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.