Monday, May 09, 2005

Hazrat Umar (RA) cried

One day Umar ibn al-Khattab came into the house of the Prophet (sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) to find him lying on a simple mattress which left its marks on his body. There was very little else to be found in the room other than a few meagre articles. Seeing this stark austerity, Hazrat Umar started to sob.

'Why are you crying, O Umar', said the Prophet.

'I thought of Caesar and Chosroes sitting on thrones of gold, wearing silk. And you are the messenger of God, yet here you are sitting on this simple mattress.'

'O Umar', said the Prophet, 'are you not satisfied that they have this world and we have the next?'

Sadly, it is the SUNNAH of simplicity in living and the SUNNAH of being detached from objects of worldly pomp and show and the SUNNAH of giving preference to the Hereafter over the world that Muslims are neglecting so badly in today's world.

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