Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Not to wish to be the like except of two men. A man whom Allah has given the (knowledge of the) Qur'an and he recites it during the hours of night and day and the one who wishes says: If I were given the same as this (man) has been given, I would do what he does, and a man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the just and right way, in which case the one who wishes says, 'If I were given the same as he has been given, I would do what he does.' " (See Hadith 5025 and 5026)
Exposition of the Hadith
This noble hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (7232) directs believers toward the most praiseworthy aspirations. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) guides us that one should not envy others in worldly matters, except in two specific cases that combine religious devotion with righteous action.
The First Worthy Example
The first is a man gifted with knowledge of the Qur'an who recites it diligently night and day. This indicates complete devotion to Allah's Book - not merely memorization, but constant engagement with its recitation, reflection, and implementation.
The scholar's wish here is not for mere knowledge, but for the capacity to utilize it in worship as this righteous man does. This emphasizes that true knowledge is that which leads to increased devotion and closeness to Allah.
The Second Worthy Example
The second is a wealthy man who spends his wealth in righteous causes - in ways pleasing to Allah. This includes obligatory charity (zakat), voluntary charity, supporting family, funding Islamic projects, and all forms of legitimate expenditure that benefit the Muslim community.
The wish here is not for wealth itself, but for the ability to spend it righteously as this man does. This teaches that wealth is a trust from Allah and its true value lies in using it for His pleasure.
Scholarly Insights
Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani explains in Fath al-Bari that these two examples represent the two primary paths to Allah: knowledge and wealth. Both are means to attain piety when used correctly.
This hadith transforms destructive envy (hasad) into constructive competition (ghibtah) in righteousness. It redirects human nature's tendency toward comparison into spiritually beneficial channels.
The condition "if I were given the same" indicates that the wish includes both the means and the ability to use them righteously, showing complete reliance on Allah's granting of both the blessing and the guidance to use it properly.