Extravagance in Building
كتاب السَّرَفِ فِي الْبِنَاءِ
Read the English translation first, with the original Arabic directly underneath.
Hadith
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), said, "Allah is pleased with you about three things and He is angry with you about three things. He is pleased that you worship Him, not associating anything with Him, that you all take hold of the rope of Allah and that you give good counsel to those that Allah has put in authority over you. He dislikes you engaging in chitchat, asking a lot of questions and squandering wealth."
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَرْضَى لَكُمْ ثَلاَثًا، وَيَسْخَطُ لَكُمْ ثَلاَثًا، يَرْضَى لَكُمْ: أَنْ تَعْبُدُوهُ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَأَنْ تَعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللهِ جَمِيعًا، وَأَنْ تَنَاصَحُوا مَنْ وَلاَّهُ اللَّهُ أَمْرَكُمْ، وَيَكْرَهُ لَكُمْ: قِيلَ وَقَالَ، وَكَثْرَةَ السُّؤَالِ، وَإِضَاعَةَ الْمَالِ.
In commenting on the words of Allah Almighty, "Anything you spend will be replaced by Him. and He is the best of Providers," (34:39) Ibn 'Abbas said, "without extravagance or parsimony."
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ قَيْسٍ الْمُلاَئِيِّ، عَنِ الْمِنْهَالِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يَخْلُفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ}، قَالَ: فِي غَيْرِ إِسْرَافٍ، ولا تَقْتِيرٍ.
Abu'l-'Ubaydayn said, "I asked 'Abdullah about those who squander and he said, 'They are those who spend incorrectly.'"
حَدَّثَنَا قَبِيصَةُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ الْبَطِينِ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعُبَيْدَيْنِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ عَنِ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ، قَالَ: الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي غَيْرِ حَقٍّ.
Ibn 'Abbas said that he said that "the squanderers" were those who wasted money incorrectly.
حَدَّثَنَا عَارِمٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حُصَيْنٌ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: {الْمُبَذِّرِينَ}، قَالَ: الْمُبَذِّرِينَ فِي غَيْرِ حَقٍّ.
Zayd ibn Aslam reported from his father that 'Umar used to say on the minbar, "O people! Improve your homes but be careful about these house snakes [which are a form of jinn] before they make you afraid. Those among them which are Muslim will not be clear to you and, by Allah, we have not made peace with them since the time when we treated them as an enemy."
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: كَانَ عُمَرُ يَقُولُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، أَصْلِحُوا عَلَيْكُمْ مَثَاوِيكُمْ، وَأَخِيفُوا هَذِهِ الْجِنَّانَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُخِيفَكُمْ، فَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يَبْدُوَ لَكُمْ مُسْلِمُوهَا، وَإِنَّا وَاللَّهِ مَا سَالَمْنَاهُنَّ مُنْذُ عَادَيْنَاهُنَّ.
Khabbab said, "A man is rewarded for everything except building."
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ حَارِثَةَ بْنِ مُضَرِّبٍ، عَنْ خَبَّابٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُؤْجَرُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، إِلا الْبِنَاءَ.
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr was heard to say to a nephew of his who had left al-Waht, "Are your workers at work?" "I don't know," he replied. He said, "If you were clever, you would work as your workers work." Then he turned towards us and said, "When a man works with his workers in his house (and Abu 'Asim once said, 'in his property'), he is one of the workers of Allah Almighty."
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَفْصِ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ وَهْبٍ الطَّائِفِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا غُطَيْفُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، أَنَّ نَافِعَ بْنَ عَاصِمٍ أَخْبَرَهُ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو قَالَ لِابْنِ أَخٍ لَهُ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْوَهْطِ: أَيَعْمَلُ عُمَّالُكَ؟ قَالَ: لاَ أَدْرِي، قَالَ: أَمَا لَوْ كُنْتَ ثَقَفِيًّا لَعَلِمْتَ مَا يَعْمَلُ عُمَّالُكَ، ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا عَمِلَ مَعَ عُمَّالِهِ فِي دَارِهِ، وَقَالَ أَبُو عَاصِمٍ مَرَّةً: فِي مَالِهِ، كَانَ عَامِلاً مِنْ عُمَّالِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), said, "The Final Hour will not come until people compete with one another in the height of their buildings."
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَتَطَاوَلَ النَّاسُ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ.
