Abu Dharr said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went towards al-Baqi' and I began to follow him. He turned and saw me and said, 'Abu Dharr!' I said, 'At your service, Messenger of Allah. May I be your ransom.' He said, 'Those who are rich will be poor on the Day of Rising except those who say, "Such-and-such and such-and-such is for a right (which was performed)."' I said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'That is how it is' three times. Then we came to Uhud. He said, 'Abu Dharr!' I replied, 'At your service, Messenger of Allah. May I be your ransom.' He said, 'It would not delight me if Uhud were to become gold for the family of Muhammad and then have them spend a night with a dinar - or he said a mithqal.' Then we were at a wadi and he went ahead, so I thought that he felt a call of nature, and so I sat down at the edge of the wadi. He was gone a long time and I feared for him. Then I heard him and it seemed as if he were talking to a man. Then he came out to me my himself. I said, 'Messenger of Allah, who was the man you were talking to?' 'Did you hear him?' he asked. I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'That was Jibril. He came to me and gave me the good news that whoever of my community dies without associating anything with Allah will enter the Garden.' I said, 'Even if he commits adultery or steals?' He said, 'Yes.'"
Hadith Commentary: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 803
This narration from Abu Dharr contains profound teachings about wealth, divine mercy, and the ultimate success in the Hereafter. The Prophet's guidance unfolds in three distinct locations, each conveying essential spiritual truths.
The Nature of True Wealth
The Prophet's statement that "the rich will be poor on the Day of Rising except those who say, 'Such-and-such and such-and-such is for a right'" teaches that worldly wealth has no inherent value in the Hereafter. True wealth is what one spends in Allah's cause - charity given for His pleasure, not for worldly recognition.
The exception applies to those who consciously dedicate their wealth to righteous causes, recognizing that their possessions are trusts from Allah to be used in obedience to Him. This transforms worldly wealth into eternal capital.
Contentment Over Abundance
When the Prophet stated he wouldn't desire Uhud to be gold for his family, he demonstrated complete trust in Allah's provision and detachment from worldly accumulation. This teaches that spiritual poverty - dependence on Allah - is superior to material abundance that may distract from worship.
The emphasis on not keeping even a dinar overnight reflects the Islamic principle of circulating wealth and trusting in divine provision rather than hoarding possessions.
The Primacy of Tawhid
The encounter with Jibril reveals the supreme importance of maintaining pure monotheism. The guarantee of Paradise for those who die without associating partners with Allah demonstrates that while major sins are grave offenses, they don't necessarily nullify one's Islam if Tawhid remains intact.
This doesn't minimize the severity of sins but emphasizes that Allah's mercy encompasses those who maintain the foundation of faith. The Prophet's repeated questioning confirms this extraordinary divine generosity toward the ummah.
Spiritual Lessons
This hadith collectively teaches: the transient nature of worldly wealth, the importance of using wealth righteously, contentment with divine provision, and the paramount importance of maintaining pure Islamic monotheism as the key to eternal success.