In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Some Ahaadeeth Related to Dealing With Wealth In This Worldly Life

Qays [rahimahullaah] narrated: I heard Khabbab [radiyallaanu-anhu] who had branded his abdomen with seven brands, saying, “Had Allah’s Messenger not forbidden us to invoke Allah for death, I would have invoked Allah for death. The companions of Muhammad have left this world without taking anything of their reward in it but we have collected of the worldly wealth what we cannot spend but on earth”. (1)

Regarding Khabbaab’s statement, “The companions of Muhammad have left this world without taking anything of their reward in it”: Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah] said, “They died upon tremendous good and did not reach the adornments of this worldly life”.(2) And regarding Khabbaab’s statement, “But we have collected of the worldly wealth what we cannot spend but on earth”: Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah] said, “(Spent) on castles and houses”. (3)

Abu Hurairah [radiyallaahu-anhu] reported that Allaah’s Messenger [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said, “If anyone of you looked at a person who was made superior to him in wealth and (good) appearance, then let him also look at the one who is below him and to whom he has been made superior”. (4) Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “So that he may recognize Allaah’s blessing upon him. And in another narration, “So that he does not belittle the blessings Allaah has bestowed upon him”. (5)

Abu Sa’eed [radiyallaahu-anhu] reported: Allah’s Messenger [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said, “The thing I am afraid of most for your sake, is the worldly blessings which Allah will bring forth to you.” It was said, “What are the blessings of this world?” The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, “The pleasures of the world.” A man said, “Can the good bring forth evil?” The Prophet kept quiet for a while till we thought that he was being inspired divinely. Then he started removing the sweat from his forehead and said,” Where is the questioner?” That man said, “I (am present).” Abu Sa’id added: We thanked the man when the result (of his question) was such. The Prophet said, “Good never brings forth but good. This wealth (of the world) is (like) green and sweet (fruit), and all the vegetation which grows on the bank of a stream either kills or nearly kills the animal that eats too much of it, except the animal that eats the Khadira (a kind of vegetation). Such an animal eats till its stomach is full and then it faces the sun and starts ruminating and then it passes out dung and urine and goes to eat again. This worldly wealth is (like) sweet (fruit), and if a person earns it (the wealth) in a legal way and spends it properly, then it is an excellent helper, and whoever earns it in an illegal way, he will be like the one who eats but is never satisfied.” (6)
Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah] said, “The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] clarified that good only brings good. Wealth is not absolute goodness, rather it is a trial. So whoever spends it in its rightful (place), then it is good; and whoever spends it in dubious ways, then it will be bad for him, such as the eater of the khadira (i.e. a kind of vegetation); but it becomes safe and sound when it defecates and urinates”. (7)

Closeness of The Hereafter 

Abdullaah [radiyallaahu-anhu] reported: The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, “Paradise is nearer to any of you than the Shiraak (leather strap) of his shoe, and so is the (Hell) fire”. (8) Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “This (i.e. the above speech of the Prophet) is from Jawaami Al-kalim (i.e. a short expression with a vast meaning). There is nothing between him (i.e. a person) and paradise except dying (in a state) of Imaan and (that can be within) a few moments. And there is nothing between him and the hell fire except dying (in a state) of disbelief and (that can be within) a few moments”. (9)

Anas (radiyallaahu-anhu) reported: The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, “O Allaah! There is no life worth living except the life of the Hereafter, so make righteous the Ansaar and the emigrants”. (10) Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “There is no life that has much importance except the life of the Hereafter, because it does not end”. (11)

Caution Regarding Disobedience – The Tongue and Private Parts

Sahl Bin Sa’d [radiyallaahu-anhu] reported: Allaah’s Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, “Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jaw bones and what is between his two legs (i.e. his mouth, his tongue and his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him”. (12) Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “This requires two affairs: a lot of remembrance (of Allaah) and keeping away from gatherings of heedlessness and doubts, and (keeping away from) that which will result in fornication and nonsense speech”. (13)

