The Life of Perfection (Shamayal of Rasulullah saws) Daily Life
By Abidullah Ghazi
Executive Director
IQRA’ International Educational Foundation
Busy Schedule: Rasulullah had a very busy schedule. He spent all his time in prayer, teaching, administrative work, household responsibilities and rest. He taught moderation in work and prayer habits. He himself set an example for us through his own moderation. However, he spent much time in prayer, especially at night. This was due to his closeness to Allah, and his intense gratitude to Him.
This chapter will show a typical work day. There were always circumstances which demanded a change in the routine of Rasulullah. But the one factor around which his daily life centered, no matter what the disturbance, was the Salah. For him, as well as for all other Muslims, the Salah provided the essential rhythm by which a day was paced.
Du`a of Wakefulness: As the sounds of Bilal’s adhan (Call to prayer) stirred sleeping Muslims from their dreaming, Rasulullah would awake with this du’a on his lips:
All praises are due to Allah who gave us life after death and to Him we shall return.
Morning Program: Rasulullah went to the masjid after he heard the fajr adhan. After the prayer, he would sit with his sahabah and converse with them, enlightening them on various aspects of Islam. He would answer questions on religious or personal matters. These early morning gatherings were times of open discussion, as well, and were by no means limited to religion. Stories were told of the past, and poetry was recited. Charity, war booty, and land tax (kharaj) were distributed at this time.
Sometimes the sahabah related their dreams to him. He interpreted their dreams and told them their meanings (t’abir). Once in a while, he would describe his own dreams to the sahabah. His dreams always had meaning. They were tools through which Allah showed him events to come.
After sunrise, Rasulullah said four or eight rak’at of the morning prayer (a voluntary prayer). Then he went home to participate in the household work.
Visits to His Family: Rasulullah did not make surprise visits to his family. He generally returned home at a fixed hour. He always greeted his family with “Assalamu ‘Alaikum” as he entered his house, accompanied by this du’a:
All praises are due to Allah who fulfilled all needs and provided a refuge for me. All praises to Allah Who gave me food and drink. All praises to Allah Who has shown kindness to me. Allah, I pray to you to save me from the fire of hell.
Rasulullah loved his family very much. He treasured the times when he could sit with his wives and children, talking over the issues of the household or the day’s news. His home was always to be a refuge of peace and tranquility, a sanctuary. And he always treated his family with kindness and respect.
Ali reported that the time which Rasulullah spent at home was divided into three: one portion for family responsibilities; one portion for private meetings, rest, and sleep; and one portion for prayer.
Helping around the House: It is reported from A’ishah ( R ) that Rasulullah participated in the household work. He used to mend his own shoes and clothes, give fodder to the animals, milk the goat, help clean the house, make dough for bread, and other such chores. He also did shopping for the family.
Special Visitors: Some of his close friends, family members and people for whom he had special concern would visit him at home. There was a kind of special audience or tutoring for those whom Rasulullah thought had greater need or a better potential for learning. The people who came to learn from him privately were instructed by him to inform others of what they had learned. Thus teaching them about the responsibility that the learned have toward the ignorant and the society.
Visit to Bazaar: As a ruler of Madinah, one of his responsibilities was to keep tabs on commercial practices. Therefore, upon finishing dhuhr prayer, he would often go to the bazaar and walk through the marketplace. He observed the buying and selling, examined merchandise, and checked the weights and measures. These activities served to promote trust and fair commercial activity.
When he was in the bazaar, people would approach him with their problems and complaints. He would listen to each one carefully and worked to solve each issue individually.
Rest (Qailula): After returning from bazaar and before the salat al-Asr, Rasulullah rested. Such a rest is called a qailula and is a sunnah. Following his siesta (qailula), he would leave his home and lead the salat al-Asr
Visit to the Quarters of His Wives: He returned to the Masjid an-Nabi to lead salat al-asr. After the prayer, he would visit with his wives. He would go to the quarters of each one of them and inquire about her health and well-being, as well as any problems she may have. He was so punctual in this habit that the wives knew when to expect him and were prepared to receive him.
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