ON THE DISAPPROVAL OF WEALTH

Allâh says:

“O believers! Let not your wealth and your children make you oblivious to the remembrance of Allâh. Whoever does this, it is such people who are in loss.” (Sûrah al-Munâfiqûn, 63: 9)

“Your wealth and your children are but a test. Whereas with Allâh there is a great reward.” (Sûrah at-Taghâbun, 64:15)

He who gives preference to his wealth and children over that which is with Allâh has in fact fallen into very severe loss. Allâh says:

“Whoever desires the life of this world and its beauty, We shall dispense to them their actions in this world and there shall be no loss for them therein.” (Sûrah Hûd, 11: 15)

“No such thing! Man transgresses from this that he considers himself to be self-sufficient.” (Sûrah al-‘Alaq, 96: 6-7)

“The greed for more and more has kept you heedless.” (Sûrah at-Takâthur, 102: 1)

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The love for wealth and honour causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart just as water causes plants to grown.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Two ferocious wolves that are set free among a flock of sheep cannot cause more destruction than the destruction caused to the religion of a Muslim by the love for wealth, honour and fame.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The wealthy ones are destroyed except he who does like this and like this [95] among the servants of Allâh . And there are very few wealthy ones like this.” The Messenger of Allâh was asked: “O Messenger of Allâh! Who from your ummah are the worst?” He replied: “The wealthy ones.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “There will come after you such people who will devour the exotic things of this world and different varieties thereof. They will mount swift horses and different pedigrees thereof. They will marry the most beautiful women and different types thereof. They will wear the most beautiful clothes and different varieties thereof. They will have bellies that are not satisfied with a little, and souls that are not content with a lot. They are obsessed by the world and go in its quest morning and evening. They have taken the world as a deity apart from Allâh and as a lord apart from Allâh . They consider the world to be the be all and the end all, and they follow their lusts in it. This is a stern warning from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillâh that whoever experiences that time, be it from your progenies and those that follow them, that he should not greet such people, he should not visit their sick, he should not attend their funeral, and he should not show any respect to their seniors. Whoever does any of this, then he has in fact helped in the destruction of Islam.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Leave the world to its people. He who takes from the world more than what is sufficient for him, is actually bringing about his own destruction without even perceiving it.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Man says: ‘This is my wealth, this is my wealth.’ Do you possess of your wealth except that which you ate and digested, that which you wore and wore-out, or that which you gave in charity and passed on?”

A man asked: “O Messenger of Allâh! How is it that I do not like death?” He replied: “Do you have any wealth?” The man said: “Yes, O Rasûlullâh!” He said: “Give your wealth away because the heart of a believer is with his wealth. If he gives it away, he would love to meet Allâh . But if he holds back his wealth, he would love to remain behind with it.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The companions of man are three: one follows him till his soul is taken away, the second one follows him till his grave, the third one follows him till his resurrection. As for the one that follows him till his soul is taken away, it is his wealth. The one that follows him till his grave is his family. The one that follows him till his resurrection is his deeds.”

Salmân al-Fârisî wrote to Abû ad-Dardâ’ thus: “Beware of accumulating of the world that for which you do not give thanks. I have certainly heard the Messenger of Allâh saying: ‘The person of the world who used to obey Allâh will be brought forward with his wealth in front of him. Every time the Sirât (the bridge that every person has to cross in the hereafter) turns him around, his wealth will say to him, ‘You may continue because you fulfilled the rights of Allâh with regard to me.’ The person of the world who did not obey Allâh will be brought forward with his wealth on his shoulders. Every time the Sirât turns him around, his wealth will say to him: ‘Destruction to you, why did you not fulfil the rights of Allâh with regard to me?’ This will continue till he calls out for destruction and laments.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “When a person dies, the angels ask ‘What has he sent forward [for himself]?’ And the people ask: ‘What has he left behind [for us]?’” The Messenger of Allâh said: “Do not own lands for you will love this world.”

