25. MANY SCHOLARS AND ASCETIC PEOPLE ARE SLAVES OF WEALTH
No one denies that loving wealth is from human nature because it is the cause that sustains our bodies. Yet some hearts love it more than others to the point that it becomes an objective in itself rather than a tool of achieving objectives (maqdsid).
You may see a stingy person (bakhil) depriving himself from pleasures (,ladhat), and all he cares about is collecting more money!
This is the nature of many people, especially the ignorant ones. A scholar must therefore resist such eagerness to gather wealth and he must not take money from unlawful ways or doubtful means; nor attain it with great vigour and by humiliating oneself. He may not be eligible yet he might take from qakat money, put away as saving and not allowing others to benefit from it.
This would be the behaviour of an animal, not a human. An animal might change over time by taming it, yet these scholars are not tamed with the knowledge they gained.
Abu’l-Hasan Al-BustamI used to reside in a tent on River ‘Isa. He only wore wool and was respected. Yet, he left behind four thousand Dinars.
Another Shaikh reached the age of eighty and had no family or children. He became sick so he resided with a friend who spent money on his food and medicine. He died later on and left behind large sums of money.
Sadaqah Ibn Al-Husayn the scribe was always complaining about bad times and bad people. He used to stay alone in the Masjid and when he died, he left behind three hundred Dinars.
Abu Talib Ibn Al-Mu’ayyad Al-Sufi used to collect money. Once an amount of one hundred Dinars was stolen from him, so he felt very sad which contributed to his death.
You see some people asking others for money, so they receive a lot of money to the point of becoming rich, but they continue begging and taking from zakat. Similar to them are storytellers who travel all over the place asking for money. They receive the money but never stop begging for more.
Subhan Allah! What good did the knowledge film) they benefit them? Had they been ignorant (Jahl) they would have been excused!
Among the worst of their deeds is that they do things that bring them more worldly gain, such as feigning humility and staying away from dealing with people.
All of these people are far from proper Shari’ah. In fact, I have heard some of them backbiting by talking ill of their colleagues. Woe to them! How little do they enjoy these worldly gains?
He who diverts the hearts has diverted the hearts of people away from loving them. This is because Allah only makes people love those who are sincere (mukhlis). In reality, the world has passed them and they gained nothing from it.
We ask Allah that He grants us a mind able to properly manage our worldly affairs, and to win over our Afterlife.
Surely the Sustainer is all able.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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