Tirmidhi

Commentary:
Note:
(In the chain of narration, Hasan al-Basri is a mudallis,
and he did not hear from Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu,
and the narration is with ‘an‘anah.)

Benefits and Issues
❀ In the hadith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«تعس عبدالدينار وعبدالدرهم وعبد القطيفة»
“The slave of the dirham, dinar, and cloak is ruined.” [ابن ماجه، كتاب الزهد، باب فى المكثرين 4135، بخاري الجهاد و السير، باب الحراسته فى الغزو فى سبيل الله 2886]
↰ From these ahadith, it is understood that when the addition of ‘abd’ (slave/servant) in names is made to other than Allah, then this word is used in the sense of worship. And the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam changed such names because they are names of shirk (associating partners with Allah). Even if they are not considered outright shirk, then at the very least, there is certainly a scent of shirk present in them.

Hadith Commentary:
In this hadith, there is mention of a poor, sincere, and striving man standing guard at a post; this is the point of relevance to the chapter. The pious friends of Allah are likewise hidden, poor, unknown, and uncelebrated elders whose supplications Allah accepts, but this station is not granted to everyone.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Those who are devoted to their work are truly unknown and quiet-natured individuals.
Such people have no desire for position or fame.
In the eyes of worldly people, such a person holds no value or status, but with Allah, their rank is very high.
They are only concerned with their work.
Wherever they are assigned duty, they fulfill it completely.
Even if matters contrary to their temperament arise, they do not deviate in the slightest from performing their service.

➋
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established the virtue of standing guard in the path of Allah, in that it mentions the standing guard of a poor, sincere, striving man (mujahid) whom Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam have approved of.

Hadith Commentary:
In the time of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), there were also people who became Muslim for worldly benefit; it is these individuals who are being referred to here. Such Islam is utterly useless—Islam through which only the world is sought.

Hadith Commentary:
The servitude to wealth and riches is when a person becomes so engrossed in the desire and pursuit of it that he no longer remains bound by the commands of Allah Ta'ala and the limits of what is lawful and unlawful (halal and haram).
Those who are worshippers of dirham and dinar and fine clothes, and who have made wealth and riches their only sought-after deity, in this hadith there is a declaration of disavowal from them and a supplication against them—that they remain deprived of and distant from Allah's mercy and His goodness and blessings.
In the Noble Qur'an, the characteristic of the hypocrites (munafiqun) is described in these words:
"If they are given something of this world, they are pleased, but if they are not given anything, they become angry." (: al-Tawbah: 58)
These people have been so shackled by the intoxication of wealth and riches that they are heedless of the Hereafter, and their only concern is to build their worldly life and accumulate wealth.
It appears as if they have become Muslim only to gather worldly benefits.
Wallahu al-musta‘an (And Allah is the One whose help is sought).

Benefits and Issues:

➊
Greed for the world is blameworthy.

➋
When love and hatred are based solely on worldly interests, sincerity no longer remains.
In such a case, even the pledge of allegiance (bay‘ah) to the Caliph of the Muslims or his deputy is not for the pleasure of Allah and for the protection and service of the Islamic state.
Thus, this great virtue also becomes deprived of all blessings and turns into an evil.

➌
Affiliation with religious groups and organizations should be for the pleasure of Allah and for reward.
One should accept a position and responsibility with this intention. If one feels that despite working hard, one’s competence is not being recognized in the group, one should not separate from the group out of displeasure with the elders.
However, if it is felt that the office-bearers of the group or organization are not working in the correct manner and, despite being reminded, are not willing to reform, then one should quietly separate from the organization.

➍
By “slave of dirham and dinar” is meant the person who desires worldly wealth and riches to such an extent that all his activities revolve around the acquisition of wealth.
In this way, instead of using wealth for service, he becomes occupied with accumulating and safeguarding wealth, as if wealth is his master or deity and he is its slave or worshipper.

➎
A supplication for ruin has been made against the worshipper of wealth.
Falling on one’s face and being overturned on one’s head refers to this.
Not being able to remove a thorn means that he remains entangled in difficulties and no means of help or deliverance is created for him.
And Allah knows best.

Takhrij:
[بخاري 6435]
[تحفته الاشراف 431/9، 439/9 ]

Vocabulary: «تَعِسَ», «مَنَعَ», and «سَمِعَ» all come on the same pattern; when addressing someone, « مَنَعَ» is used, for example, «تَعَسْتَ», and when speaking about someone, it is used like «فَرِح», for example, «تَعِسَ», «فُلَانٌ». Its meaning is: he perished, slipped, or fell. [قاموس ]
«اَلْقَطِيْفَةِ» is that sheet which has a fringe attached to it.

Benefits:
➊ In this hadith, the mention of the dinar, dirham, and sheet is by way of example. The meaning is that a person, in pursuit of the world, reaches such a state that worldly things drag him everywhere as if they are his masters. To obtain them, he is ready to endure every humiliation, just as a slave obeys every command of his master. His happiness and displeasure revolve around whether he gets his beloved worldly thing or not. Allah the Exalted has said regarding the hypocrites:
«وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا مِنْهَا رَضُوا وَإِن لَّمْ يُعْطَوْا مِنْهَا إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ» [ 9-التوبة:58 ]
“And among them are those who criticize you concerning the (distribution of) charities. If they are given something from it, they are pleased, but if they are not given, at once they become angry.”
Then, even in the world, people’s beloved things differ: some are hungry for wealth, some for position, some are slaves to beauty, and some are entangled in the pursuit of property and mansions.

➋ The real purpose of man’s creation is to worship Allah.
«وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ» [51-الذاريات:56]
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
Therefore, his real objective should be the pleasure of Allah. Earning the world or desiring it is not prohibited; the only condition is that a person should not become a slave to these things, but rather be a slave to Allah. These things should not distract him from servitude to Allah. Rather, he should acquire the world so that it may assist him in the worship of Allah. He should not become like those people whom Allah the Exalted mentioned in this verse:
«وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ اللَّـهَ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَإِنْ أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ اطْمَأَنَّ بِهِ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ فِتْنَةٌ انقَلَبَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ خَسِرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِينُ» [22-الحج:11]
“And among mankind is he who worships Allah on the edge. If good befalls him, he is content with it; but if a trial befalls him, he turns on his face (i.e., reverts to disbelief). He loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the manifest loss.”