Following the Sunnah!

Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir (RA) reported: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) while he was reciting Sura At Takathur (102): “The mutual rivalry (of hoarding worldly things) preoccupy you. Until you come to the graves (i.e., until you die). Nay! You shall come to know. Again nay! You shall come to know. Nay! If you knew with surety of knowledge (the end result of hoarding, you would not have been occupied in worldly things). Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire (Hell). And Again, you shall see it with certainty of sight. Then, on that Day, you shall be asked regarding the delights (you indulged in , in this world).” After reciting, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Son of Adam says: ‘My wealth, my wealth.’ Do you own of your wealth other than what you eat and consume, and what you wear and wear out, or what you give in Sadaqah (charity) (to those who deserve it), and what you will have in stock for yourself.”     -Muslim

Commentary: This hadith enjoins that if a person is given wealth by Allah, he should show gratefulness by spending it in ways that is liked by Allah because it is this Sadaqah which will be a valuable treasure in the Afterlife. Whatever else he consumes in this world, will finish or rot in this world and will be of no avail in the Hereafter. We should not compete with one another for that which will bring us no benefit, rather vie against one another in doing good deeds. But in our greed for worldly things, we forget the true purpose of our life until death overtakes us. Only then do we realize the futility of hoarding wealth. We should make an effort to visit the graves so that we can remind ourselves that we too will have to die and will have to give account for our actions. Remember that every single one of us, without exception, will taste death.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire (Hell) and admitted to Jannah (Paradise), he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing).” (3:185)

“No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die…” (31:34)

“…when their term (death) comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).” (16:61)

“Until, when death comes to one of them (polytheists), he says: ‘My Rabb! Send me back. So that I may do good in that which I left behind!’ No! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected. Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another. Then, those whose Scales (of good deeds) are heavy, they are the successful. And those whose Scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their own selves, in Hell will they abide. The Fire will burn their faces, and therein they will grin, with displaced (disfigured) lips. ‘Were not My Verses (the Qur’an) recited to you, and then you used to deny them?’ They will say: ‘Our Rabb! Our wretchedness overcame us, and we were an erring people. Our Rabb! Bring us out of this; if ever we return (to evil), then indeed we shall be Zalimun (polythiests, oppressors, unjust, wrongdoers, etc).’ He (Allah) will say: ‘Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!’ Verily! There was a party of My slaves, who used to say: ‘Our Rabb! We believe, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, for you are the Best of all who show mercy!’ ‘But you took them for a laughing stock, so much so that they made you forget My remembrance while you used to laugh at them! Verily! I have rewarded them this day for their patience, they are inded the ones that are successful.’ He (Allah) will say: ‘What number of years did you stay on the earth?’ They will say: ‘We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.’ He (Allah) will say: ‘You stayed not but a little, if you had only known! Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?'” (23:99-115)

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says: O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families from the Fire, whereof the fuel is men and stones, over which are set angels strong, and severe, who disobey not (in executing) the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded. (Al-Tahrim:6)

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says: And worship and serve Allah. And ascribe nothing as partner to Him. (Show) Kindness to parents, and to near kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and to the near neighbor, and to the distant neighbor, and your companion (in daily interactions or at work or in travel), and the traveller, and slaves whom you possess. Verily! Allah loves not such as are proud and boastful. (An-Nisa:36)

Note: A “close neighbor” is he who resides in the immediate neighborhood and is also a relative. The “distant neighbor” is one who is not a relative. Another interpretation is that a “close neighbor” is one whose door is just near to yours and a “distant neighbor” is one whose door is away. A “traveller” includes a person accompanying you on a journey, a traveller who is presently your guest or any tavelller who is in need.