Chapter on Stories Narrated Concerning Asceticism in the World, Patience in its Severe Hardships, Choosing the Hereafter, and what Allah has Prepared for a Person in it, in Accordance with His Lord's Command

In this chapter, it is mentioned how one should practice asceticism in this world, have patience in facing its severe difficulties, prefer the Hereafter, and consider what Allah has prepared for them in it, as this is what their Lord has commanded. Allah, exalted is He, says: "And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring." (Qur'an, 20:131)

The Story of Choosing Between Prophethood and Kingship

It is narrated that a choice was presented between being a servant-prophet and a king-prophet. The angel Jibril was consulted, who advised choosing humility. The person then opted to be a servant-prophet. This showcases the virtue of humility and service in prophethood.

Narrators of the Hadith:

• Abu al-Husayn ibn al-Fadl al-Qattan from Baghdad
• Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Durustawayh
• Ya'qub ibn Sufyan
• Abu al-Abbas Haywah ibn Shurayh

Details about Al-Zubaydi:

Al-Zubaydi, whose full name is Muhammad ibn al-Walid ibn Amir al-Imam al-Hafiz, was born during the reign of Abdul Malik. He was known for his knowledge of jurisprudence and hadith. His narrations were trusted and he was highly regarded among his contemporaries.

The Interaction Between the Prophet Muhammad and the Angel Gabriel

Introduction

In a narration from Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abbas, it is recounted that Ibn Abbas used to tell a story about an encounter between Allah and the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, involving the Angel Gabriel. This narrative sheds light on the Prophet's choice between being a king-prophet or a servant-prophet.

The Encounter

A messenger from the angels, accompanied by Angel Gabriel, appeared before the Prophet and conveyed to him that Allah wanted to inform him of the option to be either a king-prophet or a servant-prophet. The angel suggested the Prophet be humble, to which Gabriel pointed towards Muhammad, emphasizing humility. Despite the choice, the Prophet Muhammad confirmed his decision to remain a servant-prophet.

Conclusion

After this declaration, the Prophet did not recline and eat food until he met his Lord. This incident highlights the humility and devotion of the Prophet Muhammad to his divine mission.

References

• Al-Bukhari mentioned this incident in "Al-Tareekh Al-Kabeer" (1:1:124).
• The narration's authenticity is confirmed in Ibn Kathir's "Al-Bidaya Wal-Nihaya" (6:48).
• This incident is also narrated in Ahmad's Musnad (2:231).

Translation of Classical Arabic Text

Abd al-Razzaq reported:

Ma'mar informed us, from al-Zuhri, from Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Thawr, from Ibn Abbas, from Umar ibn al-Khattab in this story. He said: "I sat down, raised my head in the house, and by Allah I did not see anything that would divert my attention except three wrinkled dates. So I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, pray that Allah expands his mercy upon your nation, as he has expanded upon the Persians and the Romans, who do not worship Allah.' So he sat upright and said, 'Are you in doubt, O Ibn al-Khattab? Those are people to whom their good things were hastened in the worldly life.' I said, 'I seek forgiveness from Allah, O Messenger of Allah.'"

Al-Zuhri stated:

Urwah informed me, from Aisha, she said: "When twenty-nine nights had passed, the Messenger of Allah came to me. He started with me, and I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you swore not to visit us for a month, but you came to me after twenty-nine nights.' He said, 'Indeed, the month is twenty-nine nights.' Then he said, 'O Aisha, I want to discuss something with you, so do not rush in it until you consult your parents.' She said, 'Then he recited the verse, 'O Prophet, tell your wives, "If you desire the worldly life and its adornment, come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release; But if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter, then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward."' She said, 'By Allah, my father never commanded me to leave the Prophet.' I said, 'Should I consult my parents in this matter? For I seek Allah, His Messenger, and the home of the Hereafter.' This hadith was reported by Muslim in Sahih, from Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, from Abd al-Razzaq."

Translation of a Hadith on Contentment

Chain of Transmission

Narrated by Imam Abu al-Tayyib Sahl ibn Muhammad ibn Sulayman, he said: Isma'il ibn Nujayd ibn Ahmad ibn Yusuf al-Sulami informed us, who said: Muhammad ibn Ayyub ibn Yahya al-Bajali told us, who said: Sahl ibn Bakkar narrated to us, who said: Mubarak ibn Fadala related to us, from al-Hasan, from Anas ibn Malik, who said: "I entered upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he was lying on a stripped bed with a leather stripe. Under his head was a pillow made of skins filled with fibers. Umar entered along with others from his companions. The Prophet shifted a bit and Umar saw the marks of the bed on his side, so he cried. The Prophet said to him, 'What makes you cry, O Umar?' Umar said, 'Why should I not cry, while Kisra and Caesar are leading a luxurious life whereas you, O Prophet, live in this condition?' The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, 'O Umar, wouldn't you be pleased to have this world for them and the Hereafter for us?' Umar said, 'Yes.' The Prophet said, 'That is how it is.'

