Verily, among the things I fear the most for you after me is the splendor and adornment of this worldly life when they become plentifully available to you

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Hadith
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Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: One day the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat on the pulpit, and we sat around him. He said: "Verily, among the things I fear the most for you after me is the splendor and adornment of this worldly life when they become plentifully available to you." A man said: O Messenger of Allah, can good bring forth evil? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent, and it was said to him: What is the matter with you? You are talking to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he is not talking to you. We noticed that he was receiving revelation. He said: He wiped off his sweat and said: "Where is the questioner?" It seemed as if he liked his question. He said: "Verily, good does not bring forth evil, but some of what grows in spring kills or is about to kill except for the eater of Khadrā’ (kind of plant) that eats until both its flanks expand, then it faces the sun and defecates and urinates and starts to graze again. This wealth is, indeed, green and sweet. A good companion of the Muslim, it is from which he gives to the needy, the orphan, and the wayfarer—or as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said. Whoever takes it unlawfully is like the one who eats but is never satiated, and it will be a witness against him on the Day of Judgment."
Authentic hadith - Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim

Explanation

One day the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat on the pulpit talking to his Companions and he said: What I fear most for you after me is what is disclosed to you of the blessings of the earth, splendor, adornment, and pleasures of this world and what it contains of the various types of possessions, clothes, crops, and other things that people take pride in their beauty despite their being transient. A man said: The splendor of this worldly life is a blessing from Allah, so how could such a blessing turn into misfortune and punishment?! People blamed the questioner when they noticed how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent, thinking that he had aroused his anger. However, it became clear that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was receiving revelation, and he, then, started wiping the sweat off his forehead. He said: Where is the questioner? He said: Here I am. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) praised Allah and commended Him then said: True goodness brings nothing forth but goodness; however, this splendor is not purely good given the temptation and competition it leads to and how it distracts people from focusing duly on the Hereafter. Then he gave an example saying: The plants and Khadir of the spring, which is a kind of plant the cattle like, could kill or almost kill because of excessive eating that leads to repletion. An exception to this is the eater of the Khadir that eats until both sides of its belly are filled, then it turns to face the sun and throws the dung out of its belly or urinates, then it brings up what is in its belly and chews then swallows it, and then it starts to graze again. This wealth is like a green and sweet plant that could kill or almost kill if it is too much unless a small amount, which is needed, is only used thereof to fulfill sufficiency through lawful channels, for in this case it causes no harm. It could be a good companion to the Muslim if he gives the needy, the orphan, and the wayfarer from it. Whoever takes it rightfully, it will be blessed for him, but whoever takes it wrongfully will be like the one who eats and is never satiated, and it will be a witness against him on the Day of Judgment.

Benefits from the Hadith

  1. An-Nawawi said: It indicates the merit of wealth for whoever takes it rightfully and spends it on charitable causes.
  2. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed about the condition of his Ummah and how worldly adornment and temptations will be opened for them.
  3. It was from the practice of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to give examples to make meanings clear and easy to understand.
  4. Encouraging the act of giving charity and spending money on charitable causes and warning against stinginess.
  5. What is understood from his statement: "Verily, good does not bring forth evil," is that sustenance, even if abundant, is counted among goodness, and it could only be subject to evil if it is withheld from those who deserve it out of stinginess or if it is extravagantly spent on what is not prescribed. Moreover, everything that Allah has ordained to be good will never be evil and vice versa; however, it is feared that one who is granted goodness could be subject to what brings him evil given the way he disposes of it.
  6. Abandoning haste in giving a response if it requires contemplation.
  7. At-Tībi said: Four types could be derived from it: One that excessively eats from it, enjoys it, and is totally indulged until its ribs are swollen and it does not stop, which rapidly brings about its destruction. One that eats in the same manner but resorts to trickery to combat the disease after becoming intense, but it overcomes it and leads to its destruction. One that eats in the same manner but hastens to remove what harms it and tries to push it until it is digested and it is safe. One that does not eat excessively and is not engrossed in eating; rather, he eats only what satisfies his hunger and keeps him alive. The first is an example of the disbeliever, the second is an example of the sinner who is heedless of giving up sins and repenting until it is too late, the third is an example of the one who mixes righteous deeds with others and hastens to repentance that is accepted from him, and the fourth is an example of the one who abstains from worldly pleasures and seeks the Hereafter.
  8. Ibn al-Munīr said: This Hadīth contains beautiful similes. First: comparing wealth and its growth to the emergence and growth of plants. Second: comparing the one engrossed in earning money and utilizing means to the animals engrossed in grazing. Third: comparing the endeavor to have more of it and saving it to gluttony and satiation. Fourth: comparing the wealth produce, despite its high status in people's eyes that has led to exaggeration in withholding it, to the animal's droppings, which is an exquisite reference to regarding it as filthy under the Shariah. Fifth: comparing the one who does not seek to collect it and possess it to the sheep when it rests and lies on its side while facing the sun, which is one of its best states in terms of serenity and tranquility, and it denotes its awareness of its interests. Sixth: comparing the death of the money collector who withholds it to the death of the animal that is heedless of avoiding what harms it. Seventh: comparing wealth to the companion that is liable to turn into an enemy, as when the money is possessed and tightly tied out of love for it, this entails withholding it from those who deserve it, and so it leads to punishing its possessor. Eighth: comparing taking money wrongfully to the one who eats without ever feeling satisfied.
  9. As-Sindi said: According to the report, two things must be fulfilled. First: it has to be rightfully earned. Second: it has to be spent in its proper channels. When any of the two conditions is missed, it becomes harmful...it could also be said: It bears reference that the two conditions are concurrent; thus, one is not aided to spend in the proper channels unless he takes it rightfully.

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