I know that my article is not related to this group ,but it might be
useful. PLEASE read it.
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The Simple Life of Muhammad

If we compare the life of Muhammad 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 was a false
prophet, who claimed prophethood to attain material gains, greatness,
glory, or power.
Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad had no financial worries. As a
successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad 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, 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 houses.” Her nephew asked, “O Aunt, what sustained you?” She
said, “The two black things, dates and water, but the Prophet had some
Ansar neighbors who had milk-giving she-camels and they used to send the
Prophet some of its milk.”

Sahl Ibn Sa’ad, one of Muhammad’s companions, said, “The? Prophet of God
did not see bread made from fine flour from the time God sent him (as a
prophet) until he died.”

Aa’isha, Muhammad’s wife, said, “The? mattress of the Prophet , on which he
slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree.”

Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad’s? companions, said that when the
Prophet 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.
Muhammad 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 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 ? 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 used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, repair his shoes,
help with the household work, and visit poor people when they got sick. 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 followers loved him, respected him, and trusted him to an
amazing extent. Yet he continued to emphasize that deification should be
directed to God and not to him personally. Anas, one of Muhammad’s
companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than the
Prophet Muhammad , yet when he came to them, they did not stand up for him
because he hated their standing up for him, as other people do with their
great people.

Long before there was any prospect of success for Islam and at the outset
of a long and painful era of torture, suffering, and persecution of
Muhammad 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 in return for
that, to give up calling people to Islam and worshipping God alone without
any partner. Wouldn’t this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly
benefit? Was Muhammad 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 (God), 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 answer was as decisive and sincere: {I swear by
the name of God, 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 God makes it triumph or
I perish defending it}

Muhammad and his few followers did not only suffer from
persecution for thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill
Muhammad 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?


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