On a Sunday in Madinah, the day before his passing, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lay in his modest home, fever burning through his blessed body. He drifted in and out of consciousness. The strongest man in spirit, the leader of Arabia, now weakened by illness.

During a brief moment of clarity, he turned to his beloved wife, our mother Aisha bint Abi Bakr (RA).

“How much money do I have?”

She searched their humble dwelling and returned with a small pouch. Seven silver coins.

Seven coins. A negligible amount in worldly measure.

Yet what followed was immense.

He took the coins into his blessed hands, turning them from palm to palm. His face bore concern.

“What will I say to Allah if I meet Him with these?”

This was the man who led armies, reconciled tribes, and reshaped history. Yet his anxiety was not about legacy, power, or unfinished conquests. It was about seven coins.

He handed them back.

“Give them to the poor now.”

Before she could rise, the fever overtook him again.

When he regained consciousness, his first words were not about his pain.

“Have you given it to the poor?”

This continued throughout that long Sunday. Each flicker of wakefulness was directed toward one concern: that nothing remain between him and his Lord.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

This was not a man of excess. It was a man of sufficiency, of trust, of radical detachment.

Years later, Aisha (RA) would say:

She used that barley for some time. It never seemed to diminish, until one day she measured it. Shortly after, it was gone.

There is a subtle lesson here. Barakah resided in what was unmeasured, in what was entrusted to Allah. When it was subjected to worldly calculation, its extraordinary endurance ceased.

Modern psychology tells us that attachment activates threat circuits in the brain. When we cling to possessions, status, or control, the amygdala responds defensively. Scarcity thinking tightens the nervous system. Generosity, however, activates reward pathways and increases oxytocin, fostering calm and trust.

The Prophet ﷺ lived in a perpetual state of tawakkul, complete reliance on Allah (swt). His nervous system was not anchored to accumulation but to surrender.

Allah (swt) says:

The Messenger ﷺ did not want to meet Allah with seven unsettled coins.

Not because wealth is evil. But because accountability is real.

In an age of digital accounts, subscriptions, investments, and endless accumulation, this story confronts us gently: What are we still holding that was never meant to stay?

Ramadan approaches. And Ramadan has always been the month of loosening our grip.

Generosity was not seasonal for him. But Ramadan intensified it.

Fasting itself is an embodied reminder that we survive not by consumption, but by divine permission.

Modern research on fasting shows that abstention triggers autophagy, a cellular cleansing process that removes damaged components and promotes renewal.

SubhanAllah. Even at the cellular level, Ramadan teaches release before renewal.

The Prophet ﷺ, on the night before meeting his Lord, modeled the same principle: do not meet Allah while still clutching what could have been given.

He did not want unsettled debts of dunya when entering the realm of akhirah.

Let us move from admiration to imitation.

1. Give Before You Are Asked
The Prophet ﷺ gave proactively, especially in Ramadan. (Sahih al-Bukhari 6)

Spiritual Benefit: It purifies the heart from attachment and cultivates hope and humility in Islam.
Psychological Benefit: Proactive generosity increases dopamine and strengthens prosocial neural circuits.

Action: Automate daily charity this Ramadan, even a small amount. Consistency matters more than size.

2. Clear Unsettled Matters Before Sleeping
The Prophet ﷺ disliked leaving matters unresolved and encouraged settling debts promptly.

Spiritual Benefit: We lighten our accountability before Allah (swt).
Psychological Benefit: Reduced cognitive load improves sleep quality and emotional regulation.

Action: Each night, ask: What small responsibility can I complete today rather than postpone?

3. Practice Intentional Simplicity
The Messenger ﷺ lived with sufficiency, not excess. (Sahih al-Bukhari 6460)

Spiritual Benefit: Zuhd strengthens trust in Allah.
Psychological Benefit: Studies show reduced material attachment correlates with increased well being.

Action: Choose one unnecessary expense to redirect toward sadaqah this month.

4. Fast With Conscious Renewal
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Fasting is a shield.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 1904)

Spiritual Benefit: It shields from sin and cultivates taqwa.
Scientific Insight: Fasting enhances metabolic flexibility and triggers cellular repair mechanisms.

Action: Pair fasting with intention. Let hunger remind us to release grudges, not just food.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ left this world with no coins, no treasures, no possessions of consequence.

Only a small cup of barley.

Only a heart emptied of attachment.

We will not be asked how much we accumulated. We will be asked how we held it.

As Ramadan approaches, let us consider what remains in our hands that belongs in someone else’s.

Seven coins were enough to occupy the Prophet’s ﷺ final breaths.

What about us?

1. Why did the Prophet ﷺ give away his last coins before dying?
He did not want to meet Allah (swt) with unsettled wealth. This reflects accountability, detachment, and repentance and forgiveness in Islam.

2. Is wealth discouraged in Islam?
No. Wealth is a blessing when earned and spent lawfully. The issue is attachment, not possession.

3. How does generosity impact mental health?
Research shows giving activates reward centers and reduces stress hormones, improving resilience and emotional wellbeing.

4. Why is Ramadan linked to charity?
The Prophet ﷺ increased in generosity during Ramadan. It is a month of purification and social care.

5. How can I prepare spiritually for Ramadan?
Begin with small, consistent charity, intentional fasting, and clearing unresolved obligations.