Hadrat Abu Saeed Khudri Radiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “From amongsts the things that I fear upon you is the decoration and adornment of the Dunya which will fall before you after the conquests.” One person (after hearing this) asked, “Can goodness bring evil with it?” (i.e. can the spoils of war bring evil with it). Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam kept silent and waited for Wahi (divine revelation) to such an extent that we thought that Wahi is descending upon Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam

The narrator of the Hadith Hadrat Abu Saeed Radiallahu Anhu explains that after receiving Wahi, Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam wiped the perspiration of his face and asked, “Where is the questioner?”, as though he regarded the question of the questioner worthy of praise. Thereafter he said, “Goodness cannot bring along evil with it (and the example of this is like) the month of spring which causes the crops to grow (it is filled with goodness and totally free of any evil) but it can cause the stomach of an animal to blow up and it kill it or brings it close to destruction. (The evil is not in the crops rather in the act of the animal – i.e. the animal that eats grass had eaten in such a manner that it stomach was filled, and it had eaten over the limit to such an extent that this had become the means of its destruction. The animal then sits in the sun.

It is generally the habit of an animal that when its stomach is full then it sits in the sun so that the stomach is softened by the heat of the sun) causing it to urinate and excrete. Thereafter the animal returns to the pasture and eats grass. This is the condition of the human being when he is blessed with wealth, he spends without any hesitation and gets involved in the disobedience of Allah Ta’ala, and this wealth of the Dunya is green, lush and enjoyable. The person who acquires it in the correct manner and spends it in the correct avenue then this wealth will be a means of assistance for a person, and whoever acquires it in an impermissible manner then the wealth becomes similar to that person who eats but is not satiated, and this wealth will bear witness against a person on the day of Qiyaamah (it will testify that the owner was extravagant).           

Commentary:- When a person is blessed with the wealth of the world then one becomes concerned of luxuries and enjoyment, unmindful of the hereafter, and pride enters into the heart. There are three types of people, those that were not soiled with the love of the world, secondly those that were soiled with the love of the world but repented and purified themselves, thirdly those that departed from this world without repenting in a state of impurity.  May Allah Ta’ala save us!

Hadrat Khwaja Naqshbandi R.A. said that the world is like a snake. It is necessary to learn the magical spell before catching the snake. The magical spell is that one should know where to acquire it and where to spend it.

This has been explained by Hadrat Hakim-ul Ummat Maulana Thanvi R.A. in this manner, the magical spell is Taqwa which can be acquired in the companionship of the pious. The author says that this Hadith corroborates the Hadith which states, “There is no harm in being wealthy for that person that fears Allah Ta’ala.