For example, he does not take bribes, deal with interest, steal, measure and weigh items incorrectly to deceive customers, and so on. This form of love for wealth is greed, and it is very harmful.

The tale of ThaꜤlabah b. Abū Ḥāṭib

A person named ThaꜤlabah b. Abū Ḥāṭib accepted Islam, spent time with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and even prayed behind him. Mufti Aḥmad Yār Khān NaꜤīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states regarding his consistency in salah, “He would spend most of the day and night in Masjid al-Nabawī, such that he was known as حَمًامَۃُ الْمَسْجِد (bird of the masjid).”^[1]

ThaꜤlabah was very poor. One day he asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to grant me an abundance of wealth.” The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Are you not satisfied by following in my footsteps? These mountains would ˹turn into gold and silver, and˺ follow me if I wished.” (Here, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم expressed his dislike for worldly wealth)

ThaꜤlabah did not understand and asked again, “O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to grant me an abundance of wealth. I swear by Allah! If I am given wealth, I will fulfil its rights.” The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Having little wealth you are thankful for, is greater than the abundance of wealth you are not thankful for.”

This Prophetic advice was again not listened to by ThaꜤlabah, so he asked for a third time, “O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to grant me wealth.” Then the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم raised his hands and said, اَللّٰہُمَّ ارْزُقْہُ مَالًا – “O Allah! Grant him wealth!”

 اللہُ اَکْبَر! The hands of the Prophet never retuned empty from the court of Allah. The prayer made by his blessed tongue was never rejected. By the prayer of the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ThaꜤlabah received a goat. This