The third category is that which varies according to the situation. Its praiseworthiness and excellence vary according to circumstances and includes the accumulation of wealth.When a person uses his wealth for pious reasons and spends it in charity seeking Allah and the Everlasting Life, then it is a virtue in the eyes of everyone upon all occasions.
As for the person who chooses to withhold his wealth, regardless whether it is meager or abundant, misuses it and is anxious to amass more, then his wealth has become a cause for his imperfection, it has become worthless rather than a virtue. When this is the case his wealth does not save him, rather the opposite,and the vice of miserliness and meanness is attached to him.
Wealth can be a praiseworthy virtue, however, it does not lie in the actual amount of wealth, rather it lies in its proper use. If a person who has amassed a lot of wealth but uses it improperly he is not in the true sense affluent or a wealthy person, and therefore cannot be called praiseworthy. In fact he is deemed by scholars as being impoverished, as he does not realize any of his goals because he does not have control over them. He is like a treasurer in charge of someone else's property but he himself has no property, it is as if he owned nothing.The one who is truly affluent and wealthy is the one who spends it because he has acquired the beneficial virtue that accompany wealth, even after all has been spent. Let us take a close look at the way in which Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, dealt with wealth. When one reads the story of his life, it is apparent that he was given the treasures of the world as well as the keys to lands.
Before his advent, the spoils of war had been unlawful to other prophets and their followers, but to him and his followers Allah made them lawful. He opened the Hijaz, Yemen, all of Arabia as well as the areas bordering Syria and Iraq.He was brought a fifth of the spoils of war, the poll-tax as well as the obligatory charity, and kings gave him gifts. However, he neither kept the wealth for himself nor did he keep single coin for himself, he spent it all in the way of Allah, he was generous, enriched people and strengthened Muslims through its use.His giving is illustrated in the following that occurred after the conclusion of the afternoon prayer in Medina. Utbah Harith's son said, "The moment the Prophet,praise and peace be upon him, concluded the prayer he stood up quickly and went to one of his rooms, stepping over the shoulders of the worshipers. His haste made people curious. When he returned he realized that his followers were wondering what had called him away so urgently, so he told them,
'I remembered that I had a piece of silver (or gold) left and this disturbed me, but now I have arranged for its distribution.'"
He also said, "I feel uncomfortable if a gold dinar remains with me overnight,unless it is a dinar I have set aside to repay a debt."
There were occasions when he was given dinars and after their division a few were left over, when this was so he gave them to his wives. Once the dinars had been distributed he would say, "Now I can rest."When he passed away his armor was in pawn in order to provide food for his family.When it came to such things as clothing, housing and welfare, the Prophet,praise and peace be upon him, was content with just what was necessary and went without. He wore whatever was at hand and dressed himself in either a cloak, a coarse garment, or a thick outer garment. When he was sent robes of brocade, or with embroidery he would give them to whosoever was in his company or send them to others because pride and adornment are not among the qualities of men of nobility and honor found in those close to Allah, rather,they are amongst the qualities of women.The most praiseworthy of garments are those that are clean and are of medium quality. When one wears such clothes it does not detract from manliness nor does it lead to drawing attention to oneself which is by Islamic Law reproachable. The most common cause of ostentation is that of flaunting an excess of clothing or wealth.The same is said of pride in a luxurious or a spacious home, or the acquisition of a lot of furnishings, servants or livestock. However, if a person has land,cultivates and harvests it and then restricts his consumption and gives away its produce that person has gained the virtue of his property, and should show his thanks for it. It is indeed praiseworthy to turn away from wealth, or be content with a little when none is left after having spent it in the correct manner.
As for the person who chooses to withhold his wealth, regardless whether it is meager or abundant, misuses it and is anxious to amass more, then his wealth has become a cause for his imperfection, it has become worthless rather than a virtue. When this is the case his wealth does not save him, rather the opposite,and the vice of miserliness and meanness is attached to him.
Wealth can be a praiseworthy virtue, however, it does not lie in the actual amount of wealth, rather it lies in its proper use. If a person who has amassed a lot of wealth but uses it improperly he is not in the true sense affluent or a wealthy person, and therefore cannot be called praiseworthy. In fact he is deemed by scholars as being impoverished, as he does not realize any of his goals because he does not have control over them. He is like a treasurer in charge of someone else's property but he himself has no property, it is as if he owned nothing.The one who is truly affluent and wealthy is the one who spends it because he has acquired the beneficial virtue that accompany wealth, even after all has been spent. Let us take a close look at the way in which Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, dealt with wealth. When one reads the story of his life, it is apparent that he was given the treasures of the world as well as the keys to lands.
Before his advent, the spoils of war had been unlawful to other prophets and their followers, but to him and his followers Allah made them lawful. He opened the Hijaz, Yemen, all of Arabia as well as the areas bordering Syria and Iraq.He was brought a fifth of the spoils of war, the poll-tax as well as the obligatory charity, and kings gave him gifts. However, he neither kept the wealth for himself nor did he keep single coin for himself, he spent it all in the way of Allah, he was generous, enriched people and strengthened Muslims through its use.His giving is illustrated in the following that occurred after the conclusion of the afternoon prayer in Medina. Utbah Harith's son said, "The moment the Prophet,praise and peace be upon him, concluded the prayer he stood up quickly and went to one of his rooms, stepping over the shoulders of the worshipers. His haste made people curious. When he returned he realized that his followers were wondering what had called him away so urgently, so he told them,
'I remembered that I had a piece of silver (or gold) left and this disturbed me, but now I have arranged for its distribution.'"
He also said, "I feel uncomfortable if a gold dinar remains with me overnight,unless it is a dinar I have set aside to repay a debt."
There were occasions when he was given dinars and after their division a few were left over, when this was so he gave them to his wives. Once the dinars had been distributed he would say, "Now I can rest."When he passed away his armor was in pawn in order to provide food for his family.When it came to such things as clothing, housing and welfare, the Prophet,praise and peace be upon him, was content with just what was necessary and went without. He wore whatever was at hand and dressed himself in either a cloak, a coarse garment, or a thick outer garment. When he was sent robes of brocade, or with embroidery he would give them to whosoever was in his company or send them to others because pride and adornment are not among the qualities of men of nobility and honor found in those close to Allah, rather,they are amongst the qualities of women.The most praiseworthy of garments are those that are clean and are of medium quality. When one wears such clothes it does not detract from manliness nor does it lead to drawing attention to oneself which is by Islamic Law reproachable. The most common cause of ostentation is that of flaunting an excess of clothing or wealth.The same is said of pride in a luxurious or a spacious home, or the acquisition of a lot of furnishings, servants or livestock. However, if a person has land,cultivates and harvests it and then restricts his consumption and gives away its produce that person has gained the virtue of his property, and should show his thanks for it. It is indeed praiseworthy to turn away from wealth, or be content with a little when none is left after having spent it in the correct manner.
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