Wealth Came to The Prophet But He Was Not Interested

Aaisha (radiyallaahu-anhaa) reported, “The family of Muhammad (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) had never eaten wheat bread to their satisfaction for three successive days since their arrival in Al-Madina till the death of the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam)”. (14) Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “A lot of wealth used to come to him (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) but he used to give precedence to others”. (15)

Aaisha (radiyallaahu-anhaa) reported, “A complete month would pass by during which we would not make a fire (for cooking), and our food used to be only dates and water unless we were given a present of some meat”. (16) Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “In some of the narrations (Aaisha said), ‘’two months (passed and they would not make a fire for cooking)'”. (17)

Superiority In The Sight of Allaah Is What Matters

Sahl [radiyallaahu-anhu] reported, “A man passed by Allaah’s Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) and Allaah’s Messenger asked (his companions, ‘What do you say about this (man)?’ They replied, ‘If he asks for a lady’s hand, he ought to be given her in marriage; and if he intercedes (for someone), his intercession will be accepted; and if he speaks, he will be listened’. Allaah’s Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) kept silent, and then another man from the poor Muslims passed by, and Allaah’s Messenger asked (them), ‘What do you say about this man?’ They replied, ‘If he asks for a lady’s hand in marriage, no one will accept him, and if he intercedes (for someone), his intercession will not be accepted; and if he speaks, he will not be listened to’. Allaah’s Messenger said, ‘This poor man is better than so many of the first as to fill the earth'”. (18) Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “This clarifies that what matters is the religion (of a person) and not wealth and status; and all these (men) were among the Sahaabah”. (19)

The Best Beloved Deeds to Allaah

The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, “The Most beloved deeds to Allaah are that which (a person does) continuously even if little”. (20)

Righteous deeds (i.e. supererogatory deeds) -even if little- performed regularly are better than performing a lot of deeds that are not regular. (21)

The hadeeth shows that a Muslim should limit himself to the acts of worship he is able perform (i.e. supererogatory deeds) and what is understood from this is a prohibition against imposing on himself (supererogatory deeds) which he is not able to perform. (22)

Caution Against Too Much Eagerness For The Things of This Worldly Life

Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu-anhu) reported: The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, “The example of a miser and an alms-giver is like the example of two people wearing two iron cloaks from their breasts to their collar bone; and when the alms-giver gives in charity, the cloak becomes capacious till it covers his whole body to such extent that it hides his fingertips and covers his footprints. And when the miser wants to spend, it (the iron cloak) sticks and (its) every ring gets stuck to it place, he tries to widen it, but it does not become wide”. (23) Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) commented on this hadeeth saying: “This shows that the soul of the generous and kind person is at ease in alms-giving. And whenever the covetous and miserly person wants to give charity, his soul is constricted. This is an indication of that which is in his heart of covetousness, and that is because he is not prepared to spend”. (24)

Hakeem Bin Hizaam [radiyallaahu-anhu] reported: I asked the Prophet [salal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] (for some money) and he gave me, and then again I asked him and he gave me, and then again I asked him and he gave me and he then said, “This wealth is (like) green and sweet (fruit), and whoever takes it without greed, Allaah will bless it for him, but whoever takes it with greed, Allaah will not bless it for him, and he will be like the one who eats but is never satisfied. And the upper hand in (giving) is better than the lower (taking) hand”. (25) Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz [rahimahullaah] said, “This hadeeth encourages (a person) to be contented and to obtain wealth in a good manner – (approved) by the Sharee’ah. The giver (of wealth) is the upper hand and the receiver is the lower hand”. (26)

Imaam Bukhaari (rahimahullaah) said: “Chapter: The one who does not care from where he earns his money.” Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu-anhu): The Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said, “A time will come upon the people when one will not care how one gains one’s money, legally or illegally”. (27) Imaam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said, “Eemaan will be weak and there will be little fear (of Allaah) at a time in which there will be ignorance and weakness in the affairs of the religion. This (is the case) in our era and in other eras before it”. (28)

