An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
5. Piety
~ 128 ~
(AL-TABARANI)
THE SELF-DESTRUCTIVENESS OF WORLDLY
GREED
The Prophet sent Abu Ubaydah ibn Jarrah to Yemen
for the purpose of collecting taxes. When he had
done so, he returned to Madinah with a large sum
of money. Hearing of his arrival, the Ansar joined
the Prophet for morning prayer in his mosque, and
when he had completed the prayer, they came
before him. Seeing them there, the Prophet smiled,
“I think you must have heard that Abu Ubaydah
has brought some-thing from Bahrain,” he said to
them. “Yes, we have,” replied the Ansar. “Rejoice,
and look forward to good tidings,” was the
Prophet’s rejoinder. “By God, it is not poverty that I
fear for you. I fear for you abundance in worldly
things and that you should strive enviously
towards their attainment, as those who went before
you did. Then you will be destroyed just as they
were.
(AL-BUKHARI, MUSLIM)
