Rasulullah’s Life Of Poverty
Rasulullah’s Life Of Poverty
Once, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) decided to stay away from his wives for one month as he was displeased with them on some account. He lived for that one month in separate room in the upper story. A rumour started that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) had divorced his wives. When Umar heard of this, he came running to the masjid and found the sahabah sitting in groups, crying with grief over Rasulullah’s anger. He went to his daughter Hafsah (radiyallahu anha), who was a wife of Rasulullah, and found her weeping in her room. He said to her, “Why are you weeping now? Have I not been warning you all these times to refrain from any act likely to cause Rasulullah’s displeasure?”
He returned to the masjid and found some of the sahabah sitting near the mimbar and weeping. He sat there for some time, but could not sit for long due to his excessive grief. He went towards the room where Rasulullah (peace be upon him) was staying. He found Rabah (radiyallahu anhu), a slave, sitting on the steps. He asked him to go to ask Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) if he could allow ‘Umar to see him. Rabah went inside and came back to tell him that Rasulullah held his peace and said nothing. Umar returned to the masjid and sat near the mimbar. Again the sorrow eating his heart would not allow him any rest, and he request Rabah to ask Rasulullah a second time. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) did not make any answer this time too.
After waiting near the mimbar for some time more, Umar asked permission to see Rasulullah for the third time. This time, his request was granted. When he was ushered in, he saw Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) lying on a date-leaf matting. The crossed pattern of the matting could easily be seen imprinted on his handsome body. He had a leather bag filled with the bark of date-palm as his pillow.
Umar says: “I greeted him with assalamu alaykum and asked, Have you divorced your wives, O Nabi of Allah?” He answered in the negative. Much relieved, then I said, to amuse him, “O Nabi of Allah!We the Quraysh have always been having the upper hand over our women, but in the case of the ansar of Madinah, it is the women who have the upper hand. Our women have also got influenced by the women over here. I said a few more things like this which made him smile. I saw that hte contents of his room consisted of only three of tanned 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 said, “Why are you weeping?” I replied: “O Nabi of Allah! Why should I not weep? I can see the mat’s pattern imprinted on your body, and I also see all that you have got in this room. O Nabi of Allah! Make du’a that Allah ta’ala may grant ample provisions for us. The Persians and the Romans who have no true faith and who worship not Allah ta’ala but their Kings the “Kayser” and the Khosroes presently live in gardens with streams running in their midst, but the chosen Nabi and the exalted slave of Allah ta’ala does live in such dire poverty! Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was resting against his pillow, but when heard me talk like this, he sat up and said, “O Umar! Are you still in doubt this matter? Ease and comfort in the akhirah are much better than ease and comfort in this world. The Kuffar are enjoying their share of the good things in this very world, whereas we have all such things in store for us in the next.” I implored him: O Nabi of Allah! Ask forgiveness for me. I was really in the wrong.