Continuation of the Hadith

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Furak narrated to us, he said: Abdullah ibn Ja'far al-Asbahani informed us, who said: Yunus ibn Habib told us, who said: Abu Dawud narrated to us, who said: al-Masuudi reported to us, from Amr ibn Murrah, from Ibrahim, from Alqamah, from Abdullah, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, lay down on a mat, and the mark of the mat was visible on his skin. I began to rub it off and say, 'By my parents, O Messenger of Allah, why don't you permit us to spread something for you to sleep on to protect you from it?'

The Prophet's Words on Contentment

There was a saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about contentment:

"What have I to do with this world? What have I to do with this world? I am like a rider who rests in the shade of a tree, then goes on and leaves it." (Narrated by Ibn Wahb in Sahih al-Bukhari)

This hadith emphasizes the transient nature of the world and the importance of contentment with what one has.

The Prophet's Desire for Contentment

The Prophet said, "If I had the equivalent of Uhud in gold, it would not please me to have it with me for three nights without spending some of it on a debt. Whatever I own, I would rather pay it off." (Narrated by Ahmad ibn Shabeeb)

This reflection by the Prophet highlights the value of using one's wealth wisely and not hoarding it.

Hadith on Sustenance

Reported by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him)

In a chain of narration all the way back to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), it is reported that he said, "O Allah, provide the family of Muhammad with sustenance." This hadith is narrated by Muslim in Sahih from Al-Ashajj from Abu Usamah. Another narration from Fudayl ibn Ghazwan reports this from Umarah.

Reported by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)

Aisha said that the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him) never had their fill since coming to Madinah for three consecutive nights, surviving on dates alone, as narrated by Muslim in his book on Zakat.

This hadith is also found in Sahih Bukhari in the Book of Riqq, describing the simple and selfless lifestyle of the Prophet and his companions. Additionally, it is in Ibn Majah's Book of Asceticism, and Imam Ahmad's Musnad.

Translation of Classical Islamic Arabic Text

Until His Death:

Yusuf informed us, Abu Al-Rabi informed us, Ja'ir reported to us from Mansur with a similar chain of narration. They both narrated this in Sahih from the hadith of Ja'ir ibn 'Abd al-Hameed.

Not Satiated:

Abu Muhammad Yusuf informed us, Abu Sa'id ibn Al-'Arabi informed us that Muhammad ibn Sa'id ibn Ghalib narrated to us that Abu Mu'awiyah reported from Al-'Amash, from Ibrahim, from Al-Aswad, from 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not have his fill for three consecutive days until he passed away." This narration is reported by Muslim through Is'haq from Abu Mu'awiyah.

Other Narrations:

Various hadiths are also reported by Al-Bukhari in different chapters related to the Prophet's diet and lifestyle.

The Practice of Prophet Muhammad's Household During Hardships

Narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)

Aisha reported: "We would bring the 'kurah' (flatbreads) fifteen days after they were made and eat them. I asked, 'Why do you do so?' She laughed and said: 'The family of Muhammad (peace be upon him) never filled their bellies with barley bread until they met Allah.' (Bukhari)

Additional Narration

It was narrated that Aisha said: 'During challenging times, we only had dates and water to consume. However, we had neighbors among the Ansar who would send their utensils filled with their share of food to the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet would then feed us from that milk.' (Tirmidhi)

Translation of Classical Arabic Text

Hadith on the Frugality and Simple Living of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

It was narrated in Sahih Muslim that Hudbah said: We used to visit Anas bin Malik, and his servant Khubbaz would stand up. Anas would say: "Eat," so the Prophet, peace be upon him, never saw two thin loaves of bread together, nor did he ever see a sheep butchered specifically for him."

Additional Narrations

Imam Ahmad and Imam al-Bukhari narrated a similar hadith through different chains. Anas bin Malik reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not eat (exclusively) on a dining mat or a raised platform. Anas was asked: "So how did they used to eat?" He replied: "While traveling."

The Prophet's Simple Diet

Narrated by Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her):

"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never filled his stomach with barley bread for two consecutive days until he passed away."

Source:

This narration is found in Sahih Muslim and was reported by Shu'bah.

Narration by Umar ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him):

Umar mentioned that he saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) wrapping his stomach out of hunger, unable to find enough poor quality dates (Dqal) to fill his stomach.

Source:

This account is also in Sahih Muslim and was narrated by Shu'bah.

Additional Narration:

Anas reported that the Prophet's days consisted of limited intake due to meager food availability.

Translation of Hadith

It was narrated that a man went to the Prophet, peace be upon him, with barley bread and fat. He had pledged his armor with a Jew in exchange for some provisions for his family. One day, the Prophet said: "There is no food available in the house of Muhammad from dates or barley." This hadith was recorded by Al-Bukhari in part. On that day, they were nine households. It was narrated by Abu Al-Tahir Al-Faqih, who narrated from Abu Hamid bin Bilal, who narrated from Ahmad bin Mansur Al-Marwazi, who heard it from Hisham bin Urwah, who heard it from his father, who narrated from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. She said: "The mattress of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was made from leather and filled with palm fibers." This hadith was narrated by Al-Bukhari in Sahih from Ahmad bin Abi Rajaa, from Al-Nadr.

