Wealth
Total Hadiths 31
What Is the True Reality and Meaning of Wealth in Islam?
According to Islamic scholars, these authentic narrations reveal the profound truth behind human attachment to material possessions. While the son of Adam naturally clings to worldly belongings, proudly declaring, 'My wealth, my wealth,' the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) redefined true ownership by highlighting that only three things genuinely belong to a person. These are the food one consumes, the clothing one wears out, and the charity one gives to store as an everlasting reward in the Hereafter. Anything beyond these essential elements is ultimately temporary. As the texts emphasize, a person eventually departs this life, leaving all leftover material wealth behind for other people, underscoring the spiritual importance of detachment and generosity.
وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي الْعَلاَءُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of al-'Ala' b. 'Abd al-Rahman with the same chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2959bIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 7USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7063
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، بْنِ سَعْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الدَّارِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِإِسْنَادِ يُونُسَ وَمِثْلِ حَدِيثِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّ فِي حَدِيثِ صَالِحٍ " وَتُلْهِيَكُمْ كَمَا أَلْهَتْهُمْ " .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri as reported by Yunus with a slight variation of wording.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2961bIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 10USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7066
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، اللَّيْثِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " بَيْنَا رَجُلٌ بِفَلاَةٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ فَسَمِعَ صَوْتًا فِي سَحَابَةٍ اسْقِ حَدِيقَةَ فُلاَنٍ . فَتَنَحَّى ذَلِكَ السَّحَابُ فَأَفْرَغَ مَاءَهُ فِي حَرَّةٍ فَإِذَا شَرْجَةٌ مِنْ تِلْكَ الشِّرَاجِ قَدِ اسْتَوْعَبَتْ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءَ كُلَّهُ فَتَتَبَّعَ الْمَاءَ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ فِي حَدِيقَتِهِ يُحَوِّلُ الْمَاءَ بِمِسْحَاتِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ مَا اسْمُكَ قَالَ فُلاَنٌ . لِلاِسْمِ الَّذِي سَمِعَ فِي السَّحَابَةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ لِمَ تَسْأَلُنِي عَنِ اسْمِي فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا فِي السَّحَابِ الَّذِي هَذَا مَاؤُهُ يَقُولُ اسْقِ حَدِيقَةَ فُلاَنٍ لاِسْمِكَ فَمَا تَصْنَعُ فِيهَا قَالَ أَمَّا إِذَا قُلْتَ هَذَا فَإِنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا فَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثِهِ وَآكُلُ أَنَا وَعِيَالِي ثُلُثًا وَأَرُدُّ فِيهَا ثُلُثَهُ " .
Abu Huraira reported: While a person was in the wilderness he heard a voice from the cloud (commanding it thus): Irrigate the garden of so and so. (After that the clouds slinked aside and poured water on a stony ground. It filled a channel amongst the channels of that land and that person followed that water and he found a person standing in the garden busy in changing the course of water with the help of a hatchet. He said to him: Servant of Allah, what is your name? he said: So and so. And it was that very name which he had heard from the clouds. and he said to him: Servant of Allah, why do you ask me my name? He said: I heard a voice from the clouds of which is the downpour, saying: Water the garden of so and so, like your name. What do you do (for the favour) shown to you by Allah in this matter? He said: Now as you state so. I look what yield I get from it, and I give one-third as charity out of it and I and my children eat one-third of it and one-third I return to it as investment.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2984aIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 56USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7112
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ الضَّبِّيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ " وَأَجْعَلُ ثُلُثَهُ فِي الْمَسَاكِينِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ " .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Wahb b. Kaisan with the same chain of transmitters but with this change that he said: " I earmark one-third for the poor, the needy and the wayfarers."
