Humility

Muhammad was also a very humble person. He lived humbly all his life and never boasted of his social or political position either before or after his successes in Medinah. Once, on a journey, a few of the companions decided to slaughter a goat for a meal. They divided the work among themselves; one was to slaughter it, another to remove its skin, yet another to do the cooking. Muhammad said that he would collect the wood for cooking. His companions said that they would do his work as well. He replied, "I know that you will do it quite willingly but I do not like to have an eminent position in the assembly and God also does not like it."'

 

Umar reported God's Messenger as saying, "Don't exaggerate in praising me as the Christians did in praising Jesus who was raised to the status of God's son. I am a servant of God; therefore call me a servant and messenger of God." Anas said that God's Messenger used to visit the sick, accompany funerals, ride donkeys and accept the invitations of slaves. In the battle of Banu Quraiza, he was riding a donkey whose bridle and saddle were made of palm leaves. He also reported that God's Messenger accepted without hesitation invitations to dinners consisting of mere barley and stale bread. Anas said that the companions of God's Messenger loved him more than anything in the world, but still they did not stand up when he came in for he disliked it. Again this shows his extreme humility in that he did not like people standing up as they stood up for kings and rulers. Umrat said that some one asked A'isha about God's Messenger's activities at home. She replied that he did most of the household work like ordinary people. He sewed his clothes, mended his shoes and shirt, milked his goat and swept the house. He shared aate food with the poor and slaves. He visited the sick, even the poorest, in their homes. He sat with the destitute and the needy in such a way that no one could recognise him. When he went to any assembly, he sat wherever he found a place.'

 

He was so humble that he did not like to be hailed by even ordinary reverential titles. Once a man addressed him in these words: "O my Lord! My Lord's son! The best among us and the son of the best among us!" He said, "O people, adopt piety so that Satan may not lead you astray. I am Muhammad, son of Abdullah, servant of God and
His Messenger. I do not like you to exalt me from the status God has given me." When he was entering Makkah as a conquerer, he was not proud or boastful like a worldly conqueror. An expression of humility and gentleness was on his face and he lowered his head in humility so that it touched the saddle of the pack camel..

 

When his son Ibrahim died, by coincidence there was a solar eclipse on that day. People thought that the heavenly bodies were also sharing in the grief of the Messenger of God. He at once gathered all the companions in the
mosque and addressed them saying, "O people! Know this, that the solar eclipse is one of the signs of God. It does not occur because of the birth or death of anyone."

 

Muhammad always lived in a humble way and taught his followers to do the same. Many incidents can be quoted to show how humble he was in his ordinary daily life. He lived the life of an ordinary human being and showed by his example how to live humbly even in greatness.