The most extraordinary phenomenon

“The explosion of the Arabian peninsula into the conquest and conversion of half the Mediterranean world is the most extraordinary phenomenon in medieval history”. [1]

A man of unassuming simplicity

“Women and power were his only indulgence (Editor's comment: Will Durant meant that the prophet Muhammad married more than one wife for it is Islamically permissible, for him, marrying more than four was specialty for him only not all Muslims which is interpreted in other contexts. For indulging in power, Durant meant that Islam expanded in lands worldwide), for the rest he was a man of unassuming simplicity. The apartments in which he successively dwelt were cottages of unburnt brick, twelve or fourteen square feet, eight feet high and thatched with palm branches. The door was a screen of goat or camel hair and the furniture was a mattress and pillows spread upon the floor. He was often seen mending his clothes or shoes, kindling a fire, sweeping the floor, milking the family goat in his yard or shopping for provisions in the market. He ate with his fingers and licked them thriftily after each meal. His staple foods were dates and barley bread; milk and honey were occasional luxuries.”[2]

He was of a high degree of humbleness

“And he obeyed his own interdiction of wine. Courteous to the great, affable to the humble, dignified to the presumptuous, indulgent to his aides, kindly to all but his foes, so his friends and followers describe him. He visited the sick and joined any funeral procession that he met. He put on none of the pomp of power, rejected any special mark of reverence, accepted the invitation of a slave to dinner and asked no service of a slave for that which he had time and strength to do for himself. Despite all the booty and revenue that came to him, he spent little upon his family, even less upon himself and much in charity.”[3]

He gave much care to himself

“But, like all men, he was vain. He gave considerable time to his personal appearance. He perfumed his body, painted his eyes, dyed his hair and wore a ring inscribed "Mohammed the Messenger of Allâh"; perhaps this was for signing documents. His voice was hypnotically musical and his senses were painfully keen; he could not bear evil odors, jangling bells or loud talk. {Be modest in thy bearing,} He taught, {and subdue thy voice. Lo, the harshest of all voices is that of the ass.} [Luqmân 19] He was nervous and restless, subject to occasional melancholy, then suddenly talkative and gay. He had a sly humor. To Abu Hurayrah, who visited him with consuming frequency, he suggested: "O Abu Hurayrah! Leave me alone every other day, that so affection may increase."[4]”[5]

Mohammed and the woman

“‘Umar, the future caliph, rebuked his wife for speaking to him in a tone that he considered disrespectful. She assured him that this was the tone in which his daughter, Hafsah, and the other wives of Mohammed, spoke to the Prophet of Allâh. ‘Umar went at once and remonstrated with Hafsah and another of Mohammed's wives; he was told to mind his business and he retired in dismay. Hearing of all this, Mohammed laughed heartily. Like other Moslems he quarreled now and then with his wives, but he did not cease to be fond of them or to speak of women with becoming sentiment. "The most valuable thing in the world," he is reported to have said, "is a virtuous woman."[6] Twice in the Qur'an he reminded Moslems that their mothers had carried them with pain, brought them forth with pain and nursed them for twenty-four or thirty months.[7] "Paradise," he said, "is at the foot of the mother."[8]”[9]

References:

[1] Ibid. vol. 4, 208.

[2] Ibid. vol. 4, 229-230.

[3] Ibid. vol. 4, 230.

[4] al-Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab al-îmân, no. 8130; al-Qudhâ‘i in his Musnad, no. 592; at-Tayâlisi in his Musnad, no. 2649; at-Tabarâni in al-Awsat, no. 1754; al-Bazzâr, no. 3361. It is not authentic according to al-Bazzâr. But, there is another narration in which Abu Hurayrah is replaced with ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Amr. See al-Haythami, Majma‘ Az-Zawâ’id, 8:101.

[5] Ibid. vol. 4, 230.

[6] It is narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullâh ibn ‘Amr with a slight variation of wording: “The world is but an enjoyment and a righteous good woman is the best of one’s enjoyment.” [Muslim, no. 1467]

[7] The first is Allâh’s saying (what means): {And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years.} [Luqmân 14] The other is (what means): {And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months.} [Al-Ahqâf 15]

[8] al-Qudhâ‘i in his Musnad, no. 113; al-Khatîb al-Baghdâdi, al-Jâmi‘ Li Akhlâq ar-Râwi, 2:231; and it is rendered Da‘îf (weak) by al-Albâni [See as-Silsilah Ad-Da‘îfah, no. 593] it is also narrated by Ahmad, no. 15577 on the authority of Jâhimah that he came to the Messenger of Allâh [peace be upon him] and said to him: “O Messenger of Allâh! I like to take part in Jihâd, and I have come to seek your opinion.” He [peace be upon him] said: “Is your mother still living?” He answered in the affirmative, thereupon he said: “Then, stay with her, sinceParadise is underneath her foot.” Its chain of narrators is good according to Shu‘ayb al-Arna’oot. See also ibn Mâjah, no. 1781; An-Nasâ’i, no. 3104.

[9] Ibid. vol. 4, 239-240.

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