An Example of Noble Character

THE BEST TREASURE The Quran states: “Believers, many religious scholars, and monks wrongfully appropriate people’s possessions and turn people away from God’s path! Tell those who hoard gold and silver instead of giving in God’s cause that they will have a painful punishment: on the Day their treasure is heated up in the fire of hell, their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it, and they will be told, ‘This is what you hoarded up for yourselves. Taste then what you were hoarding.’” (9:34–35) When this verse was revealed, the Prophet of Islam said, “Woe to gold, and woe to silver.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 23101) This deeply disturbed the Companions. They said among themselves, “Then what kind of wealth should we keep?” Umar ibn al-Khattab said, “Shall I go and ask the Prophet about this?” They replied, “Yes, certainly.” So Umar went to the Prophet of Islam and said, “This statement has weighed heavily on your Companions—they are asking what kind of wealth they should accumulate.” The Prophet said: “Yes, then let one of you acquire a tongue that remembers God, a heart that is grateful, and a wife who helps him in his faith.” (Tafsir al-Tabari, Vol. 14, p. 223) In another narration, the Prophet said: “Shall I tell you the best treasure a man can store up for himself? It is a righteous wife: when he looks at her, she pleases him; when he commands her, she obeys; and when he is absent, she