Key Points:

1. The man brought provisions to the Prophet in exchange for his pledged armor.

2. The Prophet's household had no food other than barley and dates.

3. Aisha described the mattress of the Prophet as being made of leather and filled with palm fibers.

The Prophet's Kindness towards Aisha

From Hisham:

Muslim, from other authentic chains of narration, reported that Abu Ali Al-Rudhbary said in Al-Fawa'id, and Abu Abdullah: Husayn ibn Umar ibn Barhan, Abu Al-Husayn ibn Al-Fadhl Al-Qattan, and Abu Muhammad Al-Sukkary in Baghdad, narrated to us that Isma'il ibn Muhammad Al-Saffar said, narrating from Al-Hasan ibn 'Arafah, from 'Abbad ibn 'Abbad Al-Muhallabi, from Mujalid ibn Sa'id, from Al-Sha'bi, from Masruq, from Aisha, who said:

"A woman from the Ansar entered upon me and saw the Prophet's bed, adorned with a double mantle. She left and then sent me a bed stuffed with wool. The Prophet came in and asked: 'O Aisha, what is this?' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, so-and-so of the Ansar came in and saw your bed, then left, and sent this to me.' He said: 'Return it.' I asked: 'Why should I return it; it pleased me to have it in my house.' He insisted, saying so three times, and then he emphasized: 'Return it, O Aisha. By Allah, if you wish I could bring mountains of gold and silver with me.'"

From Um Salama:

Abu Muhammad 'Abdullah ibn Yusuf Al-Asbahani told us that Abu Saeed ibn Al-'Arabi said that Ibn 'Affan (meaning Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali) narrated from Husayn Al-Ju'fi, from Za'idah, from 'Abd Al-Malik ibn 'Umayr, from Rib'i ibn Kharash, from Um Salama, who said:

"The Prophet, peace be upon him, entered upon me while he had water dripping from his face. I thought he was experiencing pain. I asked him: 'O Messenger of Allah, why do I see you with water dripping from your face?' He replied: 'The One above all. Ibn Kathir mentions this in "Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah" (6:53).'"

The Importance of Spending Wealth

Seven dinars were given to us yesterday, but we did not spend them. Thus, they remained under the bedding.

Narrated by Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz

Abu Muhammad Abdallah ibn Muhammad Al-Khuza'i, from Mecca, reported that Abu Yahya ibn Abi Masarra told them that Abdallah ibn Abd al-Hakam al-Misri informed them that Bakr ibn Muddar narrated from Musa ibn Jubayr who cited Abi Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf as saying that he and Urwah ibn Az-Zubayr entered upon Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. She said, "If you had seen the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, during his illness? He was with me proscribing six dinars." Musa said, "Or seven." She continued, "The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, told me to give them away. Your illness preoccupied me until Allah, the Exalted, granted you recovery." He then asked me about them and said, "What did you do? Did you distribute the six or seven dinars?" I replied, "No, by Allah, your illness preoccupied me." He called for them, placed them in his hand, and said, "What would the Prophet of Allah think if he met Allah with these in his possession?"

Narrated by Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz

Abu Yusuf Ya'qub ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ya'qub ibn Al-Azhar Al-Khusrawjirdi reported to Qutaibah, who narrated from Ja'far ibn Sulayman ad-Dub'i, from Thabit al-Bunan, from Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, never saved anything for tomorrow.

Translation of a Hadith Narration:

Chain of Narrators:

Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz reported to us, saying: Abu Bakr ibn Ishaq narrated to us, saying: Ismail ibn Qutaybah informed us, saying: Yahya ibn Yahya reported to us, saying: Dawud ibn Abdul Rahman narrated to us, from Mansur - meaning Ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Hajabi - from his mother, from Aisha, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away when people were satisfied with the two black things: dates and water. Reported by Muslim in Sahih, from Yahya ibn Yahya.

Additional Narration:

Abu Al-Husayn ibn Bishran said: Abu Muhammad Jafar ibn Nusayr reported to us, saying: Ibrahim ibn Abdullah Al-Basri told us, narrating from Bakkar ibn Muhammad, who said: Abdallah ibn Awn informed us, from Ibn Sireen, from Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, visited Bilal and found him with a surplus of dates. Bilal explained that he was saving them. The Prophet warned him about the possibility of those dates turning into smoke in the Fire and advised him to spend them in charity, without fearing anyone but the Lord of the Throne.

Another Narration from Umar:

It is affirmed in Sahihain that Umar said: The wealth of the Banu Nadir, which Allah had bestowed upon His Messenger, was an amount that Muslims did not spend on horses or riding beasts. Therefore, he used to segregate the expenses of his household every year and set aside what was left in charity for the sake of Allah Almighty.