One of the forgotten sunnahs of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is simplicity, not referring to simplicity in dress, food, or housing but rather in the way we think about interacting with our world. We all know that our Nabi (SAW) was a very simple man who followed routines and those routines are the attributes of what we describe today as the Sunnah.
The Prophet (SAW) was a natural human being, ahl-e-fitra. This means if we possessed all the worldly knowledge and attempted to devise a system that makes us live an equitable, sustainable, balanced, and harmonious life with ourselves, others, and our environment it would lead us to the traditions and the Sunnah of our Nabi (SAW).
The most important level of simplicity is about the aspects of ibadah or worship. When we contemplate things that we need to fix in our lives start with the simplest of them, as this was the sunnah of our Nabi (SAW). The simplest thing that we can fix which has the greatest impact is the regularity of our salah/namaz. We must appreciate how simple the ability Allah (SWT) has given us to change the condition of our state.
In an authentic hadith reported in both Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, a Sahabee or companion of our Nabi (SAW) approached the Holy Prophet (SAW) on the day of Jumma to confess that he kissed a woman who wasn’t his wife. Our Nabi (SAW) asked the man to stop and told him that we will discuss this after the prayers. The Prophet (SAW) led the prayer and then quickly left the masjid as he (SAW) didn’t want to talk to this Sahabee but the Sahabee catches up to him (SAW).
The man confesses again to our Nabi (SAW) and the Prophet (SAW) asked him, “Haven’t you just finished your prayers with us? Perhaps Allah (SWT) has forgiven your sin out of the repentance you have in your heart.” This hadith demonstrates Allah’s (SWT) enormous mercy upon us by making the five daily prayers and the voluntary prayers expiation for our sins.
In another authentic hadith (Musnad Ahmad 21680), the Prophet (SAW) tells us, “Whenever a man performs his ablution intending to pray and he washes his hands, the sins of his hands fall down with the first drop. When he rinses his mouth and nose, the sins of his tongue and lips fall down with the first drop. When he washes his face, the sins of his hearing and sight fall down with the first drop. When he washes his arms to his elbows and his feet to his ankles, he is purified from every sin and fault like the day he was born from his mother. If he stands for prayer, Allah will raise his status by a degree. If he sits, he will sit in peace.”
Also, our Nabi (SAW) guides us in another narration (Ṣaḥih Ibn Ḥibban 1769) on the importance of salah/prayer as an expiation of sin, “Verily, when a servant stands to pray, his sins are placed on top of his head and shoulders. Every time he bows or prostrates, they fall away from him.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) also practiced simplicity physically and economically. The seerah or life of our Nabi (SAW) reveals that the King of Egypt sent a surgeon to attend to the medical needs of the people of Madina, as they didn’t have doctors in Arabia at that time as they did in Egypt and Greece.
When the surgeon and his group reached Madina, the Prophet (SAW) asked him who are you and what is your purpose here. The surgeon explained that the King of Egypt sent him to tend to the medical requirements of Madina after receiving our Nabi’s (SAW) letter. The Prophet (SAW) replied to the surgeon to return to Egypt since there was no need for his services here and explained to the surgeon that Muslims are the kind of people that don’t eat unless they are hungry and don’t fill their stomachs when eating. This small piece of wisdom expressed by our Nabi (SAW) shows the balance and understanding he (SAW) had about health and wellness. Nowadays, doctors advise people with diabetes, obesity, and/or cholesterol to practice intermittent fasting. MashAllah, the Prophet’s (SAW) Sunnah reveals that he (SAW) fasted every Monday and Thursday beside the holy month of Ramadan.
Regarding economic simplicity, our Nabi (SAW) made this dua or supplication to Allah (SWT), “O Allah! Provide me with lawful (Halal) livelihood, adequate to my needs instead of the unlawful (Haram), and make me suffice with Your graces needing nothing from anyone else.” We must acknowledge that our earnings and wealth come from Allah (SWT) and that we always ask Him (SWT) to provide us sufficient halal earnings and wealth so that we don’t seek to earn haram or rely on others to make ends meet.
Abdullah ibn Masood (RA) was one of the four Sahaba mentioned by the Prophet (SAW) to learn the Quran from. One time when Abdullah ibn Masood (RA) was teaching the Quran to the people of Kufa, they complained to him (RA) that he only taught them on Thursday for a few hours and wanted to learn more. Abdullah ibn Masood (RA) replied that this is how the Prophet (SAW) taught them.
There is wisdom in learning the Quran this way as our Nabi (SAW) didn’t want us to hate what we are learning due to constant memorization and resent what Allah (SWT) sent us as a blessing. Furthermore, the Prophet (SAW) was always precise and concise with his words when talking about Islam to the people.
In a hadith, our Nabi (SAW) describes the characteristics of a knowledgeable person of Islam, “The lengthening of prayer by a man and the shortness of the sermon is the sign of his understanding (of faith). So, lengthen the prayer and shorten the sermon, for there is charm (in precise) expression.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 4 #1889).
Syedina Ali (AS) also emphasized simplicity in speech when conveying religious knowledge to the people, “Speak to people only according to their level of knowledge. Would you like for Allah and His Messenger to be denied?” (Sahih Bukhari 127). People don’t understand when we talk about abstract concepts. Sadly, in our present time, we have made Islam more complex than it is.
When it comes to our families and society, we should come together on the simple things that unite us and set aside the complex things that can cause division. The Prophet (SAW) advises us in what to do when there are differences over the meaning of the Quran in a group setting, “Recite (and study) the Qur’an as long as you agree about its interpretation, but if you have any difference of opinion (as regards to its interpretation and meaning) then you should stop reciting it (for the time being).” (Sahih Bukhari 5060). This hadith teaches us that Islam is about simplicity; not about the crudeness of debate.
