Between Wealth and Good Deeds

Source : Tafseer Ibn Katheer

Al-Kahf : verse 46.

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.

(Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world.)

This is like the Ayah: (Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, vaulted hoards of gold...) 3:14

 Allah says: (Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise).) (64:15)

Turning towards Allah and worshipping Him is better for you than keeping busy with them, and accumulating wealth for them and going to extremes in feeling pity and compassion for them.

Allah says: (But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.)

Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf said that the good righteous deeds that last are the five daily prayers.

`Ata' bin Abi Rabah and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas, "The good righteous deeds that last are `Subhan Allah (glory be to Allah)', `Al-Hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)', `La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah)', and `Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great).'"

The Commander of the faithful, `Uthman bin `Affan was questioned, "Which are the good righteous deeds that last'' He replied, "They are: `La ilaha illallah, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Allahu Akbar and La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah hil-`Aliyil- `Azim (there is no strength and no power except with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty).'' ' This was recorded by Imam Ahmad.

Imam Ahmad also recorded from a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah that he said: (Well done! Well done for five things! (How heavy they will weigh in the balance! "La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, and Al-Hamdu Lillah,'' and a righteous son who dies and his parents seek the reward of Allah.) And he said: (Well done! Well done for five things! Whoever meets Allah believing in them, he will enter Paradise; if he believes in Allah, the Last Day, Paradise and Hell, resurrection after death, and the Reckoning).

(the good righteous deeds that last, ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This is the celebration of the remembrance of Allah, saying `La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, Al-Hamdu Lillah, Tabarak Allah, La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, Astaghfirallah, Sallallahu `ala Rasul-Allah' , and fasting, prayer, Hajj, Sadaqah (charity), freeing slaves, Jihad, maintaining ties of kinship, and all other good deeds. These are the righteous good deeds that last, which will remain in Paradise for those who do them for as long as heaven and earth remain.

'' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas: "They are good words.'' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "They are all righteous deeds.'' This was also the view chosen by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.

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AsSalam Alaikum wa Rahmatullah

AbdurRahman Meda

http://AbdurRahman. org/