What Prophet fears for us
Friday, October 10, 2008
"BY ALLAH, it is not poverty that I fear for you, rather what I fear for you is that worldly riches may be given to you as they were given to those who came before you, and you will compete for them with one another as they competed with one another, and you will be destroyed as they were destroyed, said the Messenger of Allah Muhammad, peace be upon him. (narrated by 'Amr ibn 'Awf, reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, said concerning the lessons learned from this hadith, "Competition in worldly gains may lead to destruction of religious commitment." (Fath al-Bari)
Ibn Battal said, "This shows that the one to whom the delights of this world open up should beware of their bad consequences and the evil of their temptation, and he should not be at ease with its adornments or compete with others for them." (Fath al-Bari)
The one who is distracted from the Hereafter by worldly pursuits is a loser, for this world is but play and there is nothing lasting or perfect in it; the Hereafter is better and more lasting. Allah says, "Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers; evildoers), and (there is) forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers; good?doers). And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment." (translation of the Quran surah Al-Hadid: 20)
One of the signs that people may be destroyed by their competing in worldly gains is their buying houses with riba-based loans. A person exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allah for the sake of competing with others in building a house and in decorating it and making it spacious, but they may be among those who used up all their good things in this world, because they did that which Allah has forbidden for the sake of pleasure and enjoyment, namely riba from the bank.
Islam QA
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, said concerning the lessons learned from this hadith, "Competition in worldly gains may lead to destruction of religious commitment." (Fath al-Bari)
Ibn Battal said, "This shows that the one to whom the delights of this world open up should beware of their bad consequences and the evil of their temptation, and he should not be at ease with its adornments or compete with others for them." (Fath al-Bari)
The one who is distracted from the Hereafter by worldly pursuits is a loser, for this world is but play and there is nothing lasting or perfect in it; the Hereafter is better and more lasting. Allah says, "Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) as the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers; evildoers), and (there is) forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers; good?doers). And the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment." (translation of the Quran surah Al-Hadid: 20)
One of the signs that people may be destroyed by their competing in worldly gains is their buying houses with riba-based loans. A person exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allah for the sake of competing with others in building a house and in decorating it and making it spacious, but they may be among those who used up all their good things in this world, because they did that which Allah has forbidden for the sake of pleasure and enjoyment, namely riba from the bank.
Islam QA
Business Besides Oil
