92/21. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7112 — Worldly Wealth and Strife
Changing the words
Hadith About Worldly Gain Causing Mischief
Sahih Bukhari : 7112
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7112
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَوْفٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمِنْهَالِ، قَالَ لَمَّا كَانَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ وَمَرْوَانُ بِالشَّأْمِ، وَوَثَبَ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ بِمَكَّةَ، وَوَثَبَ الْقُرَّاءُ بِالْبَصْرَةِ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ مَعَ أَبِي إِلَى أَبِي بَرْزَةَ الأَسْلَمِيِّ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ فِي دَارِهِ وَهْوَ جَالِسٌ فِي ظِلِّ عُلِّيَّةٍ لَهُ مِنْ قَصَبٍ، فَجَلَسْنَا إِلَيْهِ فَأَنْشَأَ أَبِي يَسْتَطْعِمُهُ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا بَرْزَةَ أَلاَ تَرَى مَا وَقَعَ فِيهِ النَّاسُ فَأَوَّلُ شَىْءٍ سَمِعْتُهُ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ إِنِّي احْتَسَبْتُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنِّي أَصْبَحْتُ سَاخِطًا عَلَى أَحْيَاءِ قُرَيْشٍ، إِنَّكُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْعَرَبِ كُنْتُمْ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّذِي عَلِمْتُمْ مِنَ الذِّلَّةِ وَالْقِلَّةِ وَالضَّلاَلَةِ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَنْقَذَكُمْ بِالإِسْلاَمِ وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى بَلَغَ بِكُمْ مَا تَرَوْنَ، وَهَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا الَّتِي أَفْسَدَتْ بَيْنَكُمْ، إِنَّ ذَاكَ الَّذِي بِالشَّأْمِ وَاللَّهِ إِنْ يُقَاتِلُ إِلاَّ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا.
Abu Al-Minhal Narrated from:
When Ibn Ziyad and Marwan were in Sham and Ibn Az-Zubair took over the authority in Mecca and Qurra' (the Kharijites) revolted in Basra, I went out with my father to Abu Barza Al-Aslami till we entered upon him in his house while he was sitting in the shade of a room built of cane. So we sat with him and my father started talking to him saying, "O Abu Barza! Don't you see in what dilemma the people has fallen?"The first thing heard him saying "I seek reward from Allah for myself because of being angry and scornful at the Quraish tribe. O you Arabs! You know very well that you were in misery and were few in number and misguided, and that Allah has brought you out of all that with Islam and with Muhammad till He brought you to this state (of prosperity and happiness) which you see now; and it is this worldly wealth and pleasures which has caused mischief to appear among you.The one who is in Sham (i.e., Marwan), by Allah, is not fighting except for the sake of worldly gain: and those who are among you, by Allah, are not fighting except for the sake of worldly gain; and that one who is in Mecca (i.e., Ibn Az-Zubair) by Allah, is not fighting except for the sake of worldly gain."
[1] Khawārij : The people who dissented from the religion and disagreed with the rest of the Muslims.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7112In-book reference : Book 92, Hadith 59USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 88, Hadith 228
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7112
This hadith about worldly gain shows Abu Barza Al-Aslami speaking during a time of disorder. He reminded the Arabs that they had once been in weakness, few in number, and misguidance. Then Allah brought them out of that through Islam and through Muhammad. After mentioning this favor, he pointed to worldly wealth and pleasures as the cause of mischief between people. He then described different sides as fighting for worldly gain. The explanation should stay close to the text: the hadith is not giving a full ruling on each group. It records Abu Barza’s warning that love of the world can damage unity and turn people against each other.
What we learn from this hadith
- Islam was described as a cause of rescue from weakness and misguidance.
- Worldly wealth and pleasure can lead people into conflict.
- A person should examine whether conflict is driven by worldly aims.
- Remembering Allah’s favors helps expose the danger of greed.
