Despite his position as leader, Prophet Muhammad never behaved as if he was greater or better than other people. He never made people feel small, unwanted or embarrassed. He urged his followers to live kindly and humbly, releasing slaves whenever they could and giving in charity, especially to very poor people, and the orphans, without waiting for any reward.

Prophet Muhammad himself was never greedy. He ate very little and only simple foods. He preferred never to fill his stomach. Sometimes, for days on end, he would eat nothing but raw food. He slept on a very simple mattress on the floor and had almost nothing in the way of home comforts or decorations.

One day, Hafsah, his wife, tried to make him more comfortable at night by folding his reed mat double - without telling him - to make it softer for him. That night he slept peacefully, but he overslept and missed the pre-dawn prayers. he was so distressed and never slept like that again.

Simple living and contentment were the key teachings in the Prophet's life: "When you see a person who has been given more money and beauty than you, look then to those who have been given less." thinking this way will make us thank allah for his blessings, rather than feel deprived.

People used to ask his wife, Aishah, the daughter of his first and most loyal companion Abu Bakr, how he lived at home. "like an ordinary man," she would answer. "he would sweep the house, stitch his own clothes, mend his own sandals, water the camels, milk the goats, help the servants at their work, and eat his meals with them; and he would go to fetch what we needed from the market."

He seldom had more than one set of clothes, which he washed himself. He was a home-loving, peace-loving human being. "When you enter a house, ask god to bless it," he would say. He greeted others with the phase: As-salamu alaykum - which means: "may peace be upon you" - for peace is the most wonderful thing on earth.

 

He was a firm believer in good manners, always greeting people kindly, and showing respect to elders. he once said: "the dearest of you to me are those who have good manners."

 

All his recorded words and actions reveal him as a man of great gentleness, kindness, humility, good humour and excellent common sense, who had a great love for animals and for all people, especially his family.

Above all, he was a man who practiced what he preached. His life, both private and public, was a perfect model for his followers.

If we compare the life of Muhammad (pease be upon him) 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 (pbuh) was a false Prophet, who claimed Prophethood to attain material gains, greatness, glory, or power.

 

 

Before his mission as a Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) had no financial worries. As a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad (pbuh) 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 (may Allah be pleased with her) , 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. And  the Prophet (pbuh) had some Ansar neighbors (from the supporters) who had a "milk-giving" she-camel and they used to send the Prophet some of its milk." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

 

 

- Sahl Ibn Sa'ad, one of Muhammad's companions, said, "the Prophet (pbuh) did not see bread made from fine flour from the time Allah sent him (as a Prophet) until he died." (Al-Bukhari and Al-Tirmithi).

 

- Aa'isha said, "the mattress of the Prophet (pbuh), on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree."  (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

 

 

Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad's companions, said that when the Prophet (pbuh) 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.( Al-Bukhari and Mosnad Ahmad).

 

 

Muhammad (pbuh) lived this hard life till he died although the Muslim treasury was at his disposal, the greater part of the arabian peninsula wasMuslim before he died, and the Muslims were victorious after eighteen years of his Mission.

 

Is it possible that Muhammad (pbuh) might have claimed Prophethood 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 (pbuh) used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, repair his shoes, help with the household work, and visit the poor and the sick people. 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 Allah 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 (pbuh), yet he did not allow them  to  stand up for him  as other people do with great personalities.

 

 

Long before there wasn't any prospect of success for Islam (in the eyes of the polytheists)  and at the outset of a long and painful era of torture, suffering, and persecution of Muhammad (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) in return for that, to give up calling people to Islam and worshipping Allah alone without any partner. Wouldn't this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly benefit? was Muhammad (pbuh) 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 (Allah), 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 Allah, 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 the almighty Allah makes it triumph or i perish defending it."

 

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