Muslim

Hadith Commentary:

Benefits and Issues:
Wealth and poverty, prosperity and adversity, are more connected to a person’s heart than to money, possessions, or material means. If the heart is content (ghani) and self-sufficient (bey-niyaz), then a person is wealthy and prosperous. But if the heart is captive to greed and covetousness (hirs wa tama’), then even amidst heaps of wealth, he is deprived of prosperity and remains needy and distressed. The famous saying of Sa‘di rahimahullah is: “Wealth is of the heart, not of possessions.”

Hadith Commentary:
If the heart is content (ghani), then even a little is plenty; if the heart is not content (ghani), then even wealth as great as mountains cannot satisfy one’s appetite.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The meaning of this hadith is that abundance of wealth does not bring true richness, because there are countless people who possess great wealth and riches, yet they are devoid of patience and contentment, and are constantly preoccupied with increasing their wealth—even if they have to resort to unlawful means for it. Thus, due to greed and avarice, they are in reality impoverished and insignificant.

If a person’s heart is content (ghani) and he is patient and satisfied with what Allah, the Exalted, has given him, and does not desire an abundance of wealth, then in reality such a person is truly rich.

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) further clarified this matter. He said to Abu Dharr (radi Allahu anhu):
“O Abu Dharr! Do you think that abundance of wealth is richness?”
I said: Yes.
He said:
“Do you think that paucity of wealth is poverty?” I replied: Yes.
He said:
“Richness is the richness of the heart, and poverty is the poverty of the heart.”
(al-Ihsan bi Tartib Sahih Ibn Hibban: 396/2)

(2)
The Noble Qur’an has described the wealth of such self-sufficient individuals in these words:
“Those who are unaware think them to be rich because they refrain from asking. You will recognize them by their mark; they do not beg people persistently.”
(al-Baqarah: 273)

(3)
Regarding the verse: ﴿وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَىٰ ﴾ (8), Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has written that the richness (ghina) referred to here also means the richness of the heart.
(Fath al-Bari: 11/329)

Explanation:
1:
To remain patient and content with whatever one possesses, and to be independent of others by not asking them for anything—in reality, this is the true wealth of the soul.
It is as if the servant is pleased with Allah’s distribution,
does not look at the wealth and possessions of others with longing eyes, and does not harbor greed for increase.

Benefits and Issues:

(1)
A person acquires wealth so that his affairs may continue smoothly, but when wealth itself becomes the objective, then despite the abundance of wealth and riches, one does not attain the peace and contentment for which effort is made.

(2)
Contentment (qana‘ah) means that a person considers the sustenance he possesses to be sufficient and limits his needs to such an extent that he can manage within lawful (halal) earnings.

(3)
The truly wealthy person is the one whose heart is wealthy.
And a person is wealthy when he is free from greed and miserliness.
Such a person attains so much happiness from a small amount of wealth that a greedy person does not attain even from a great deal of wealth.

Benefit:
This hadith proves that wealth and riches have no real value; a believing person does not care in the least about wealth and riches. Today, people have come to regard the accumulation of wealth and riches as the very purpose of life, whereas a believing person, who in reality does not possess wealth and riches, is such that, in terms of his heart, it is as if he possesses millions. His words and his character exude expansiveness, and he demonstrates generosity on every occasion. Therefore, a person should focus not on wealth and riches, but on understanding the Qur’an and Sunnah and acting upon them, and should make the propagation, preaching, and practice of the religion the purpose of life. Human needs are fulfilled by Allah Ta’ala Himself, insha’Allah.