Narrations on the prohibition of amassing wealth
Thursday, 25 October 2007 21:19
Hadrat once said : Hadhrat Abu Zar Ghifari radiyallahu anhu regarded those ahadith on the
prohibition of amassing wealth as general and applicable to all. The other sahabah believed that
those ahadtih were specific to the ahl-e-suffah.
One sahabi of the ashab-e-suffah had passed away and a gold coin was found among his
belongings. Nabi sallallahu `alayhi wasallam said, "A person owning one gold coin will be
branded once by the fire of Jahannum and the person owning two gold coins will be branded
twice by the fire of Jahannum." Sahabah believed that this hadith only referred to the
ashab-e-suffah who were not allowed to earn. A platform was built for them and this was their
home. Feeding arrangements were made in this manner that the Ansar used to bring branches
of dates and hang them in the musjid. Thereafter a sahabi of the ashab-e-suffah would take
according to his needs and requirements.
Once, Nabi sallallahu `alayhi wasallam had come to them whilst they were sitting in a group.
One of them was reciting the Qur'an and the rest were listening. Nabi sallallahu `alayhi
wasallam sat amongst them and asked, "What are you doing?" They replied that
they were reciting the Qur'an. At that time their condition was such that one of them only had
one chadar (shawl), one of them only had one lungi; another only had a kurta to the extent that
one sahabi did not even have sufficient clothing to cover his body. He used part of the clothing
of another sahabi to cover himself.
These people did not have permission to keep any wealth with them. The majority of the
sahabah understood this.
On the other hand Hadhrat Abu Zar Ghifari radiyallahu anhu believed that this law was general
and applicable to everyone. It was for this reason that he was banned from speaking out about
this.
In Sunan-e-Daarimi a it is reported that once Hadhrat Abu Zar Ghifari radiyallahu anhu was
explaining masaa'il to people the middle jamarah (pillar that is pelted during Hajj). Somebody
approached him and said, "You are explaining these masaail very comfortably and with a
lot of enjoyment whereas you are banned from speaking."
Hadhrat Abu Zar Ghifari radiyallahu anhu replied, "If a sword is put to my neck to slay me
and at I am able to show a mas'ala before I am slain then too I would show the mas'ala instead
of trying to save my life."
Abu Zar was so firm that he eventually was asked to leave Madinah and settle in a place called
Rabzah. He used to live here with his wife and one servant. Someone once came up to him and
said, "I wish to serve you and derive benefit from you."
He replied, "There is one condition - just as we have certain conditions for admission into
the madrasah – and it is that whenever I ask you to spend of my wealth then you are to
immediately spend the best quality."
Once at the time of rain a group of people had settled around the water. Hadhrat Abu Zar
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Narrations on the prohibition of amassing wealth
Thursday, 25 October 2007 21:19
Ghifari radiyallahu anhu sent his servant to inspect as to how many families were in that group.
He then ordered him to slaughter a camel and cut the meat up into pieces in accordance with
the number of families there and distribute it amongst those families. He also ordered him to
keep one piece of meat for themselves.
As the servant brought the camel Hadhrat Abu Zar Ghifari radiyallahu anhu became greatly
upset and said, "You had promised to always bring the best quality." The servant
said, "I had initially taken out the best one but then the thought passed my mind that this
camel is quite strong and you will need it as a maens of transport. So I brought the second best
camel which is also quite strong but not as strong as the first."
Hadhrat Abu Zar Ghifari radiyallahu anhu said, "Listen! The day when I will be in need will
be the day of qiyamah when nobody will be able to assist anybody else. I have absolutely no
need in the dunya (world)."
(Hadrat then told me (the compiler), "Have you understood?")
The day that I will be in need will be in the aakhirah (hereafter). I have no need in the dunya.
So will you people accept wholeheartedly that I have no need in the dunya? Will you then
understand this to apply to all? 2/2