Al-Hasan said, "I used to go into the houses of the wives of the Prophet, (ﷺ), during the khalifate of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, and I could touch their ceilings with my own hand."
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حُرَيْثُ بْنُ السَّائِبِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْحَسَنَ يَقُولُ: كُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ بُيُوتَ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي خِلاَفَةِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ فَأَتَنَاوَلُ سُقُفَهَا بِيَدِي.
Dawud ibn Qays said, "I saw that the rooms were made from the stumps of palm trees covered on the outside with smoothed hair. I think that the width of the house from the door of the room to the door of the house was about six or seven spans. The width of the room inside was ten spans. I think that the ceiling was between seven and eight, or there about. I stopped at the door of 'A'isha, which was facing the west."
وَبِالسَّنَدِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ الْحُجُرَاتِ مِنْ جَرِيدِ النَّخْلِ مَغْشِيًّا مِنْ خَارِجٍ بِمُسُوحِ الشَّعْرِ، وَأَظُنُّ عَرْضَ الْبَيْتِ مِنْ بَابِ الْحُجْرَةِ إِلَى بَابِ الْبَيْتِ نَحْوًا مِنْ سِتِّ أَوْ سَبْعِ أَذْرُعٍ، وَأَحْزِرُ الْبَيْتَ الدَّاخِلَ عَشْرَ أَذْرُعٍ، وَأَظُنُّ سُمْكَهُ بَيْنَ الثَّمَانِ وَالسَّبْعِ نَحْوَ ذَلِكَ، وَوَقَفْتُ عِنْدَ بَابِ عَائِشَةَ فَإِذَا هُوَ مُسْتَقْبِلٌ الْمَغْرِبَ.
'Abdullah ar-Rumi said, "I visited Umm Talq and exclaimed, 'How low the ceiling of your room is!' 'My son,' she replied, 'the Amir al-Mu'minin, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote to his workers telling them:
"Do not make your buildings tall. That will come about in the worst of your days."'"
وَبِالسَّنَدِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ الرُّومِيِّ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أُمِّ طَلْقٍ فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَقْصَرَ سَقْفَ بَيْتِكِ هَذَا؟ قَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَّالِهِ: أَنْ لاَ تُطِيلُوا بِنَاءَكُمْ، فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ شَرِّ أَيَّامِكُمْ.
It is reported that Habba ibn Khalid and Sawa' ibn Khalid came to the Prophet, (ﷺ), while he was repairing a wall - or a building - of his, and they helped him.
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ سَلاَّمِ بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ، عَنْ حَبَّةَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، وَسَوَاءَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، أَنَّهُمَا أَتَيَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يُعَالِجُ حَائِطًا أَوْ بِنَاءً لَهُ، فَأَعَانَاهُ.
Qays ibn Abi Hazm said, "We went to visit Khubbab after he had been cauterised seven times. He said, 'Our Companions who came before us have gone and this world did not cause the, loss. We have been struck by an affliction for which we find no place to put it down except the earth. If it were no that the Prophet, (ﷺ), forbade us to pray for death, we would pray for it.'"
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْنَا عَلَى خَبَّابٍ نَعُودُهُ، وَقَدِ اكْتَوَى سَبْعَ كَيَّاتٍ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ أَصْحَابَنَا الَّذِينَ سَلَفُوا مَضَوْا وَلَمْ تُنْقِصْهُمُ الدُّنْيَا، وَإِنَّا أَصَبْنَا مَا لاَ نَجِدُ لَهُ مَوْضِعًا إِلاَّ التُّرَابَ، وَلَوْلاَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَانَا أَنْ نَدْعُوَ بِالْمَوْتِ لَدَعَوْتُ بِهِ.
He continued, "Then we came to him another time while he was building a wall and his and he said, 'The Muslim is rewarded for everything on which he spends money except for what he spends on dust.'
ثُمَّ أَتَيْنَاهُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، وَهُوَ يَبْنِي حَائِطًا لَهُ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمَ يُؤْجَرُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُنْفِقُهُ إِلاَّ فِي شَيْءٍ يَجْعَلُهُ فِي التُّرَابِ.
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr said, "The Prophet, (ﷺ), went by while I was repairing a hut I owned. He said, 'What is this?' I replied, 'I am mending my hut, (ﷺ).' He said, 'The business is too swift for that.'"
