Download PDF: [S] They Saved for the Hereafter

Maqaatil bin Saleh Khurasani narrates that the following incident. He narrates:

 

I was once in the blessed company of Hammad bin Salamah – may Allah be pleased with him. I noticed that there was hardly anything in his house. He only had a mat on which he sat. In his hand, there was a copy of the Qur’an which he continued to recite. There was a small box in which there were a few books and a small bowl which he used to drinking water and also for making wudu.

 

While I was sitting in his blessed company, someone knocked on his door. He asked a little child in the house to go and see who was at the door. The child then informed him that it was a messenger from Mohammed bin Sulayman bin Abdul Malik. He then mentioned to the child that she was to inform the messenger to enter alone and he must not enter with any other government person.

 

When the messenger entered the room, he placed the letter of the Ruler, Mohammed bin Sulayman, in front of him. The letter read, “This is a letter from Mohammed bin Sulayman to Hammad bin Salamah. May Allah Almighty Allah keep you among his chosen and special servants.  I have a certain problem and request a Fatwah from you in this regard. Was salaam”.

 

After he had read the contents, he then asked the little child to bring a pen and some ink. He then asked me to write his reply which he dictated to me. He said, “May Allah also keep you well and among is pious slaves. I have seen the behaviour of the ‘Ulama and they do not go anywhere. Those who wish to ask them a question, come personally to them. Therefore, if you have any question to ask, I would advise you to approach me if it is not too much of a problem. Whatever you wish to ask, I would gladly give answers.”

 

After the messenger had left, a few minutes later, there was another knock on the door and again the eminent Alim asked the little child to see who was at the door. She then informed him that Mohammed bin Sulayman had appeared himself personally. He then instructed the little child to allow him in. Mohammed bin Sulayman entered the room, warmly greeted the eminent Alim and sat respectfully in front of him. He then remarked to the great Alim, “What is the reason that when I look at you, I feel immense awe and fear? Whenever I look at you, then there is immense fear and terror which is felt in my heart.”

 

Hadrat Hammad bin Salamah – may Allah be pleased with him – replied, “I once heard Hadrat Thabit Banaani – may Allah be pleased with him – report from Hadrat Sayyiduna Aanis bin Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – who mentioned that the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – had stated that, “When an Alim wishes for the Divine Pleasure of Allah Almighty through his knowledge, then everything fears him. However, when he uses this same knowledge to gather wealth and riches, then his condition is that he fears everything (around him).”

 

Mohammed bin Sulayman asked, “I wish to ask the following question. A person has two sons and he likes one of them better than the other, can he nominate two thirds of his wealth to this person?”

 

Hadrat Hammad bin Salamah – may Allah be pleased with him – replied, “May Allah have Divine Grace on him, he should not do something like this. The reason is that I have a report from Hadrat Sayyiduna Aanis bin Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – who mentioned that the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – has stated that, “When Allah Almighty wishes to make someone’s wealth the means for his punishment, then he gives the person the opportunity to make a wrong and oppressive decision.”

 

The historians also mention that Mohammed bin Sulayman also presented nearly forty thousand Dirhams to the great Alim but he refused to accept anything.

 

(Islam baynal ‘Ulama wal Hukamah. Ibn Jouz had mentioned this in the Al Munazzam fi Taarikh Al Umam wal Muluk. Imam ibn Asaakir has also mentioned this in his Taarikh-e-Dimishq. A certain part is also mentioned in the Faidhul Qadeer).

 

Note: If this is the state of a rightly-guided Alim, what can be said about the state of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him?

 

Another important lesson to be learnt from this is that when we see people with wealth make stupid decisions or decisions that make no sense, then remember the words of this Hadith Shareef. This is not a miracle being displayed by these people, they are merely fore-warning of where their ultimate destination is. Hence, when we find that there are millions spent on fruitless exercises instead of true Islamic activity, you should not be surprised. These people are actually informing you of their ultimate doom. They have not yet understood the wisdom of true saving.

 

It is reported that one day, the beloved wife of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – gave away a large portion of a carcass to the poor but kept a small portion in her house so that she could feed her own family including the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. He replied that she did not save this small portion in the true sense of the word. The actual portion which she had saved was the portion which she had given to the poor. The reason is that this portion will prove beneficial to a person in the grave and in the Hereafter. Hence, what you save for the Hereafter, is what will be of immense benefit to you in the grave. We feel that when we save so much in the bank or arrange so much as an investment, we have done wonders. This is nothing but wastage. True saving is when you save this for the Hereafter. How do you do this? By spending for Islam and the Muslims.

 

One of the greatest lessons we also learn is that respect for the rightly-guided ‘Ulama is respect displayed for the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – because these are his true inheritors. As we have mentioned, the inheritors of wealth are the inheritors of Pharaoh while the inheritors of Islamic knowledge are the inheritors of the Prophets. This is clearly mentioned in the Hadith Shareef.

 

We are not saying that wealth is evil. However, if we make sure that wealth remains a source of salvation, then we have to use this like Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Uthman Ghani – may Allah be pleased with him. One day, someone approached him and this person was sent by the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. However, when the person arrived at his warehouse, he noticed that the blessed companion was scolding someone about a very small item.

 

The person then returned to the Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – convincing himself that this companion was a miser. However, the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – again asked him to return to him. When the eminent companion asked him how he had come he mentioned that he had been sent by the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. When Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Uthman Ghani – may Allah be pleased with him – heard this, he requested the man to take whatever he wished without any restriction. Obviously the man was surprised. Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Uthman Ghani – may Allah be pleased with him – replied that since he had been sent by the actual owner of the wealth, he was merely a khadim of this wealth and was merely looking after it. Even though all the goods actually belonged to the eminent companion, yet, he was convinced that the words of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – was law and whatever was commanded by the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – that had to be fulfilled. Even if this meant that Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Uthman Ghani – may Allah be pleased with him – had to give away all of his wealth when asked by the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him-.