37/21. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4081 — Steps for Defending Your Wealth
What Should a Man Do if Someone Comes to Take His Wealth?
Hadith About Defending Wealth: A Step-by-Step Response
Sunan an-Nasai : 4081
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4081
أَخْبَرَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، فِي حَدِيثِهِ عَنْ أَبِي الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ قَابُوسَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ح وَأَخْبَرَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ تَمِيمٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سِمَاكُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ عَنْ قَابُوسَ بْنِ مُخَارِقٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ وَسَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيَّ يُحَدِّثُ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَأْتِينِي فَيُرِيدُ مَالِي . قَالَ " ذَكِّرْهُ بِاللَّهِ " . قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَذَّكَّرْ قَالَ " فَاسْتَعِنْ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ حَوْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ " . قَالَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ حَوْلِي أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَالَ " فَاسْتَعِنْ عَلَيْهِ بِالسُّلْطَانِ " . قَالَ فَإِنْ نَأَى السُّلْطَانُ عَنِّي قَالَ " قَاتِلْ دُونَ مَالِكَ حَتَّى تَكُونَ مِنْ شُهَدَاءِ الآخِرَةِ أَوْ تَمْنَعَ مَالَكَ " .
Qabus bin Mukhariq Narrated from:
It was narrated from Qabus bin Mukhariq that his father said: "I heard Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrating this Hadith. He said: 'A man came to the Prophet [SAW] and said: "What if a man comes to me and wants to take my wealth?" He said: "Remind him of Allah." He said: "What if he pays no heed?" He said: "Seek the help of the Muslims around you against him." He said: "What if there are no Muslims around me?" He said: "Seek the help of the ruler against him." He said: "What if the ruler is far away from me?" He said: "Fight to defend your wealth until you either become one of the martyrs of the Hereafter, or you protect your wealth (successfully)."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4081In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 116English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4086
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4081
This hadith about defending wealth gives a clear order of response when someone tries to take a person’s property. The first step is not immediate fighting. The Prophet [SAW] told the man to remind the aggressor of Allah. If that warning failed, he should seek help from Muslims nearby. If no Muslims were available, he should seek help from the ruler. Only when the ruler was too far away did the answer move to fighting in defense of the wealth. The outcome mentioned is either protecting the property or being counted among the martyrs of the Hereafter. The wording presents property defense as a last step after warning and attempts to obtain lawful help.
What we learn from this hadith
- Begin by reminding the person who seeks your wealth of Allah.
- Seek help from nearby Muslims before facing the aggressor alone.
- Turn to the ruler when community help is unavailable.
- Physical defense appears only after the earlier means of help cannot be reached.
