Hilāl—namely, Ibn Khabbāb—narrated from ʿIkrimah, from Ibn ʿAbbās that the Prophet ﷺ was visited by ʿUmar while he was lying on a woven mat whose rough strands had left marks on his side. ʿUmar said, “O Prophet of Allah, why not take a bedding softer than this?” He replied:
“What have I to do with this world? My likeness in relation to the world is no more than that of a rider who travels on a scorching day, then seeks shade for a brief hour beneath a tree, after which he rises, departs, and leaves it behind.”
Only Aḥmad transmitted this report, and its chain is sound. It is corroborated(1) by another narration from Ibn ʿAbbās, on the authority of ʿUmar, concerning the two women who conspired against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the story of the ʿīlāʾ. That ḥadīth—and others of similar purport—will appear later in the discussion of his ﷺ asceticism, his turning away from the world, and his casting it aside, confirming what we have stated: worldly matters held no place in his heart.
Imām Aḥmad(2) also said: Sufyān narrated to us; ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Rufayʿ narrated: I entered, together with Shaddād ibn Maʿqil, upon Ibn ʿAbbās, and Ibn ʿAbbās said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ left nothing behind except what lies between these two boards.” He added: “We then visited Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī, and he said the same.” Al-Bukhārī(3) recorded it as well through Qutaybah, from Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah.
Al-Bukhārī(4) further said: Abū Nuʿaym narrated to us; Mālik ibn Mighwal, from Ṭalḥah, said: I asked ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Awfā, “Did the Prophet ﷺ leave a bequest?” He replied, “No.” I said, “How then were people commanded to make bequests?” He answered, “He bequeathed the Book of Allah, Glorified and Exalted.” This report was likewise transmitted by al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and by the compilers of the Sunan—except Abū Dāwūd(5)—through various chains from Mālik ibn Mighwal. Al-Tirmidhī graded it “ḥasan, ṣaḥīḥ, and gharīb; we know it only through the narration of Mālik ibn Mighwal.”
Notice: Numerous aḥādīth will soon be presented after this section detailing the things that were uniquely his—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—during his lifetime: houses, the quarters of his wives, female and male slaves, horses and camels, sheep, weapons, a mule and a donkey, garments and furnishings, a signet-ring, and other items whose chains and evidences we shall set forth. It appears that he ﷺ gave much of this away in charity while alive, freeing some of his bond-servants and earmarking portions of his property, alongside what Allah had granted him of the lands of Banū al-Naḍīr, Khaybar, and Fadak for the welfare of the Muslims, as we will explain, God willing. Nevertheless, he left none of that behind as an estate to be inherited, as we shall elaborate shortly. Allah’s help alone is sought.