The Futility of Chasing Wealth

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam Zayn ad-Din Abu al-Faraj ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Ahmad ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (r.a.) said, “There is nothing more to chasing after wealth than the wastage of a person’s noble life for that which has no value.  Instead he could have earned a high rank in Paradise, and everlasting bliss, but he lost this due to his craving after provision – which had already been Assured to him, and Allotted to him, and it was not possible for anything to come to him except what was Decreed for him – then on top of this, he does not benefit from that, but rather abandons it and leaves it for someone else. 

He departs from that, and leaves it behind so that he will be the one held accountable for it, yet someone else benefits from it.  So, in reality, he is only gathering it, yet someone else benefits from it. So, in reality, he is only gathering it for someone who will not praise him for that, whilst he himself goes on to One Who will not excuse him for that – this itself would indeed be enough to show the blameworthiness of this craving.”