remained silent. A little later, another person happened to pass that way and Nabi ﷺ asked the same question to his Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ about that person also. They replied: “O, Nabi of Allah! He is a very poor Muslim. If he wants to marry someone, nobody will marry him. If he makes a suggestion, it will not be accepted. If he talks, few people would listen to him.” Nabi ﷺ then said: “This second person is better than a whole lot of such persons as the first.” Belonging to a good family means nothing to Allah Ta’ala. A poor Muslim, who is not thought of highly and who is not respected much in this world, is much nearer to Allah Ta’ala than hundreds of the so-called important people who, though respected by the worldly people, are far from the path of Allah Ta’ala. It is said in a Hadith: “It will be the end of this world when there will not be a single person remaining to recite the name of Allah Ta’ala. It is by the pure name of Allah Ta’ala that this universe is running.”

A person came to Nabi ﷺ and said: “O Nabi of Allah! I love you very much.” Nabi ﷺ replied: “Think properly before you say this.” The person said: “I have already thought about it. I love you very much, O, Nabi of Allah.” Nabi ﷺ again replied: “Think once again before you say such a thing.” The person again said: “I still love you very much, O, Nabi of Allah.” Nabi ﷺ then said: “Well, if you are true in what you say, then be prepared for difficulties and hard times coming to you from all sides, because it follows all those who love me as quickly as water flows downstream.” That is why we find the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ mostly living a life of poverty. Similarly, the famous Muhaddithin, Sufis and Ulama lived in poverty throughout their lives.

Nabi ﷺ sent an army of three hundred men towards the sea-shore in 8 A.H. The leader was Hadhrat Abu Ubaidah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ . He gave them a bag full of dates as their food. They had been out for fifteen days when they ran short of food. In order to provide the men with food, Hadhrat Qais رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ began buying three camels daily from his own men to feed them, promising to pay them after returning to Madinah. The Amir (leader) stopped him from doing that because they needed the camels for riding. He collected the dates that had been left with each person and stored them in a bag. He would give one date to each man as his daily share. When Hadhrat Jaabir رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ later on mentioned this story to the people, someone asked him: “How did you manage to live on one date only for the whole day?” He replied: “When all the dates were finished, we wished even for that one date. We were facing starvation. We soaked dry tree-leaves with water and ate them.”

When they reached this stage, Allah Ta’ala had mercy on them, for He always brings ease after every hardship, provided it is borne patiently. A big fish known as ‘Ambar’ was thrown out of the sea for them. The fish was so big that they ate from it for eighteen days. They also filled their bags with the leftover, which lasted them right up to Madinah. When this story was told to Nabi ﷺ , he said: “The fish was arranged for you by Allah Ta’ala.” Difficulties and hardships in this world will come to the people of Allah Ta’ala. Nabi ﷺ says: “The hardest tests in this world are for the Ambiyaa ﷺ , then for those who are next to them, and then for those who are the best from the rest.” The test of a person depends on his nearness to Allah Ta’ala. He always makes things easy through His kindness after each test. Look at how much the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ have suffered in the path of Allah Ta’ala. They had to live on leaves of trees, starve and even lose their lives because of our true Deen, which now we fail to preserve.