It is related that a person was abusive towards Abû ad-Dardâ’ and treated him badly. So he said: “O Allâh! Whoever does evil to me, give him a healthy body, a long life and abundant wealth.” Now look how he considered the abundance of wealth as the height of misery despite having a healthy body and a long life. This is because it [abundance of wealth] will certainly prompt him towards transgression.

‘Alî placed a dirham in his own palm and said to it: “Listen! As long as you do not go away from me, you will not benefit me.”

It is related that ‘Umar sent to Zaynab bint Jahsh radiyallâhu ‘anhâher stipend. She asked: “What is this?” They said: “‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb sent it for you.” She said: “May Allâh forgive him.” She then removed a curtain which she had, cut it into pieces and stitched those pieces into purses. She placed that money into those purses and distributed them among the members of her household, her relatives and her orphan girls. She then raised her hand and supplicated thus: “O Allâh! Let not the stipend of ‘Umar find me after this year.” [Her supplication was accepted] and she was thus the first of the wives of the Messenger of Allâh to join him [in death].

Al-Hasan rahimahullâh said: “By Allâh, no one valued a dirham without Allâh disgracing him.” It is said that the first time the dînâr and the dirham was minted, Satan raised them and then placed them on his forehead. He then kissed them and said: “Whoever loves you both is most certainly my slave.”

Samît ibn ‘Ajlân said: “The dînârs and dirhams are the bridles of the hypocrites by which they will be herded into the Hell-fire.”

Yahyâ ibn Mu‘âdh said: “The dirham is a scorpion. If you do not know its incantation, do not take it. Because if it stings you, its poison will kill you.” He was asked: “What is its incantation?” He replied: “Taking it from lawful sources and spending it in rightful avenues.”

Al-‘Alâ’ ibn Ziyâd said: “The world was portrayed before me while having every adornment on it. So I said: ‘I seek refuge in Allâh from your evil.’ It said: ‘If you would like Allâh to give you refuge from me, you must detest the dirham and the dînâr.’” This is because the dînâr and dirham both comprise the entire world – it is through them that all the different things of the world are acquired. He who restrains himself from them has restrained himself from the world. It is in this regard that a poet says:

“I have experienced – and you should therefore not think otherwise – that piety is by this dirham. If you have acquired it and then abandoned it, you should know that the piety of a Muslim has protected you [from love for it].”

“Do not let a patched shirt of a person deceive you. Or the fact that he has raised his lower garment above his ankle. Or the fact that his forehead is radiant with the mark of prostration which he disowns. Rather, show him a dirham, and then you will recognize his love [for this world] or his piety.”

It is related with regard to Maslamah ibn ‘Abd al-Malik that he went to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azîz rahimahullâh at the time of the latter’s death. He said: “O Leader of the Believers! You did something which none before you did. You left your children without any dirham and dînâr.” He had 13 children. ‘Umarrahimahullâh said: “Make me sit up.” The people made him sit up. He then said: “As for your statement that I did not leave any dirham or dînâr for them, I certainly did not deprive them of their right and I did not give what was theirs to someone else. My children are either of the two: (1) one who is obedient to Allâh - and so Allâh will suffice for him, and Allâh protects the righteous, (2) one who is disobedient to Allâh , and I am not concerned over what happens to him.”

It is related that Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazî obtained a lot of wealth. Someone said to him: “You should save some of it for your children after you.” He replied: “No. Instead, I will save it for myself by my Sustainer and I will save my Sustainer for my children.”

It is related that a man said to Abû ‘Abd Rabbihi: “O my brother! Do not depart with evil while you leave your children with good.” So Abû ‘Abd Rabbihi gave away 100 000 dirhams from his wealth.

Yahyâ ibn Mu‘âdh said: “There are two calamities which the past and latter generations did not hear the like thereof with regard to a person’s wealth at the time of his death.” He was asked: “What are they?” He said: “All his wealth is taken away [by others] while he will be questioned about all his wealth”