The Hadith we are looking at today has three different aspects which converge on the basic idea of the great benefit that results from obeying the Prophet and doing whatever he says. It is reported by a man whose name was Zahm ibn Ma’abad of the Sadoos tribe. His name, Zahm, did not have a positive meaning. In fact, it means "being or putting others in a tight situation". The Prophet always liked a good name which gives a pleasant impression the moment it is said. Prior to Islam, the Arabs did not care what name they gave to their children. They might call a son after the first animal they see after the son is born. Thus, they had names like Kalb which meant dog, Tha’labah which meant fox, etc. When someone with such a name, or with a name that indicated a different belief, declared his acceptance of Islam, the Prophet changed his name. In this instance, when Zahm told the Prophet his name, he said to him, "You are Basheer".
Basheer was a common name in Arabia, and it means "the one who brings happy news". Needless to say, that is much better than the man’s original name. From that moment, he answered to the name Basheer and this is how he is known in Islamic history.
Basheer reports an important Hadith, in which he says: "I was walking with the Prophet when he passed by graves of some unbelievers. He said, ‘These have missed much good’. He repeated that three times. He then passed by graves of some Muslims and said, ‘These were able to get much good’. He also repeated that three times. The Prophet then looked suddenly around and he saw a man walking in the graveyard, wearing shoes. He said to him: ‘You the man wearing fine shoes, remove them.’ The man looked up and when he saw the Prophet, he took off his shoes and threw them away’." (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Abu Dawood, Al-Nassaie, Ahmad and Ibn Majah)
The first thing to say in comment on this Hadith is the repeated comment of the Prophet on those who accepted Islam and those who rejected it. In both cases he comments on the good one group received and the other missed out on. There is no doubt that faith in God’s Oneness and Muhammad’s message brings a person much good. Anyone who knows the truth of Islam realizes this. On the other hand, a person who rejects the faith deprives himself of that good which permeates life and gives him happiness both in this life and in the life to come.
Secondly, the Prophet asks the man wearing fine shoes in the cemetery to take them off. Scholars say that this is out of respect to the dead, or may be because the man was walking in somewhat arrogant way. Alternatively, the Prophet might have spotted some filth on the shoes of which the man might have been unaware. There is no question that wearing fine shoes is permissible.
Thirdly, we note the man’s immediate compliance with the Prophet’s directive. This is the attitude of true believers. Whenever they realize that the Prophet orders something, they move immediately to fulfill it.
The Prophet was keen to warn his followers against anything that may prejudice their fate in the life to come, even if it is not forbidden. Take for example this Hadith in which Abu Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: "The Last Hour will not be due until people build houses which they paint as they paint their striped clothes." (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)
This Hadith is a reference to aspects of luxury people will be very keen to have. Needless to say, comfort in one’s home is provided by the inside amenities the home provides. People may spend much on improving these amenities so that they find in their homes all that gives them comfort and happiness. However, when they start to paint the outside of their homes in a way that is considered luxurious, then they are placing too much emphasis on material values. Such action tells of competition in apparent luxuries which take up much of their resources. These resources could have been used to improve the lot of the community as a whole instead of wasting them over something that brings no benefit other than hollow satisfaction for the owners of these houses.
Here we may ask about the type of house used by the Prophet. Well, Muhammad ibn Hilal reports that he saw the homes of the Prophet’s wives built up of tree branches, and screened with a sheet made of animal hair. He was asked about Aishah’s home and he answered that "its door was facing the direction to Syria." Asked whether it had twin front doors, but he said that it was a single door. Asked again what was the door made of and he stated that it was made of wood.
So, the Prophet showed no luxury in his homes. Indeed, life in his home was far from luxurious, although he could have whatever he wanted of luxury. Had he wished, he could have provided his wives with the sort of comforts and luxuries that was available only in the palaces of the emperors of Persia and Byzantium. But the Prophet did not care for any such luxury. Indeed, he preferred a simple life in which his household got what they wanted without having any special privileges that placed them above the standard of the people in Madinah.
This is not surprising, for the Prophet showed in every aspect of his life that the material refinements of this world meant little or nothing to him. He also educated his wives in such sublime standard which gives value to everything that elevates human life, but does not respect fleeting comforts and imagined luxuries. We appreciate that the Prophet actually practiced what he preached. His life was a manifest reflection of the great value embodied in his statement: "Had this whole world been worth, in God’s sight, anything similar to the span of the wings of a single mosquito, He would not have given a single unbeliever a drink." If this is how the Prophet viewed life on earth. What do little comforts count for in such a standard of values?