Wealth that Costs Hell

Wealth that Costs Hell

Wealth that Costs Hell

عَنْ خَوْلَةَ الأَنْصَارِيَّةِ – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِىَّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – يَقُولُ « إِنَّ رِجَالاً يَتَخَوَّضُونَ فِى مَالِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ، فَلَهُمُ النَّارُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ » .

From Khaula al Anshariyya, (she said) “I heard the Prophet said, ‘Indeed, there are people who treat the wealth from Allah wrongly, thus they’ll be rewarded with Hell in the Hereafter.” (Narrated by Bukhari, no. 2950).

Basically, wealth is a source of goodness. By using it well, the wealthy ones could obtain numerous rewards.

عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ – رضى الله عنه – قَالَ جَاءَ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى النَّبِىِّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – فَقَالُوا ذَهَبَ أَهْلُ الدُّثُورِ مِنَ الأَمْوَالِ بِالدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلاَ وَالنَّعِيمِ الْمُقِيمِ ، يُصَلُّونَ كَمَا نُصَلِّى ، وَيَصُومُونَ كَمَا نَصُومُ ، وَلَهُمْ فَضْلٌ مِنْ أَمْوَالٍ يَحُجُّونَ بِهَا ، وَيَعْتَمِرُونَ ، وَيُجَاهِدُونَ ، وَيَتَصَدَّقُونَ

From Abu Huraira, there were some poor people who went to the Prophet. They said, “The rich have taken all of Allah’s great rewards and paradise. They pray as we -the poor- pray. They fast as we fast. But they have some benefits of their wealth by which they could perform the pilgrimage, minor pilgrimage, fund the Holy war, and give alms.” (Narrated by Bukhari no 807 and Muslim no 1375).

But wealth could be disastrous as well and cause problems, when it is treat wrongly.

The meaning of “malullah” [wealth as a grant from Allah] in the previous hadith comprises both the private wealth and public or country wealth, which distribution and spending become the responsibility of the government. Every owner of private wealth and the government who receive the mandate to manage the public wealth, is obliged to spend it in beneficial things, whether the benefits could be enjoyed in this world or in Hereafter. Therefore, the hadith above required the authority (for example: president, governor, regent, etc) to spend the public wealth that they manage in religious interests that will uphold Allah’s religion, and in various advantageous matters for public interest, such as various projects and programs that help to boost the agriculture, industry, and education, or in constructing various public facilities that will benefit many people. [See: Taudhih al Ahkam 7/469 and 470].

Violation to this obligation is a sin that might drag the sinner into the Hell. Among the forms of violation that may end in Hell because of wealth are as follow:

First, when the government or authority squandered the public money (country’s cash) on funding the programs or projects which benefits for society were unclear, whether from the worldly or Hereafter point of vies, such as private traveling with the reason of working, etc.

Second, the hadith above also applies in common people who took the public money illegally since it was meant to be given to some people with certain criteria, but they did some tricks to obtain it. [See: Subulus Salam 7/165].

Third, authority who facilitated himself lavishly -more than his actual needs- using the public money. It is true that they are rightful to use the public money to finance themselves but just in terms of the actual needs, without any further addition. [See: Subulus Salam 7/165].

Fourth. the hadith also applies in individual who legalize all ways to obtain and gain wealth thus his wealth was mixed between the legal-sourced and illegal-sourced ones. [See: Ta’liq Dr Musthofa Dib al Bugho for Shahih of Bukhari 3/1135].

Fifth, when people spend their own wealth on forbidden things in shari’a. This is an unlawful thing and included in devouring Allah’s wealth wrongly. The wealth that Allah entrusted to us shouldn’t be spent but on things that Allah pleases of thus it becomes a way to achieve Allah’s please, becomes a pillar that strengthen Allah’s religion, and yield benefits for many people in their worldly affairs. [See: Taudhih al Ahkam 7/470].

Author: Ustadz Aris Munandar, S.S., M.PI.

Article of www.WhatisQuran.com

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