Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) worked as a shepherd.
Being of noble lineage does not guarantee financial stability, a fact
that Abu Taalib knew all too well. When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was still
young, Abu Taalib was going through a financial crisis; he had
many mouths to feed, and business wasn’t going so well.
To help his uncle get through those hard times, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) worked as
a shepherd. In an authentic Hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah
said, “Every Prophet that Allah sent herded sheep (at one time or
another during his life).”
The Companions said, “And even
you?” He (Peace be upon him) said, “Yes, I herded them upon Qaraareet (Ibn Hajar
said that scholars mention two possible meanings of Qaraareet: it
is either a place in Makkah, or it is a portion of a dinaar or dirham,
in which case the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was mentioning his wages for the
people of Makkah.”
Working as a shepherd allowed the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to work in peace
and quiet, to enjoy the beauty of the desert, and to contemplate the
wonders and beauty of Allah’s creation. Through his work, a
shepherd picks up and develops many wonderful qualities,
qualities that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) needed to lead his nation.
Indeed, Allah most certainly could have provided the Prophet (Peace be upon him)
with wealth and comfort, so that he would not have had to
work as a shepherd. But instead, he was being trained, and his
nation was being taught a lesson: The most honourable way to
live is to eat from what one earns through lawful work.
One who invites others to Islam must especially avoid taking from
what is in the hands of others; he must be independent of all
human beings. A self-sufficient man is dignified in the eyes of
others; whatever good he does, he does for Allah. That every
Prophet worked – as is mentioned in the above-mentioned
Hadeeth – is one of many proofs that refute the accusation that
polytheists leveled against Prophets.
Bukhaaree related from Al-Miqdaam that the Messenger of
Allah said, “No one has ever eaten better food than that which
he eats from what he works at with his hand. And verily, the
Prophet of Allah, Daawood, would eat from the work of his
hand”
When one is self-sufficient, depending upon no one but Allah
one gains the freedom of being able to speak the truth. Because
they are dependant upon the generosity of others, many people
bow their heads low before evildoers, remaining silent about their
wrongdoing because they fear losing their jobs and their
livelihood.
It was certainly easy upon Allah to provide a comfortable and
easy existence for the Prophet (Peace be upon him)
so that he would have no
pressing reason to work all day in the heat of the desert, serving
his flock. But Allah’s Wisdom dictated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him)
and all Muslims – instead learn an important lesson: the best wealth a
person gains is the wealth he earns through hard work.
”Indeed,Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you who have believed, Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect” [33:56]
