12/10. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 992b — Warning Against Hoarding Wealth
Stern warning concerning those who hoard wealth
Hadith About Hoarding Wealth and Guarding Faith
Sahih Muslim : 992b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 992b
وَحَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَشْهَبِ، حَدَّثَنَا خُلَيْدٌ الْعَصَرِيُّ، عَنِ الأَحْنَفِ، بْنِ قَيْسٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَمَرَّ أَبُو ذَرٍّ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ بَشِّرِ الْكَانِزِينَ بِكَىٍّ فِي ظُهُورِهِمْ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَبِكَىٍّ مِنْ قِبَلِ أَقْفَائِهِمْ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ جِبَاهِهِمْ . - قَالَ - ثُمَّ تَنَحَّى فَقَعَدَ . - قَالَ - قُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا قَالُوا هَذَا أَبُو ذَرٍّ . قَالَ فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ مَا شَىْءٌ سَمِعْتُكَ تَقُولُ قُبَيْلُ قَالَ مَا قُلْتُ إِلاَّ شَيْئًا قَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ نَبِيِّهِمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَ قُلْتُ مَا تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الْعَطَاءِ قَالَ خُذْهُ فَإِنَّ فِيهِ الْيَوْمَ مَعُونَةً فَإِذَا كَانَ ثَمَنًا لِدِينِكَ فَدَعْهُ.
Al-Ahnaf bin Qais Narrated from:
While I was in the company of the (elites) of Quraiah, Abu Dharr came there and he was saying: Give glad tidings to the hoarders of riches that their backs would be branded (so deeply) that (the hot Iron) would come out of their sides, and when the backs of their necks would be branded, it would come out of their foreheads.He (Abu Dharr) then went away and sat down. I asked who he was. They said: He is Abu Dharr. I went to him and said to him: What is this that I heard from you which you were saying before? He said: I said nothing but only that which I heard from their Prophet (ﷺ). I again said: What do you say about this gift? He said: Take it, for today it is a help. But when it becomes a price for your religion, then abandon it.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 992bIn-book reference : Book 12, Hadith 44USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 5, Hadith 2177
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 992b
This Hadith about hoarding wealth shows Abu Dharr repeating a serious warning he heard from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The warning is aimed at those who gather riches and hold them in a harmful way. The text describes branding on their backs, sides, necks, and foreheads, showing how severe this matter is. Abu Dharr also gives a balanced answer about receiving gifts. He says to take a gift when it is a help, but to leave it when it becomes a price for religion. So the core message is not simply about money. It is about wealth, honesty, and protecting faith from being bought or weakened.
What we learn from this hadith
- Hoarding wealth is treated as a serious spiritual danger in this narration.
- A gift can be accepted when it is only a form of help.
- A believer should leave any benefit that becomes a price for religion.
- Abu Dharr was careful to speak only what he heard from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
