Gaya hidup Nabi ﷺ yang sederhana dan zuhud merupakan petunjuk utama bahawa dakwahnya tidak mungkin bertujuan untuk kepentingan diri sendiri, terutamanya jika dibandingkan dengan gaya hidup mewah dan berlebih-lebihan bagi ramai nabi palsu dalam sejarah dunia. Lagipun, beliau ialah insan yang menguasai seluruh Semenanjung Arab menjelang akhir hayatnya. Malah sebelum itu, beliau mempunyai ribuan pengikut di Madinah, pengikut yang amat memuliakannya dan sanggup melakukan apa sahaja untuknya. Namun, kita tidak melihat sebarang tanda kemewahan dalam mana-mana bahagian kehidupan beliau ﷺ.

The simple, austere lifestyle of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is a major indication that his mission could not have been self-serving, especially when contrasted with the decadent, extravagant lifestyles of so many false prophets in world history. After all, this was a man who controlled all of Arabia by the end of his life. Even before that, he had thousands of followers in Madinah, followers who obsessed over him and would have done anything in the world for him. Yet, we see no signs of luxury in any sphere of his life.

Tempat tinggalnya begitu sempit sehingga apabila beliau ﷺ hendak solat, beliau akan mengetuk ‘Āishah supaya melipat kakinya untuk memberi ruang kepada beliau untuk sujud. Untuk minum atau mandi, beliau akan mencapai kantung kulit kecil berisi air yang tergantung di dalam biliknya. Selama berbulan-bulan, tiada api dinyalakan untuk memasak di rumahnya, dan keluarganya berpuas hati dengan kurma dan air, melainkan jika seseorang menghadiahkan mereka susu.58 ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb meriwayatkan bahawa pada suatu ketika beliau memasuki bilik Rasulullah ﷺ dan mendapati baginda sedang berbaring, lalu beliau melihat bahawa kekasarana tikar jerami yang di bawah baginda telah meninggalkan bekas pada sisi tubuh baginda. Apabila melihat itu, serta catuan barli dan dedaunan yang sedikit, dan kantung kulit yang tergantung di sudut, matanya berlinang dengan air mata. Nabi ﷺ bersabda, “Apakah yang membuatkan engkau menangis, wahai anak al-Khaṭṭāb?” Beliau menjawab, “Wahai Nabi Allah, bagaimana aku tidak menangis setelah melihat tikar itu meninggalkan bekas-bekas ini pada sisimu, dan betapa sedikitnya yang ada dalam almari makananmu? Kaisar dan Kisra hidup dikelilingi buah-buahan dan mata air, sedangkan engkau adalah Rasul Allah dan pilihan-Nya, namun inilah keadaanmu.” Nabi ﷺ bersabda, “Wahai anak al-Khaṭṭāb, tidakkah engkau berasa senang bahawa kemewahan ini untuk kita di Akhirat dan untuk mereka di dunia ini?” Aku berkata, “Tentu sekali.”59 Dalam riwayat lain, baginda memulakan jawapannya dengan, “Adakah engkau ragu-ragu, wahai anak al-Khaṭṭāb? Mereka itu adalah kaum yang kenikmatannya disegerakan dalam kehidupan dunia ini.”60

His living quarters were so tight that when he صلى الله عليه وسلم wished to pray, he would tap ‘Āishah  to bend her legs to make room for him to prostrate. To drink or bathe, he would reach for the small leather water skin that hung in his room. For months on end, no fire would be kindled for cooking in his home, and his family was content with dates and water unless someone gifted them some milk.58 ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb  reports that he once entered the room of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم to find him lying down and noticed that the coarseness of the straw mat under him had left marks on his side. Upon noticing that, and the meager rations of barley and leaves, and the leather bag hanging in the corner, his eyes welled with tears. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “What makes you weep, O son of al-Khaṭṭāb?” He said, “O Prophet of Allah, how can I not cry after seeing how the mat has left these marks on your side, and how little you have in your food cupboard? Caesar and Chosroes live surrounded by fruits and springs of water, while you are the Messenger of God and His chosen one, and yet this is your condition.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “O son of al-Khaṭṭāb, does it not please you that these [luxuries] are for us in the Hereafter and for them in this world?” I said, “Of course.”59 In another narration, he began his response with, “Are you in doubt, O son of al-Khaṭṭāb? These are a people whose pleasures have been expedited in the life of this world.”60