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The Islamic Worldview

Did the Prophet (pbuh) choose a simple life or forced to live simply?

Conclusion

The sources point to both, but choice is the stronger theme. The Qur'an says God could have given the Prophet palaces, and his household was offered worldly comfort and turned it down (Q3, Q5). When wealth did reach him, he gave it away to others rather than keep it. The sources also record real scarcity at times: A'isha says they never ate their fill of dates until Qurayza was conquered (C1).

Reflection & guidance

  1. Meaning

    The simple life here means zuhd: not having nothing, but not craving the world. Al-Mubarakfuri defines it as leaving desire for this world as the Qur'an and Sunnah require. C2

  2. Guidance from the Qur'an

    God tells the Prophet not to look longingly at the luxuries given to others, calling them a passing 'glamour' and a test, and says 'the bounty of your Lord is much better and more lasting'. Ibn Kathir adds that God had given the Prophet something better: the Qur'an. Q4T4

  3. Guidance from the Sunnah

    The Prophet lived this out for his whole time in Medina: his household rarely had its fill even of plain bread. H4

  4. Guidance from the scholars

    Ibn Kathir relates that 'Umar wept on finding the Prophet lying on a straw mat while the emperors of Persia and Rome (Kisra and Caesar) lived in luxury. Al-Tabari reads the Prophet's hunger as a choice to give to others first; Ibn Hajar adds that genuine scarcity was part of it too. T4C1

Sources

Qur'an & Tafsir

Summary

The Qur'an says God could have given the Prophet gardens and palaces in this world had He willed. His household was offered the world's comforts and chose instead to live with him in hardship. Together these show his simple life was not simply a lack of options. Q3T3Q5T5

Key points

  • When the disbelievers asked why he had no treasure or garden, God answered that He could give him better, 'gardens beneath which rivers flow… and palaces'. Al-Jalalayn says God had already willed to give him these in the Hereafter. Q3T3
  • The Prophet was told to offer his wives the choice: leave him with a generous parting gift, or stay. Ibn Kathir says they chose to bear 'the straitened circumstances' with him for the reward of the Hereafter. Q5T5

References

  • Q3Al-Furqan 25:10 · The Criterion
  • Q5Al-Ahzab 33:28 · The Combined Forces
  • T3Al-Jalalayn on 25:10
  • T5Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 33:28

Sunnah

Summary

A'isha reports that from the move to Medina until the Prophet died, his family never ate their fill of wheat bread for three days in a row (sahih, al-Bukhari). H4H3

Key points

  • Another sahih report from A'isha says they never ate their fill even of barley bread, the cheaper grain, until he died. H3

References

  • H3Sunan Ibn Majah 3346 · Chapters on Food
    Authenticity
    • Sahih Al-Albani
    • Sahih Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi
    • Sahih Shuaib Al Arnaut
    • Sahih Muslim Zubair Ali Zai
  • H4Sahih al Bukhari 6454 · To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq)
    Authenticity
    • Sahih — the whole collection is accepted as authentic (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Hadith Commentaries

Summary

Ibn Hajar reports a debate on this very point. Al-Tabari held that the hunger came by choice, not from want. Ibn Hajar says there were also real times of scarcity. C1

Key points

  • Al-Tabari's evidence for choice: the Prophet set aside a year's food for his family; he shared out a thousand camels among four people; he sacrificed a hundred camels and fed them to the poor; and wealthy Companions such as Abu Bakr and 'Uthman put their money at his disposal. He concluded that the Prophet's household went hungry 'not from need or hardship', but sometimes to give to others first (ithar) and sometimes out of dislike for eating one's fill. C1
  • Ibn Hajar says al-Tabari's flat denial of need 'is open to question'. He cites A'isha: 'whoever tells you we used to eat our fill of dates has lied', until the conquest of the Jewish tribe of Qurayza brought them some dates and fat. He also notes that this way of living lasted through all ten years in Medina. C1
  • Al-Mubarakfuri defines zuhd (detachment from the world) as the opposite of desire: giving up craving for this world as the Qur'an and Sunnah require. C2

References

  • C1Fath al-Bari on Sahih al-Bukhari 6454 · Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, vol. 11 p. 290
  • C2Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi on Jami' al-Tirmidhi 2300 (part 2 of 2) · al-Mubarakfuri, vol. 6 p. 480
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