In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

My last post generated some interesting discussion on the meaning of the wise man’s words. A number of visitors did an excellent job explaining what the wise man was trying to say. I thought I’d wrap up the comments with a comment of my own, just to conclude the discussion.

The wise man was not trying to criticize the saving of wealth. Rather, he was criticizing the single-minded-avidness (hirs) to gather more and more wealth that so completely engulfs people that it makes them forget that wealth is not a goal in and of itself, but only a means to the attainment of other goals (these other goals may be worldly goals or next-worldly goals). Not only does this avidness keep them from the purpose of wealth, it also drowns them in worry and anxiousness, so that the pursuit and piling of wealth only increases their misery. How ironic that people who avidly seek wealth, thinking that they are seeking happiness, are blocked from happiness and thrown into a sea of misery!

Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (Allah have mercy on him) quotes the following line of poetry in the same book, which beautifully explains the intent of the wise-man’s words. I’ve interspersed the beautiful poetry with my very unpoetic and unwieldy translation.

يا جامعا مانعا و الدهر يرمقه
مفكرا أي باب منه يغلقه

O you who is piling wealth, being miserly (even though time is killing you), and thinking about the next door to lock [in order to preserve the wealth that you have piled up.]

جمعت مالا ففكر هل جمعت له
يا جامع المال أياما تفرقه

You’ve piled up wealth, but have you every thought whether you’ve gathered for [the wealth] days to spend it in?

المال عندك مخزون لوارثه
ما المال مالك إلا يوما تنفقه

The wealth that you are guarding is being preserved for those who will inherit it [after you die]. Wealth is truly yours only on the day that you spend it.

إن القناعة من يحلل بساحتها
لم يلق في ظلها هما يؤرقه

Verily, whoever takes up residence in the wide expanse of contentment (qana`ah) will be sheltered by it from everything that breeds worry and sleepnessness.