It has been reported that this hadeeth was in response to the
appearance of some elements of this, as at-Tabaraanee reports from
`Aasim ibn `Adiyy, radiyallaahu `anhu, who said, `I bought a hundred
shares from the shares of Khaybar and that reached the Prophet
sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam so he said
"Two ravenous wolves remaining amongst sheep whose owner has lost them
will not be more harmful than a Muslim`s seeking after wealth and
status is to his Deen." [1]
There is nothing more to chasing after wealth than the wastage of a
person's noble life for that which has no value. Instead he could have
earned a high rank (in Paradise) and everlasting bliss, but he lost
this due to his craving after provision - which had already been
assured to him and allotted to him, and it was not possible for
anything to come to him except what was decreed for him - then on top
of this he does not benefit from that, but rather abandons it and
leaves it for someone else.
He departs from that and leaves it behind so that he will be the one
held accountable for it, yet someone else benefits from it. So in
reality he is only gathering it for someone who will not praise him
for that, whilst he himself goes on to One who will not excuse him for
that - this itself would indeed be enough to show the blameworthiness
of this craving.
The person who has this craving wastes his valuabletime and engages
himself in that which is of no benefit to himself - in journeying and
exposing himself to dangers in orderto amass that which will only
benefit someone else, so it is as is said:
"So one who spends his days in gathering wealth Out of fear of poverty
- then he has achieved only poverty."
It was said to a wise man,"So and so has amassed wealth," so he said,
"Then has he amassed days in which to spend it?" It was said, "No." So
he said,"Then he has amassed nothing!"
It was also said in some narrations from the People of the Book,
"Provision has already been allotted and the one greedy for wealth is
deprived. Son of Aadam! If you spend your life in seeking after this
world then when will you seek after the Hereafter?" "If you are unable
to do good deeds in this world, then what will you do on the Day of
Resurrection?" Ibn Mas`ood, radiyallaahu `anhumaa, said,
"Certain faith (yaqeen) is that you do not make the people happy by
angering Allaah, and that you do notenvy anyone for that whichAllaah
has provided, and that you do not blame anyone for something which
Allaah has not given you - since provision will not be brought on by a
person's craving after it, nor will it be repelled by a person's
disliking it. IndeedAllaah through His Justice has made joy and
happiness dependant uponhaving certain faith and contentment, and He
has made worries and sorrow spring from doubt and displeasure."
One of the Salaf (predecessors) said:
"Since predecree (qadr) is a reality then craving is futile. Since
treachery existsin people's characters then trusting everybody is to
expose oneself to humiliation. Since death awaits everybody, then
being satisfied with this world is foolishness."
`Abdul-Waahid ibn Zayd (from the successors of the Taabi`een of
Basrah, died after 150H) used to swear by Allaah that a person's
craving after this world was more fearful to him than his worst enemy.
He also used to say,
"O my brothers! Do not grow up craving after his riches and increase
in earnings or wealth, rather look upon him with the eye of one who
detests that he is preoccupying himself with that which will cause his
ruin tomorrow in the Place of Return - and is proud with that."
He also used to say,
"Craving is of two types: Craving which is an affliction and craving
whichis beneficial./
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