Hadith #5126

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his pure progeny, the Ahl al-Bayt, and his noble companions.

The Arabic Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) states,

يُسْتَدَلُّ عَلى شَرِّ الرَّجُلِ بِكَثْرَةِ شَرَهِهِ وشِدَّةِ طَمَعِهِ۔

This Hadith can be translated as,

The evil of a man is evinced by his increased greed and his intense avarice.

Let us delve into the meanings of the important words in this Hadith. (sharr) "شَرِّ" refers to evil or wickedness, while (rajul) "رَجُلِ" means a man. (kathrah) "كَثْرَةِ" signifies an increase or abundance, and (sharahihi) "شَرَهِهِ" refers to one's greed. Lastly, (shiddah) "شِدَّةِ" denotes intensity or severity, and (tamaihi) "طَمَعِهِ" signifies avarice or excessive desire for wealth.

To understand the meaning behind this Hadith, we can turn to the Quran for guidance. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) warns us about the dangers of greed and avarice in several verses. In Surah Al-Isra (17:100), Allah says,

And We had certainly settled the Children of Israel in an agreeable settlement and provided them with good things. And they did not differ until [after] knowledge had come to them. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.

This verse highlights how the Children of Israel were blessed with abundant provisions, but their disagreements arose due to their greed and desire for more.

In Surah Al-Baqarah (2:96), Allah mentions the story of the Israelites who were commanded to sacrifice a cow. Some of them questioned the specific details of the cow, displaying their excessive greed and unwillingness to comply with the command of Allah. This incident serves as a reminder of how greed can lead to disobedience and discord.

Furthermore, in Surah Al-Humazah (104:1-3), Allah condemns those who amass wealth and hoard it, saying,

Woe to every scorner and mocker who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it.

This verse highlights the negative consequences of avarice and the obsession with accumulating wealth.

From these Quranic verses, we can understand that the Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) emphasizes the detrimental effects of greed and avarice. When a person's greed and desire for wealth increase, it reflects the evil within their heart. This excessive greed can lead to various negative consequences, such as hoarding wealth, exploiting others, and neglecting one's duties towards Allah and society.

Greed and avarice can also lead to a lack of contentment and gratitude. When a person is constantly consumed by their desire for more, they fail to appreciate the blessings bestowed upon them by Allah. This ingratitude can lead to a sense of entitlement and dissatisfaction, causing one to become distant from Allah and disconnected from the true purpose of life.

Imam Ali's (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) beautiful Hadith serves as a reminder for Muslims to be vigilant against the dangers of greed and avarice. We should strive to cultivate contentment, gratitude, and generosity in our hearts. By doing so, we can protect ourselves from falling into the trap of evil and ensure that our actions are guided by righteousness and piety.

May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) protect us from the evil of greed and avarice and grant us the strength to be content and grateful for His blessings. May we follow the teachings of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and strive to purify our hearts from all forms of evil. Ameen.