True dignity comes not from possessions or power, but from submission to Allah Almighty!, By Murtadha Gusau-Okene

Although he (Peace be upon him) was the Messenger of Allah, the leader of all believers, and followed by thousands, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) lived with extraordinary simplicity. He never considered himself above ordinary people, nor did he surround himself with the luxuries of kings and rulers. Instead, his life reflected humility, detachment from worldly possessions, and complete servitude to Allah.

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, Who guided us to Islam, and prayers and peace of Allah be upon the best of all Prophets and Messengers, our beloved Prophet, Muhammad, and upon all his family members and Companions.

Dear brothers and sisters! One of the most profound aspects of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is that despite being Allah’s beloved, the final Messenger, leader of nations, and the most influential human in history, he always identified himself first as a servant of Allah (Abdullah).

Servitude (Ubudiyyah) to Allah is the highest rank a believer can attain — higher than kingship, leadership, fame, or wealth. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) embodied this perfectly. While rulers of history gloried in palaces and armies, he (Peace be upon him) gloried in humility, worship, and obedience.

This identity is especially relevant today. In an age of self-promotion, materialism, and status-seeking, people measure worth by wealth, titles, or followers. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) showed that true dignity comes not from possessions or power but from submission to Allah Almighty.

By studying him as a servant of Allah, we learn how to surrender the ego, seek Allah’s pleasure in all actions, and live an Allah-centred life.

The Noble Qur’an repeatedly honours the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) by calling him a servant (Abd). Allah the Most High says:

“Exalted is He who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa…” [Qur’an, 17:1]

“And indeed, when the servant of Allah stood up supplicating Him, they almost became about him a compacted mass.” [Qur’an, 72:19]

“Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His servant that he may be to the worlds a warner.” [Qur’an, 25:1]

Notice that at the moments of greatest honour — the Isra’i and Mi‘raj, the revelation of the Qur’an, and his Da‘awah — Allah described him first as His servant. This shows that servitude is the most dignified identity.

The Prophetic Hadith further reinforces this:

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

“Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary (Isa/Jesus), for I am only a servant. So call me the servant of Allah and His Messenger.” [Bukhari]

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that:

“The Messenger of Allah would be in the service of his family, and when the time for prayer came, he would go out to pray.” [Bukhari]

His greatness was not in worldly kingship, but in being Allah’s devoted servant.

Although he (Peace be upon him) was the Messenger of Allah, the leader of all believers, and followed by thousands, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) lived with extraordinary simplicity. He never considered himself above ordinary people, nor did he surround himself with the luxuries of kings and rulers. Instead, his life reflected humility, detachment from worldly possessions, and complete servitude to Allah.

His home was made of modest mud-brick rooms, roofed with palm branches. His furniture was minimal — often a mat of woven palm fibres or a leather cushion filled with palm leaves. Many nights passed with no cooked food in his household. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) once said that sometimes a whole month would pass with nothing in the Prophet’s house but water and dates. Yet he (Peace be upon him) never complained. Rather, he thanked Allah and remained patient.

One of the most touching moments was when Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the Prophet’s room and saw him lying on a rough mat. The mat had left deep marks on his back, and there was little else in the room — just a few barley grains, a hanging water skin, and some simple belongings. Umar (RA) could not hold back his tears. He said:

“O Messenger of Allah, the kings of Persia and Byzantium live in splendour, resting on silk and surrounded by wealth, while you — the Messenger of Allah — sleep on this rough mat?” The Prophet (Peace be upon him), however, smiled calmly and replied: “What have I to do with this world? My relationship with this world is like that of a traveller who stops under the shade of a tree for a short while, then rises and leaves it behind.” [Tirmidhi]

This single statement captures his entire outlook on life. The world was temporary, like a tree offering shade on a long journey. His real focus was the Hereafter, and he lived as a humble servant of Allah, not as a king seeking luxury.

His humility was not only in his possessions but in his daily conduct. He (Peace be upon him) sat with his companions on the ground, ate simple food, and never separated himself from the poor. He would accept invitations even from the humblest in society. At home, he mended his own clothes, milked goats, and carried out chores. Aisha (RA) said:

“He was in the service of his family.”

Visitors to Madinah often could not distinguish him from his companions because of his modest dress and simple manner. He was approachable, gentle, and without arrogance. Even when wealth from victories and conquests flowed into Madinah, he did not keep it for himself but gave it to the poor, needy, widows, and orphans.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) could have chosen grandeur. He was offered kingship and wealth but chose to live as a servant of Allah. His life was a living reminder that dignity lies not in possessions but in closeness to Allah.

In our today’s society, success is often measured by positions, possessions, titles, or public recognition. Servitude is misunderstood as weakness, instead of recognising it as ultimate strength. Pride is rooted in wealth and status, rather than in submission to Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) offered a radically different vision: the highest honour is being a servant of Allah.

Pride and arrogance rooted in wealth and status.

Neglect of family and community service due to career pressures.

Misunderstanding servitude as weakness, instead of recognising it as ultimate strength.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) taught his followers that:

● Humility is strength, not weakness.

● Serving family and community is worship.

● True leadership is rooted in servitude.

● Every believer’s ultimate identity is Abdullah — the servant of Allah.

By embracing this role, we find dignity not in worldly recognition, but in closeness to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) showed that the path to greatness lies in humility, obedience, and service.

In summary, our beloved leader, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said about himself that he was a “servant and Messenger of Allah.” He emphasised his humanity and servitude to Allah, even stating he was not a new thing among Messengers but a plain warner following Allah’s revelations. He also taught that his followers should love him more than themselves but not to elevate him beyond his true position as a human Messenger and servant of Allah.

He (Peace be upon him) said:

“I am only a servant and Messenger of Allah.”

When praised by his companions, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) would remind them of his status, preventing them from raising him above his divinely assigned position.

In the Noble Qur’an, he is described as saying:

“I am not a new thing among the Messengers of Allah nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am but a plain warner.” [Qur’an, 46:9]

His message was for the afterlife and to inform people about the good message of Islam, rather than seeking worldly power or kingship.

He stated that his sole role was to follow the revelations sent to him by Allah, as he was a Messenger to all people of the world.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) taught that a true believer must love him more than they love themselves to perfect their Iman (faith).

However, he simultaneously stressed that this love should not elevate him beyond his position as a human Messenger, a point he would reiterate to his followers.

Finally, let us all understand that, our beloved Master, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) described himself as a warner and not a new thing among Messengers, emphasising that he was just a Messenger following Allah’s revelations, not the originator of the message. He also stated that he had no special knowledge of the future, only the revealed message he was tasked to deliver. He was not divine, but rather a servant of Allah and one who submitted to Allah’s will.

Therefore the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is:

● A Plain Warner: The Qur’an states that he said:

“I am but a plain warner.”

● Not a New Messenger: He declared:

“I am not a new thing among the Messengers.”

● No Divine Knowledge: He stated that he did not know what would be done with him or with others.

● A Follower of Revelation: He was clear that he only followed what was revealed to him by Allah.

● A Human Servant of Allah: He presented himself as a human being, the final Prophet in a long chain of Messengers, and a servant of Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

“I’m but a servant of Allah. I eat as a servant eats and sit as a servant sits.” [Imam Al-Baihaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman]

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa bara ka tuh

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Prayers, peace and mercy are upon our beloved master, Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (Peace be upon him), his family and Companions.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: [email protected] or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.