A Letter to a Dear One — Page 52
52 Letter to a Dear One he would lie on the floor on a rough mat of date leaves. When he would rise from the mat, his body would have the marks of the leaves. He lived in a mud hut. The mosque he offered his sal ā t in was also made of mud with a roof of dried date-palm branches, from which rain dripped through. This mosque was where all the consultations, etc. , took place and all the important matters were discussed and decided. This is also where he met his Companions, and received representatives of great kings. There was no guard or a janitor. The Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) himself would be attired most simply. There were no rules and regulations, though everyone was in deep awe of the Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and showed deep reverence to him. The Holy Prophet’s ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) diet was most simple and he would eat whatever was available. At times he would subsist on ground dates. When there was nothing to cook, no fire was lit in his house for days. The Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) would himself sow patches on his clothes, and mend his shoes. © a ñ rat ‘ Ā ’isha (ra ñ iyall ā hu ‘anh ā ) was once asked what did the Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) do when he was indoors. She replied that he would help with housework. He spent a large part of the night in worship of God. He would spend such a long time in sal ā t that at times his feet would swell up. © a ñ rat ‘ Ā ’isha (ra ñ iyall ā hu ‘anh ā ) once asked the Holy Prophet why he spent so much time in worship when God had given him a promise of pardon. The Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said that should he not be a grateful servant of his God. When the construction of the Masjid al-Nabawi started in Medina, the Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) would carry the clay on the site along with his Companions. Similarly, during the Battle of the Ditch, the Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) took full part along with his Companions in digging the trenches—as he did so, to abate hunger pangs, he would wrap stones around his belly. In Arabia of those days flour was not milled. In latter days, after the death of the Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) when conquests were made, various conveniences became available, milled flour was one such convenience. © a ñ rat ‘ Ā ’isha (ra ñ iyall ā hu ‘anh ā ) used to say that she choked when she ate bread made out of milled wheat because she remembered how the Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam) had never eaten bread made out of wheat to his heart’s content. In his time,