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2984bIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 57USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7113
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَكِيمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " الأَكْثَرُونَ هُمُ الأَسْفَلُونَ إِلاَّ مَنْ قَالَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا " . ثَلاَثًا .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The wealthiest will be the lowest, except one who does such and such,’ three things.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4131In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 32English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4131
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سُهَيْلِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " مَا أُحِبُّ أَنَّ أُحُدًا عِنْدِي ذَهَبًا فَتَأْتِي عَلَىَّ ثَالِثَةٌ وَعِنْدِي مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ إِلاَّ شَىْءٌ أُرْصِدُهُ فِي قَضَاءِ دَيْنٍ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I would not like to have (the equivalent of) Uhud in gold, then a third night comes to me and I have anything of it left, except something that I set aside to pay off a debt.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4132In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 33English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4132
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " تَعِسَ عَبْدُ الدِّينَارِ وَعَبْدُ الدِّرْهَمِ وَعَبْدُ الْقَطِيفَةِ وَعَبْدُ الْخَمِيصَةِ إِنْ أُعْطِيَ رَضِيَ وَإِنْ لَمْ يُعْطَ لَمْ يَفِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Wretched is the slave of the Dinar and the slave of the Dirham, and the slave of velvet and the slave of the Khamisah.* If he is given, he is pleased and if he is not given, he does not fulfill (his oath of allegiance).”
[1] A kind of luxurious garment made of wool with patterns.Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4135In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 36English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4135
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " تَعِسَ عَبْدُ الدِّينَارِ وَعَبْدُ الدِّرْهَمِ وَعَبْدُ الْخَمِيصَةِ تَعِسَ وَانْتَكَسَ وَإِذَا شِيكَ فَلاَ انْتَقَشَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Wretched is the slave of the Dinar, the slave of the Dirham and the slave of the Khamisah. He is wretched and will be thrown (into Hell) on his face, and if he is pricked with a thorn may find no relief.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4136In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 37English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4136
حَدَّثَنِي سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي، هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ مَالِي مَالِي إِنَّمَا لَهُ مِنْ مَالِهِ ثَلاَثٌ مَا أَكَلَ فَأَفْنَى أَوْ لَبِسَ فَأَبْلَى أَوْ أَعْطَى فَاقْتَنَى وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ ذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاسِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: A servant says, My wealth. my wealth, but out of his wealth three things are only his: whatever he eats and makes use of or by means of which he dresses himself and it wears out or he gives as charity, and this is what he stored for himself (as a reward for the Hereafter), and what is beyond this (it is of no use to you) because you are to depart and leave it for other people.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2959aIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7063
حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ ثَلاَثَةً فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَبْرَصَ وَأَقْرَعَ وَأَعْمَى فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيَهُمْ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَلَكًا فَأَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَوْنٌ حَسَنٌ وَجِلْدٌ حَسَنٌ وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي الَّذِي قَدْ قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ . قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ قَذَرُهُ وَأُعْطِيَ لَوْنًا حَسَنًا وَجِلْدًا حَسَنًا قَالَ فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ الإِبِلُ - أَوْ قَالَ الْبَقَرُ شَكَّ إِسْحَاقُ - إِلاَّ أَنَّ الأَبْرَصَ أَوِ الأَقْرَعَ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا الإِبِلُ وَقَالَ الآخَرُ الْبَقَرُ - قَالَ فَأُعْطِيَ نَاقَةً عُشَرَاءَ فَقَالَ بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا - قَالَ - فَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ شَعَرٌ حَسَنٌ وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي هَذَا الَّذِي قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ . قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ وَأُعْطِيَ شَعَرًا حَسَنًا - قَالَ - فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ الْبَقَرُ . فَأُعْطِيَ بَقَرَةً حَامِلاً فَقَالَ بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا - قَالَ - فَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ أَنْ يَرُدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَىَّ بَصَرِي فَأُبْصِرَ بِهِ النَّاسَ - قَالَ - فَمَسَحَهُ فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ بَصَرَهُ . قَالَ فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ الْغَنَمُ . فَأُعْطِيَ شَاةً وَالِدًا فَأُنْتِجَ هَذَانِ وَوَلَّدَ هَذَا - قَالَ - فَكَانَ لِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الإِبِلِ وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ . قَالَ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ قَدِ انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي أَعْطَاكَ اللَّوْنَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْجِلْدَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْمَالَ بَعِيرًا أَتَبَلَّغُ عَلَيْهِ فِي سَفَرِي . فَقَالَ الْحُقُوقُ كَثِيرَةٌ . فَقَالَ لَهُ كَأَنِّي أَعْرِفُكَ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَبْرَصَ يَقْذَرُكَ النَّاسُ فَقِيرًا فَأَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا وَرِثْتُ هَذَا الْمَالَ كَابِرًا عَنْ كَابِرٍ . فَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ . قَالَ وَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فِي صُورَتِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ لِهَذَا وَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ مَا رَدَّ عَلَى هَذَا فَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ . قَالَ وَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ وَابْنُ سَبِيلٍ انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي رَدَّ عَلَيْكَ بَصَرَكَ شَاةً أَتَبَلَّغُ بِهَا فِي سَفَرِي فَقَالَ قَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْمَى فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَىَّ بَصَرِي فَخُذْ مَا شِئْتَ وَدَعْ مَا شِئْتَ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَجْهَدُكَ الْيَوْمَ شَيْئًا أَخَذْتَهُ لِلَّهِ فَقَالَ أَمْسِكْ مَالَكَ فَإِنَّمَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ فَقَدْ رُضِيَ عَنْكَ وَسُخِطَ عَلَى صَاحِبَيْكَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Huraira, narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There were three persons in Bani Isra'il, one suffering from leprosy, the other bald-headed and the third one blind. Allah decided to test them. So He sent an angel who came to the one who was suffering from leprosy and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful colour and fine skin and removal of that which makes me detestable in the eye of people. He wiped him and his illness was no more and he was conferred upon beautiful colour and beautiful skin.He (the angel) again said: Which property do you like most? He said: Camels, or he said: The cow the narrator is, however, doubtful about it, but (out of the persons) suffering from leprosy or baldness one of them definitely said: The camel. And the other one said: Cow. And he (one who demanded camel) was bestowed upon a she-camel, in an advanced stage of pregnancy, and while giving he said: May Allah bless you in this.Then he came to the bald-headed person and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful hair and that (this baldness) may be removed from me because of which people hate me. He wiped his body and his illness was removed and he was bestowed upon beautiful hair, and the angel said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The cow. And he was given a pregnant cow and while handing it over to him he (the angel) said: May Allah bless you in this.Then he came to the blind man and he said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Allah should restore my eyesight so that I should be able to see people with the help of that. He wiped his body and Allah restored to him his eyesight, and he (the angel) also said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The flock of sheep. And he was given a pregnant goat and that gave birth to young ones and it so happened that one valley abounded in camels and the other one in cows and the third one in sheep.He then came to the one who had suffered from leprosy in his (old) form and shape and he said: I am a poor person and my provision has run short in my journey and there is none to take me to my destination except with the help of Allah and your favour. I beg of you in His name Who gave you fine colour and fine skin, and the camel in the shape of wealth (to confer upon me) a camel which should carry me in my journey.He said: I have many responsibilities to discharge. Thereupon he said: I perceive as if I recognise you. Were you not suffering from leprosy whom people hated and you were a destitute and Allah conferred upon you (wealth)? He said: I have inherited this property from my forefathers. Thereupon he said: If you are a liar may Allah change you to that very position in which you had been.He then came to the one who was bald-headed in his (old) form and said to him the same what he had said to him (one suffering from leprosy) and he gave him the same reply as he had given him and he said: If you are a liar, may Allah turn you to your previous position in which you had been.And then he came to the blind man in his (old) form and shape and he said: I am a destitute person and a wayfarer. My provision have ran short and today there is no way to reach the destination but with the help of Allah and then with your help and I beg of you in the (name) of One Who restored your eyesight and gave you the flock of sheep to give me a sheep by which I should be able to make my provisions for the journey.He said: I was blind and Allah restored to me my eyesight; you take whatever you like and leave whatever you like. By Allah, I shall not stand in your way today for what you take in the name of God. Thereupon, he said: You keep with you what you have (in your possession). The fact is that you three were put to test and Allah is well pleased with you and He is annoyed with your companions.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2964In-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 15USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7071
