36/18. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 3995 — Lawful Wealth and Blessing
The tribulation of wealth
Lawful Wealth Hadith: Blessing, Greed, and the Attraction of Dunya
Sunan Ibn Majah : 3995
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 3995
حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ الْمِصْرِيُّ، أَنْبَأَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ عِيَاضِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ، يَقُولُ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَخَطَبَ فَقَالَ " لاَ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَخْشَى عَلَيْكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِلاَّ مَا يُخْرِجُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا " . فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيَأْتِي الْخَيْرُ بِالشَّرِّ فَصَمَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ " كَيْفَ قُلْتَ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ وَهَلْ يَأْتِي الْخَيْرُ بِالشَّرِّ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِنَّ الْخَيْرَ لاَ يَأْتِي إِلاَّ بِخَيْرٍ أَوَخَيْرٌ هُوَ إِنَّ كُلَّ مَا يُنْبِتُ الرَّبِيعُ يَقْتُلُ حَبَطًا أَوْ يُلِمُّ إِلاَّ آكِلَةَ الْخَضِرِ أَكَلَتْ حَتَّى إِذَا امْتَلأَتْ خَاصِرَتَاهَا اسْتَقْبَلَتِ الشَّمْسَ فَثَلَطَتْ وَبَالَتْ ثُمَّ اجْتَرَّتْ فَعَادَتْ فَأَكَلَتْ فَمَنْ يَأْخُذُ مَالاً بِحَقِّهِ يُبَارَكُ لَهُ وَمَنْ يَأْخُذُ مَالاً بِغَيْرِ حَقِّهِ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَأْكُلُ وَلاَ يَشْبَعُ " .
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up and addressed the people saying: ‘No, by Allah, I do not fear for you, O people, but I fear the attractions of this world that Allah brings forth for you.’ A man said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah(ﷺ), does good bring forth evil?’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained silent for a while, then he said: ‘What did you say?’ He said: ‘I said, does good bring forth evil?’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Good does not bring forth anything but good, but is it really good? Everything that grows on the banks of a stream may either kill if overeaten or (at least) make the animals sick, except if an animal eats its fill of Khadir* and then faces the sun, and then defecates and urinates, chews the cud and then returns to graze again. Whoever takes wealth in a lawful manner, it will be blessed for him, but whoever takes it in an unlawful manner, his likeness is that of one who eats and it never satisfied.’”
[1] A type of herb or vegetable.Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 3995In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 70English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 3995
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 3995
This lawful wealth Hadith begins with the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying he feared the attractions of this world for the people. A man asked whether good can bring evil. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained that good brings only good, but he questioned whether what people call good is truly good. He gave the image of animals overeating from fresh growth, which may harm them, except when the animal eats, rests, releases waste, chews the cud, and returns. Then he gave the direct money lesson: wealth taken lawfully is blessed, while wealth taken unlawfully is like eating without being satisfied. The Hadith teaches balance, lawful earning, and caution from greed.
What we learn from this hadith
- Worldly attraction can be a test.
- Lawful wealth is connected with blessing in this Hadith.
- Unlawful taking of wealth is compared to eating without satisfaction.
- Not everything people call good is truly good.