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو السَّفَرِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَأَنَا أُصْلِحُ خُصًّا لَنَا، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا؟ قُلْتُ: أُصْلِحُ خُصَّنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقَالَ: الأَمْرُ أَسْرَعُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ.
Nafi' ibn al-Harith reported that the Prophet, (ﷺ), said, "Part of a man's happiness is a spacious dwelling, a good neighbour, and a good mount."
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ وَقَبِيصَةُ قَالاَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ خَمِيلٍ، عَنْ نَافِعِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: مِنْ سَعَادَةِ الْمَرْءِ الْمَسْكَنُ الْوَاسِعُ، وَالْجَارُ الصَّالِحُ، وَالْمَرْكَبُ الْهَنِيءُ.
Thabit reported that he was with Anas in a corner above one of his rooms. He said, "We heard the adhan and he came down and I came down as well. He took short stops and said, 'I was with Zayd ibn Thabit and I walked with him in this fashion. He said, "Do you know why I did it to you? The Prophet, (ﷺ), walked in this manner and he said, 'Do you know why I walked with you?' I replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'So that there would be a greater number of steps in search of the prayer.'"'"
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ نِبْرَاسٍ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ مَعَ أَنَسٍ بِالزَّاوِيَةِ فَوْقَ غُرْفَةٍ لَهُ، فَسَمِعَ الأَذَانَ، فَنَزَلَ وَنَزَلْتُ، فَقَارَبَ فِي الْخُطَا فَقَالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ فَمَشَى بِي هَذِهِ الْمِشْيَةَ وَقَالَ: أَتَدْرِي لِمَ فَعَلْتُ بِكَ؟ فَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَشَى بِي هَذِهِ الْمِشْيَةَ وَقَالَ: أَتَدْرِي لِمَ مَشَيْتُ بِكَ؟ قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: لِيَكْثُرَ عَدَدُ خُطَانَا فِي طَلَبِ الصَّلاةِ.
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, (ﷺ), said, "The Final Hour will not come until people build houses which are like coloured garments." Ibrahim said:
meaning striped clothes.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ يُونُسَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْفُدَيْكِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ أَبِي يَحْيَى، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي هِنْدَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: لاَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى يَبْنِيَ النَّاسُ بُيُوتًا، يُشَبِّهُونَهَا بِالْمَرَاحِلِ. قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ: يَعْنِي الثِّيَابَ الْمُخَطَّطَةَ.
Warrad, the scribe of al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba, said, "Mu'awiya wrote to al-Mughira, saying, 'Write down for me what you heard the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), say.' So he wrote to him, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah, (ﷺ), used to say at the end of every prayer, "There is no god but Allah alone with no partner. His is the Kingdom and His is the praise and He has power over everything. O Allah, none can withhold what You give nor can anyone give what You withhold. Nor will the wealth of someone with wealth help him against You.' He also write to him, 'He forbade gossip, asking too many questions, and wasting money. He forbade disobeying mothers, burying daughters alive, and he forbade asking people (without real need).'"
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ وَرَّادٍ كَاتِبِ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ: كَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى الْمُغِيرَةِ: اكْتُبْ إِلَيَّ مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، اللَّهُمَّ لاَ مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلاَ مُعْطِيَ لَمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلاَ يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْهَى عَنْ قِيلَ وَقَالَ، وَكَثْرَةِ السُّؤَالِ، وَإِضَاعَةِ الْمَالِ. وَكَانَ يَنْهَى عَنْ عُقُوقِ الأُمَّهَاتِ، وَوَأْدِ الْبَنَاتِ، وَمَنْعٍ وَهَاتِ.
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, (ﷺ), said, "None of you will be saved by his actions?" "Not even you, Messenger of Allah?" they asked. "Not even me," he replied, "unless Allah covers me with mercy from Him. But act correctly and wisely and worship in the morning and evening and during part of the night. Keep to a middle path and you will arrive."
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: لَنْ يُنَجِّي أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ عَمَلٌ، قَالُوا: وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَالَ: وَلاَ أَنَا، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِي اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ، فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَاغْدُوا وَرُوحُوا، وَشَيْءٌ مِنَ الدُّلْجَةِ، وَالْقَصْدَ الْقَصْدَ تَبْلُغُوا.