Statements of Our Salafus Saaleh – Pious Predecessors

Ibraaheem Bin Ad’ham [rahimahullaah] said, “Abstinence from the worldly life is of three types: Obligatory abstinence; the abstinence that is of a superior virtue and the abstinence that is safety. As for the obligatory abstinence, it is abstinence from the unlawful; the abstinence that is of superior virtue is to abstain from what is lawful [but unnecessary]; and the abstinence that is safety is to abstain from the doubtful matters”. [Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page:310]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said: Whoever wants to attain the love of Allaah, then let him be dedicated to His remembrance [i.e. the remembrance of Allaah]. [Al-Waabilus Sayyib: page: 65] He [rahimahullaah] said: Whoever shows you the perfection of the afterlife, then indeed he has made parting with this world insignificant. [Badaa’i Al-Fawaa’id: 2/222] He [rahimahullaah] said: Whoever loves something will mention it a lot with his heart and tongue. And for this reason Allaah commanded His slaves to remember Him in all circumstances. [Uddatus Saabireen: 197] He [rahimahullaah] said: Too much socialising, wishing for things, attachment to others besides Allaah, filling one’s stomach and sleep; these five affairs are amongst the greatest corrupters of the heart. [Uddatus Saabireen: 197]

Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr [hafidhahullaah] said: Staying within the boundaries of Halaal and Haraam, and not coming close to the doubtful matters depends on the righteousness or corruption of a person’s heart. If the heart is pious and has that fear of falling into doubtful matters which can harm a person in the afterlife, it will distance itself from haraam and that which leads to Haraam. However, if the heart is corrupt, it will not care about falling into [error]. If the sickness in the heart is not too much, the heart engages in doubtful matters; and if the sickness increases, the heart engages in Haraam. If the corruption in the heart is not too much, the heart will not be safeguarded against the doubtful matters; and if the corruption is too much, the heart will not be safeguarded against what is forbidden. This shows the importance of rectifying one’s heart. [Source: Sharh Al-Arba’een, lecture number 9. Slightly Paraphrased]

1. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari Vol 8. No: 6430; 2 & 3. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Vol 4. Page: 229. Footnotes 4 and 5]; Bukhaari: Number 6490]; 5.[Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Vol 4. page: 248. Footnote: 4]; 6. Saheeh Bukhaari Vol 8. Hdeeth Number 6427; 7. [Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah. Vol 4.page: 229. Footnote: 1]; 8. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari Vol 8. Hadeeth Number: 6488]; 9. [Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh al-Bukhaari. Vol 4. Page: 238. Footnote 3]; 10. Saheeh Bukhaari. Vol 8. Number 6413; 11.[Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Vol 4. page222. footnote 2]; 12. Saheeh al-bukhaari, Book of Ar-Riqaaq, Vol 8, page: 263. Hadeeth Number: 6474; 13.[Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh al-Bukhari. Vol 4. Page:244. Footnote:2]; 14. Saheeh Al-Bukhaari, Vol 8. Book of Ar-Riqaaq. Hadeeth number: 6454; 15. [Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari Vol 4. Page:237. Footnote number:2]; 16. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari, Vol 8. Book of Ar-Riqaaq. Hadeeth number:6458]; 17.[Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-TaliqaAT Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari Vol 4. Page: 237. Footnote number 5]; [Refs 18 & 19: Source: Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree Volume 4. Hadeeth Number 5091]; [Ref 20: Part of a Hadeeth in Sahih Muslim Number 782]; [Ref 21: Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Vol 1 footnote number 2. Page 24. slightly paraphrased]; [Ref 22: Bugh’yah Al-Muta’tawwi Fee Salaah At-Tatawwu’ page198. slightly paraphrased]; [Ref 23: Saheeh Al-Bukhaari: Vol 2: hadeeth number: 1443: Book of Zakat]; [Ref 24: Source: Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Ta’liqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari: Vol: 1; page: 436. Footnote: 3]; [Ref 25: Saheeh Al-Bukhaari: Vol: 8. Hadeeth Number: 6441. Page 246. Daarus Salaam]; [Ref 26: Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Page:232; Vol 4. Footnote:2]; [Ref 27: Saheeh Al-Bukhaari Vol 3. Hadeeth Number 2059 [Darussalam];[Ref 28: Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Vol 2. Page:187. Footnote 2]