I have always been told
he gave all of his money to the poor. And lived as a poor man?
Any proof of this?
Counter-arguments?
Please discuss
From what I have heard, he usually lived in the mosque. Which is strange, usually in the hadiths you read about him staying at one of his wives' houses.
Plus he received 20% of the booty, that was his cut. But the question is what can he can he have possibly spent it on? Bribery? War-material? Please provide with proof for or against.
Muhammad didn't give all his money to the poor, he also happily bribed chiefs of tribes with money to get them to accept Islam.
Sahih Bukhari 4:55:558Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet said, "I have been made victorious with As-Saba (i.e. an easterly wind) and the people of 'Ad were destroyed by Ad-Dabur (i.e. a westerly wind)." Narrated Abu Said: Ali sent a piece of gold to the Prophet who distributed it among four persons: Al-Aqra' bin Habis Al-Hanzali from the tribe of Mujashi, 'Uyaina bin Badr Al-Fazari, Zaid At-Ta'i who belonged to (the tribe of) Bani Nahban, and 'Alqama bin Ulatha Al-'Amir who belonged to (the tribe of) Bani Kilab. So the
Quraish and the Ansar became angry and said, "He (i.e. the Prophet, ) gives the chief of Najd and does not give us." The Prophet said, "I give them) so as to attract their hearts (to Islam)." Then a man with sunken eyes, prominent checks, a raised forehead, a thick beard and a shaven head, came (in front of the Prophet ) and said, "Be afraid of Allah, O Muhammad!" The Prophet ' said "Who would obey Allah if I disobeyed Him? (Is it fair that) Allah has trusted all the people of the earth to me while, you do not trust me?" Somebody who, I think was Khalid bin Al-Walid, requested the Prophet to let him chop that man's head off, but he prevented him. When the man left, the Prophet said, "Among the off-spring of this man will be some who will recite the Qur'an but the Qur'an will not reach beyond their throats (i.e. they will recite like parrots and will not understand it nor act on it), and they will renegade from the religion as an arrow goes through the game's body. They will kill the Muslims but will not disturb the idolaters. If I should live up to their time' I will kill them as the people of 'Ad were killed (i.e. I will kill all of them)."
Sahih Bukhari 4:53:374
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, "I give to Quraish people in order to let them adhere to Islam, for they are near to their life of Ignorance (i.e. they have newly embraced Islam and it is still not strong in their hearts."
Ibn Ishaq:594
The Apostle gave gifts to those whose hearts were to be won over, notably the chiefs of the army, to win them and through them the people.Tabari IX:36, IbnIshaq:596
"Prophet, this group of Ansar have a grudge against you for what you did with the booty and how you divided it among you own people.' "Ansar, what is this talk I hear from you? What is the grudge you harbor against me? Do you think ill of me?
Did I not come to you when you were erring and needy, and then made rich by Allah?Tabari IX 37, See Also Sirat 596
Prophet Said "Do you hold a grudge against me and are you mentally disturbed because of the worldly things by which I conciliate a people and win them over so that they will embrace Islam and become Muslims?"
Sahih Bukhari 4:53:390
When wealth came into the possession of Mohammed he would "Spread it in the Mosque."
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
Allah's Apostle once said to me, "If the revenue of Bahrain came, I would give you this much and this much." When Allah's Apostle had died, the revenue of Bahrain came, and Abu Bakr announced, " Let whoever was promised something by Allah's Apostle come to me." So, I went to Abu Bakr and said, "Allah's Apostle said to me, 'If the revenue of Bahrain came, I would give you this much and this. much." On that Abu Bakr said to me, "Scoop (money) with both your hands."
I scooped money with both my hands and Abu Bakr asked me to count it. I counted it and it was five-hundred (gold pieces). The total amount he gave me was one thousand and five hundred (gold pieces.)Narrated Anas:
Money from Bahrain was brought to the Prophet . He said, "Spread it in the Mosque." It was the biggest amount that had ever been brought to Allah's Apostle . In the meantime Al-'Abbas came to him and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Give me, for I gave the ransom of myself and Aqil." The Prophet said (to him), "Take." He scooped money with both hands and poured it in his garment and tried to lift it, but he could not and appealed to the Prophet, "Will you order someone to help me in lifting it?" The Prophet said, "No." Then Al-'Abbas said, "Then will you yourself help me carry it?" The Prophet said, "No." Then Al 'Abbas threw away some of the money, but even then he was not able to lift it, and so he gain requested the Prophet "Will you order someone to help me carry it?" The Prophet said, "No." Then Al-'Abbas said, "Then will you yourself yelp me carry it?" The Prophet said, 'No." So, Al-'Abbas threw away some more money and lifted it on his shoulder and went away.
The Prophet kept on looking at him with astonishment at his greediness till he went out of our sight. Allah's Apostle did not get up from there till not a single Dirham remained from that money.I think even in all nations which guarantee freedom of religion today, its a criminal offence to convert people through force, fraud or inducement.
Muhammad used force(re Meccan idolators whose idols he smashed) & he used inducements here.
So he did give money, but not to the poor, but to the greedy to convert them!