The Evil Of Craving For Wealth And Status: By: al-Haafidh ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee (d.795H) rahimahullah Translated By: Aboo Talhah Daawood ibn Ronald Burbank: Pages 11-12

The First Type of Craving for Wealth
11:The first type of craving for wealth is that a person has extreme love for wealth and also
relentlessly exerts efforts to attain it – via means which are lawful – being excessive in
that, striving hard and making painstaking efforts and toiling in order to attain it.
It has been reported that this hadeeth was in response to the appearance of some
elements of this, as at-Tabaraanee reports from `Aasim ibn `Adiyy, radiyAllaahu `anhu
who said, ‘I bought a hundred shares from the shares of Khaybar and that reached the
Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) so he said, “Two ravenous wolves remaining
amongst sheep whose owner has lost them will not be more harmful than a Muslim’s
seeking after wealth and status to his Deen.”’4
There is nothing more to chasing after wealth than the wastage of a person’s noble life
for that which has no value. Instead he could have earned a high rank (in Paradise) and
everlasting bliss, but he lost this due to his craving after provision – which had already
been assured to him and allotted to him, and it was not possible for anything to come to
him except what was decreed for him – then on top of this he does not benefit from that,
but rather abandons it and leaves it for someone else.
He departs from that and leaves it behind so that he will be the one held accountable for
it, yet someone else benefits from it. So in reality he is only gathering it, yet someone
else benefits from it. So in reality he is only gathering it for someone who will not
praise him for that, whilst he himself goes on to One who will not excuse him for that –
this itself would indeed be enough to show the blameworthiness of this craving.
The person who has this craving wastes his valuable time and engages himself in that
which is no benefit to himself – in journeying and exposing himself to dangers in order
to amass that which will only benefit someone else, so it is as is said:
“So one who spends his days in gathering wealth –
Out of fear of poverty – then he has achieved only poverty.”
4 It is quoted by al-Haithumee in Majma`uz-Zawaa`id (10/250) and he attributed it to at-Tabaraanee in alAwsat and said, “Its isnaad is hasan (good)
12: “Do not envy a brother who craves after riches –
rather look upon him with aversion.
Indeed the one who craves is preoccupied with his
Wealth from having any happiness due to his belongings.
Someone else said in this regard:
“O gatherer and miserly one being watched closely by time –
which is wondering which of its doors it should be close.
You have gathered wealth, but think have you gathered for it –
O gatherer of wealth – days in which you can spend it.
Wealth is hoarded away with you for those who will inherit it –
The wealth is not yours except on the day when you spend it.
Satisfaction is for the one who settles in its neighbourhood –
And in its shade he finds no worries to disturb him.”
A wise person wrote to a brother of his who desired this world: “To proceed, you have
become one who craves after this world. It will serve you whilst taking you away from
it with accidents, illnesses, calamities and infirmity. It is as if you have not seen one
who craves prevented from what he desires, nor one who shuns this world granted
provision, nor one who died despite having great wealth, nor one who is fully satisfied
in this world with a small amount.
A desert rebuked a brother of his for covetousness, saying, “O my brother you are a
seeker and one sought. You are being sought by One whom you cannot escape, and
you are seeking that for which you have been sufficed. O brother, it is as if you have
not seen one who craves being prevented, nor one who shuns the world being granted
provision.”
A wise man said, “The people who have the greatest degree of restlessness are the
envious, those who have the greatest degree of happiness are the contented. Those who
persevere most through suffering are those who are covetous. Those who have the
simplest and most pleasant life are those who most strongly refuse this world. The one
who will suffer the greatest regret is the scholar whose actions contradict his
knowledge.”