The prophet’s indifference to the things of this temporary worldly life
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Qays, may Allah have mercy upon him, narrated: I heard Khabbab, may Allah be pleased with him, who had branded his abdomen with seven brands, saying, “Had Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 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]
Imam Abdul-Aziz Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “They died upon tremendous good and did not reach the adornments of this worldly life”. [2] “But we have collected of the worldly wealth what we cannot spend but on earth”. Imam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz said, “(Spent) on castles and houses”. [3]
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Allah’s Messenger. peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 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)
Imam Abdul-Azeez Bin Baaz said, “So that he may recognise Allah’s blessing upon him. In another narration, ‘So that he does not belittle the blessings Allah has bestowed upon him'”. [5]
Abu Sa’id, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, 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 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]
Imam Abdul-Aziz Bin Baaz said, “The Prophet clarified that good only brings good. Wealth is not absolute goodness, rather it is a trial. So whoever spends it in its rightful (place), it is good; and whoever spends it in dubious ways, 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]
Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Paradise is nearer to any of you than the Shiraak (leather strap) of his shoe, and so is the (Hell) fire”. [8]
Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, 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, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “O Allah! There is no life worth living except the life of the Hereafter, so make righteous the Ansaar and the emigrants”. [10]
Imam Abdul-Aziz Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “There is no life that has much importance except the life of the Hereafter because it does not end”. [11]
Aaisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported, “The family of Muhammad had never eaten wheat bread to their satisfaction for three successive days since their arrival in Al-Madina till the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him”. [12]
Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baaz said, “A lot of wealth used to come to him (i.e. the Prophet) but he used to give precedence to others”. [13]
Aaisha 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”. [14]
Imam Abdul-Aziz Bin Baaz said, “In some of the narrations (Aaisha said), ‘two months (passed and they would not make a fire for cooking)'”. [15]
Sahl reported: A man passed by Allah’s Messenger, then Allaah’s Messenger asked: “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”. Allah’s Messenger kept silent, and then another man from the poor Muslims passed by, and Allah’s Messenger asked: “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”. Allah’s Messenger said, “This poor man is better than so many of the first as to fill the earth”. [16]
Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baaz said, “This clarifies that what matters is the religion (of a person) and not wealth and status. All those (men) were from the Sahaabah”. [17]
Abu Hurairah reported: The Prophet 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”. (18)
Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baaz said: “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”. [19]
Hakim Bin Hizam, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: I asked the Prophet, peace and blessngs of Allah be upon him, (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, Allah will bless it for him, but whoever takes it with greed, Allah 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”. [20]
Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baaz said, “This hadith encourages (a person) to be contented and to obtain wealth in a good manner – (approved) by the Shariah. The giver (of wealth) is the upper hand and the receiver is the lower hand”. [21]
Imam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Chapter: The one who does not care from where he earns his money.” Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet said, “A time will come upon the people when one will not care how one gains one’s money, legally or illegally”. [22]
Imam Abdul-Aziz Bin Baaz said, “Iman will be weak and there will be little fear (of Allah) at a time in which there will be ignorance and weakness in the matters of the religion. This (is the case) in our era and in other eras before it”. [23]
Ibrahim Bin Ad’ham, may Allah have mercy upon him, 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”. [24]
1. Al-Bukhari 6430
2 & 3. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. 4/229. Footnotes 4 and 5]
4. Al-Bukhari 6490
5 Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah 4/248. Footnote: 4
6. Al-Bukhari 6427
7. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah. 4/229. Footnote: 1.
8. Al-Bukhari 6488
9. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh al-Bukhari. 4/238. Footnote 3
10. Al-Bukhari. 6413.
11. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. 4/222. Footnote 2
12. Al-Bukhari. 6454
13. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhari 4/237. Footnote number:2
14. Al-Bukhaari. 6458.
15.Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min at-TaliqaAT Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhari 4/237. Footnote number 5.
16 & 17. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree 4/238. Hadeeth Number 5091]
18. Al-Bukhaari. 1443
19 Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Ta’liqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhari: 1/436. Footnote: 3.
20. Al-Bukhari. 6441
21 Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min a-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. 4/232. Footnote:2
22 Al-Bukhari 2059
23. Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min at-Taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. 2/187. Footnote 2
24. Jami-ul Ulum Wal-Hikam. p310