He, peace and blessings be upon him, did not inherit anything from his father. Rather he was born a moneyless orphan. He was suckled by the Banū Sa’d; so when he matured to an earning age he would tend to small cattle in the countryside alongside his foster-brothers. Similarly, when he returned to Makkah he would tend to them for their owners in the plains of QarārīT as is narrated by al-Bukhārī in his authentic collection [1].

To find the prophets of Allah at times secluded from the material world and at other times preoccupied with it, is a requirement. For if they were overly rich the world would have distracted them and they would be occupied with it rather than with eternal bliss. For this reason you will see that all the divine religions approve of an ascetic life and distancing oneself from the world. The circumstances of all past prophets are salient proof of this. ‘Īsā, peace be upon him, was the most ascetic on Earth as were Mūsā and Ibrāhīm, peace be upon them both and their childhoods were not spent in luxuries. All of them are similar in this. This was Allah Almighty’s profound wisdom manifested in His prophets so that they may be examples to their followers in abstaining from greed for the world and from surging towards it. This was a cause of many trials and tribulations for them.

Similar is the tending of small cattle; for every prophet reared them as the Truthful, the Reliable, peace and blessings be upon him, informed us and as is reported in a narration of al-Bukhārī. This also is significantly wise. For when a man tends to small cattle – the meekest of animals – tenderness and benevolence permeate his heart. So when he turns from this to the care of the creation he is already in a most balanced state due to the initial purifying of inborn human sternness and innate severity.

When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, became a young man he used to trade and his bussiness-partner was as-Sāib bin Abī as-Sāib. He also travelled to ash-Shām to trade – earning by piecework – for Lady Khadīja, Allah be pleased with her. After the affluent Lady Khadīja was blessed with his marriage, he worked with her wealth and would live off his own earnings.

Allah Almighty confirmed His favours upon him in sūra aD-DuHā saying:

أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَى. وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَى. وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَى

“Did He not find you orphaned and shelter you? Did He not find you wandering and guide you? Did He not find you impoverished and enrich you?” [2]

He Almighty asserted his favour of shelter and enrichment before prophethood, guidance to the Book, true faith and the religion of Ibrāhīm, peace be upon him, through prophethood, whilst he was unaware of these matters before. Allah Almighty states in sūra ash-Shūrā:

وَكَذَلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتَابُ وَلَا الْإِيمَانُ وَلَكِن جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَّهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ نَّشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِنَا وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

“Accordingly We have revealed to you a spirit by Our command. You had no idea of what the Book was, nor faith. Nonetheless We have made it a light by which We guide those of Our slaves We will. Truly you are guiding to a straight path.” [3]

1. al-Bukhārī Hadith number 2262; Ibn Māja; an-Nasāī and others.
2. Sūra aD-DuHā – 93:6-8
3. Sūra ash-Shūrā – 42:52