81/10. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6437 — The Eye Wants More
The Fitnah of wealth should be warded off
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلاَدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ}.
Hadith About the Human Eye Never Being Satisfied
Sahih Bukhari : 6437
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6437
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَخْلَدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَطَاءً، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لَوْ أَنَّ لاِبْنِ آدَمَ مِثْلَ وَادٍ مَالاً لأَحَبَّ أَنَّ لَهُ إِلَيْهِ مِثْلَهُ، وَلاَ يَمْلأُ عَيْنَ ابْنِ آدَمَ إِلاَّ التُّرَابُ، وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ تَابَ ". قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَلاَ أَدْرِي مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ هُوَ أَمْ لاَ. قَالَ وَسَمِعْتُ ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ.
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "If the son of Adam had money equal to a valley, then he will wish for another similar to it, for nothing can satisfy the eye of Adam's son except dust. And Allah forgives him who repents to Him." Ibn `Abbas said: I do not know whether this saying was quoted from the Qur'an or not. `Ata' said, "I heard Ibn AzZubair saying this narration while he was on the pulpit."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6437In-book reference : Book 81, Hadith 26USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 76, Hadith 445
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6437
This hadith about greed and wealth says that if the son of Adam had wealth like a valley, he would love to have another valley like it. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم describes a deep human weakness: the eye can keep wanting more. The hadith then says nothing satisfies the eye of Adam’s son except dust. This is a strong reminder that worldly desire does not naturally stop by itself. Death ends it. Yet the hadith also gives hope: Allah forgives the one who repents. Ibn Abbas also says he did not know whether this saying was from the Qur’an or not, and Ata mentions Ibn az-Zubair saying it on the pulpit.
What we learn from this hadith
- A person’s desire for more wealth can continue without limit.
- The eye may keep wanting more unless the heart is trained.
- Death ends worldly craving.
- Allah forgives the one who repents to Him.
