Hadith Text and Context

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Perish the slave of Dinar, Dirham, Qatifa (thick soft cloth), and Khamisa (a garment), for if he is given, he is pleased; otherwise he is dissatisfied." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6435)

This profound hadith from the Book "To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq)" in Sahih al-Bukhari addresses the spiritual disease of materialism and worldly attachment.

Meaning of Key Terms

Dinar and Dirham: These were the gold and silver currencies of the time, representing wealth and material possessions.

Qatifa and Khamisa: Types of luxurious garments, symbolizing attachment to fine clothing, status symbols, and worldly comforts.

"Perish the slave": A strong expression indicating spiritual ruin and destruction, not a curse but a warning about the inevitable consequence of such servitude.

Scholarly Commentary

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains that this hadith warns against becoming enslaved by worldly things, where one's happiness and sadness are determined by acquisition or loss of material possessions.

Al-Qurtubi notes that the Prophet specifically mentioned these items because they were the most common objects of desire in his time, but the principle applies to all worldly attachments.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali emphasizes that the true slave is one whose heart is bound to what he desires - if he obtains it, he is pleased; if denied, he becomes angry and dissatisfied with Allah's decree.

Spiritual Implications

This hadith teaches that true worship requires freeing the heart from servitude to anything other than Allah. When material possessions control one's emotional state, they have effectively become one's god.

The scholar Ibn al-Qayyim states that this spiritual slavery manifests in constant anxiety, discontentment, and ingratitude - the opposite of the contentment (qana'ah) and trust in Allah that characterize the believer.

The hadith does not prohibit possessing wealth, but rather warns against the heart's attachment to it. The test is whether one remains content and grateful to Allah regardless of what one possesses.

Practical Application

Scholars advise regular self-examination: Does my happiness depend on acquiring new things? Does disappointment in worldly matters affect my worship and relationship with Allah?

The remedy includes: increasing remembrance of death and the afterlife, practicing voluntary charity, reflecting on the temporary nature of worldly life, and cultivating gratitude for what one already possesses.

As Imam al-Ghazali notes, the true free person is one who uses worldly means as tools for higher purposes, not as ends in themselves that enslave the heart.