Is Accumulation of Wealth Forbidden?”

A man from among the Ashaab-e-Suffah had left a dinar (a gold coin) at the time of his death. On learning of this Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that on account of the dinar he will be branded once in Jahannum.
Another man, also form among the Ahl-e-suffah left two dinars at the time of his death. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that he will be branded twice in Jahannum.

There now arises the question: “Is accumulation of wealth forbidden?” It is quite obvious that it is not forbidden. If it was forbidden, there would not have been the Laws of
Inheritance (Meeraath). Those who could not comprehend this Hadith asserted that the accumulation of wealth in that age was not permissible.

Qaadhi Thanaaullah (rahmatullah alayh), the author of Tafseerul Mazhari, presented a beautiful interpretation.
He explained that the cause for the punishment (mentioned in the Hadith) is not accumulation. On the contrary the reason for the punishment was their claim of having renounced the world. Since they had renounced the
world in totality, it was highly unbecoming of them to treasure anything of the world.
In fact, the community had believed the (Ashaab-e-Suffah) to be men who had renounced the world for the sake of Allah Ta’ala. Thus, accumulation of wealth by such devotees is nugatory of their professed love for Allah Ta’ala.
[Ashaab-e-Suffah refers to the group of people who had renounced the world during the age of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Their sole occupation was the acquisition of knowledge from Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and Ibaadat.

They were confined to the precincts of the Musjid and were not permitted to engage in any worldly profession.

Their lives were based on Tawakkul- Trust andnreliance on Allah. – Translator.]

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