Numerous were the occasions when the Prophet (pbuh) made clear that the luxuries of this world represent no temptation for him. He always insisted that neither he nor his household and offspring should covet anything of the luxuries over which people compete. Others may go into war to settle a dispute over a small piece of land, or some mineral or water resources, but no comfort, wealth, luxury or high standard of affluence could tempt the Prophet. Yet he did not despise wealth or comfort as some people do. He realized that they appeal to human nature and that the comfort they provide is always welcome to man. However, he knew that all this is a passing comfort that meant little. Hence, he should look out for nothing of it. Abdullah ibn Masoud quotes the Prophet as saying: “We belong to a household for which God has chosen the life to come in preference to this present life.” (Related by Ibn Hibban.)
The Prophet was happy with this choice, and he conducted his life in full appreciation of its significance. Therefore, when something happened to give him special comfort, he either rejected it if it was in excess of what is sufficient, or accepted it with sincere praise of God and genuine gratitude. Aishah reports: “A woman from among the Ansar came to me and noticed that the mat used by the Prophet was folded. When she went home, she sent me a mattress filled with wool. When the Prophet came in, he told me to send it back, adding: ‘Had I so wished, God would have given me mountains of gold and silver.’ I sent it back.” (Related by Ahmad and Ibn Saad.)
This Hadith shows that the Prophet’s attitude did not mean that he looked at comforts with contempt. He simply put matters in the right perspective. He had something to sleep on. What does it matter if it was thin and placed on the hard floor? He would still have his sleep and rest. Therefore, there was no reason to take the mattress sent by the Ansari woman who was keen to do something for his comfort. He could have had all the luxuries this life can offer, as God would have given him mountains of gold and silver. That would have enabled him to buy whatever he or his family wished for, and much more as well. But he was content to have what is sufficient, to teach us that whatever we may miss of this life’s comforts is of little consequence.
We need to reflect only a little to appreciate such wisdom. We may live to old age, but when you ask any old man about his life, he would say that whatever he enjoyed or suffered was of little consequence as it is all gone. Only the present moment matters. Tomorrow brings whatever God has given us for it. So, why should we worry about our life or future? When our life comes to an end, we leave this world with whatever we have accumulated of wealth, taking nothing of it with us. We all, rich and poor, powerful and weak, masters and servants, end up in a small hall under the ground. And death may come at any moment. When we realize that the Prophet’s message signaled the approach of the Last Hour which ends human life on earth, we should know that we need worry over nothing. Besides, whether the Last Hour arrives in our own lifetime or not is immaterial, as everyone has his or her own final hour, when death overtakes us. This is expressed by the Prophet as he is quoted by Anas: “I am finished with all that this world offers, and this world is finished with me; for I have been assigned my mission at almost the same time as the Last Hour.” (Related by Ibn Hibban.)
In this Hadith the Prophet gives a vivid description of how close the Day of Judgment is to the start of his task of delivering God’s final message to mankind. By so doing, the Prophet gives all his followers, in all generations, a sense of urgency about the fulfillment of their duties. No one can overlook the fact that life is short and its end could come at any moment, or when least expected. We should not think of the Last Hour as the arrival of the Day of Judgment, but as our own death which seals our destiny as we can no longer do anything to improve our standing with God.
Indeed the Prophet was at pains to impress on his followers the need to prepare for their second life by doing good in this life. He did this in his admonition, as also in providing the practical example for them to follow. Abdullah ibn Massoud reports: “God’s Messenger once slept on a mat made of straw. When he woke up, the marks of the mat were clear on his body. Ibn Massoud said to him: ‘God’s Messenger! If only you told us, we could have prepared something comfortable for you or did something.’ He said: ‘What have I got to do with worldly comforts! I am only like a rider who stopped a little under a tree to refresh himself and then continued on his journey, leaving it behind.’” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim.)
The description the Prophet gives of man’s life on earth is very apt. He likens it to a little rest a traveler on horseback takes under a tree, before continuing his travel. He may be very tired after riding long in the heat. When he sees the tree he stops for a while. He may decide to dismount, eat or have a nap, but he knows that he must continue his travel soon. Whether his rest is for a few minutes or a day, it is very short compared with his journey. He may feel refreshed afterwards, but then he leaves the tree and continues without being able to take with him anything of the comfort he felt. Similarly, a person’s life on earth may be a long series of comforts and pleasures, but it inevitably ends in death when he can take nothing of its pleasures with him. It is far better, then, to use this life as a period of preparation for the life to come, which is everlasting. Such preparation is achieved by an increase of good deeds, for which one is rewarded by God. The reward enhances one’s position in the hereafter so as to ensure the pure happiness God grants to those who truly believe in Him, abandon what He has forbidden and do His bidding. They always remember that God forbids nothing other than what is foul and evil, and order nothing other than what is good and beneficial.