All praise is for Allaah, Lord of the worlds. May Allaah send praises and complete
peace until the Day of Recompense upon him, his family and followers and upon all of
his companions.
The Shaikh, the Imaam, the distinguished scholar, Shaikh-ul-Islaam, remainder of the
noble Salaf, Zaynuddeen Abul-Faraj ‘Abdur-Rahmaan, son of the Shaikh and the Imaam
Shihaabuddeen Ahmad, son of the Shaikh and the Imaam – Ibn Rajab al-Baghdaadee, alHanbalee, rahimahullaahu Ta’aala, said:
Imaam Ahmad, an-Nasaa’ee, at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh report the
hadeeth of Ka’b ibn Maalik al-Ansaaree, radiyallaahu ‘anhu, from the Prophet (salAllahu
‘alayhi wa sallam) that he said: “Two hungry wolves let loose among sheep are not more
harmful then a person craving after wealth and status is to his Deen (Religion).” atTirmidhee said, “It is hasan saheeh.”2
It is also reported from the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) from the hadeeth of Ibn
`Umar, Ibn `Abbaas, Aboo Hurairah, Usamaah ibn Zayd, Jaabir, Aboo Sa`eed alKhudree and `Aasim ibn `Adiyy al-Ansaree, radiyAllaahu `anhum `ajma`een.3
We have mentioned them all and spoken about them in the book Sharhut-Tirmidhee
(Explanation of Tirmidhee).
2 It is reported by Ahmad (3/456,460), an-Nasaa’ee in al-Kubraa as occurs in Tuhfatul-Ashraaf of al-Mizzee
(8/316), at-Tirmidhee (no.2376), Ibn Hibbaan (no.2472), Nu`aym ibn Hammaad in his Zawaa’id upon azZuhd (no.181), ad-Daarimee (2/304), at-Tayaalisee (no.2201) and al-Baghawee in Sharhus-Sunnah (14/258)
and its chain of narration (isnaad) is saheeh (authentic) as at-Tirmidhee says.
3 Al-Haithumee quoted most of these narrations in Majma`uz-Zawaa`id (10/250) and determined their
level of authenticity.
10
The wording of the hadeeth of Jaabir, radiyallaahu `anhu is: “Two ravenous wolves which
spend the night amongst sheep whose shepherd is absent, will not cause more havoc for
the people than will love of status and wealth to a Believer’s Deen.”
In the hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas, radiyAllaahu`anhu, there occurs, “love of wealth” in place
of “craving…”
This is a very great similitude given to us by the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to
show how the Deen of the Muslims is corrupted by craving after wealth and worldly
status, and that the damage caused to the Deen by it will not be less than the damage
caused by two hungry and ravenous wolves which spend the night amongst sheep
whose shepherd is absent – so that they feast on them and massacre them.
As is obvious none but a small number of these sheep would escape from the havoc
caused by these hungry wolves – and the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) informed
us that a person’s craving after wealth and status does not cause less harm than these
two hungry wolves amongst the sheep. Rather, either it will be the same or worse. So
this shows that hardly any of a Muslim’s Deen remains secure if he craves after wealth
and status in this world – just as hardly any of the sheep will be saved from hungry
wolves. So this great similitude contains a severe warning against the evil of craving
after wealth and status in the world.
Note: To be contiued soon