Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) has been described variously as ‘God’s Messenger,’ ‘The Messenger’ or simply as ‘The Prophet.’
His name is spelt as ‘Mohammed’ or ‘Muhammed,’ but the former is used for consistency.
Mohammed was by nature a very generous and charitable man.
Ibn Abbas said God’s Messenger was the most generous of all people, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan. He never said ‘no’ to any request from anyone all his life.
He said he was only a distributor and a treasurer and God was the Bestower of everything.
Once a man came to him and saw his herd of goats stretching over a vast area. He requested help and Mohammed gave him the whole herd of goats. He went back to his people and told them to accept Islam, for Mohammed was so generous that there was no fear of poverty.
Once a man asked him for help but Mohammed had nothing to give. He told the man to borrow on his behalf and that he would repay the loan. Umar, who was present, asked Mohammed whether God had not burdened him more than he could bear. The Prophet kept quiet.
However, another person present offered to help. Mohammed smiled with great joy at his offer. Once he borrowed a small quantity of cereal for a beggar. When the lender returned, he was given double the quantity of cereal, half for the loan and half as a gift.
Something for all
The Prophet was so generous that he always gave something to anyone who asked him for help but if he had nothing, he promised help later on.
Sometimes he would purchase an article for himself but give it as a gift to the seller. Once he bought a camel from Umar and gave it as a gift to Abdullah bin Umar. Once he bought something from Jabir and gave it back to him as a gift.
Mohammed used to invite his companions for an ordinary meal. In one battle, there were 130 companions with him. He bought a goat, slaughtered it and ordered its liver to be roasted. When it was ready, he distributed it among all the companions and kept a share for those who were not present.
Whenever he received anything, he did not sit in peace until it was finished.
Umm Al Mu’minin Umm Salma report that one day God’s Messenger came home looking disturbed. Umm Salma inquired about his concern.
He replied that dinner for seven persons he had received the day before had remained undistributed. He did not rest until they were given away.
Abu Dhar reported that one evening he was walking with the Prophet when he said, “Abu Dhar, if the mountain of Uhud were turned into gold for me, I would not like three nights to pass excepting what I would leave for paying my debts.”
Golden gift
He would never rest until all the cash in the house was completely finished.
Once the Prophet went home in a hurry after prayers but came out immediately. Those present were surprised but he told them that he had remembered during the prayer that there was some gold in his house. He thought that he might forget and the gold might remain there all night. He gave it away as charity.
When the Prophet was resuming after distributing the spoils of the battle of Hunain, some Bedouins found out that God’s Messenger was coming that way.
They asked for charity. Embarrassed by the crowd, he stood in the shelter of a tree. They held his cloak and in their struggle, it came off his body into their hands.
The Prophet said, “Give me my cloak, by God! If I had camels equivalent to the trees of this jungle, I would have given them all to you. Then you would not have found me miserly, nor a liar, nor unmanly.”
He always paid the debts of the dead and issued instructions to the effect that if anyone dies leaving any debt, he should be informed of it, so that he could pay it off.
