Warning Against Materialism

Sahih al-Bukhari 6435
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Perish the slave of Dinar, Dirham, Qatifa (thick soft cloth), and Khamisa (a garment), for if he is given, he is pleased; otherwise he is dissatisfied.”

Quranic Context for Hadith (Sahih al-Bukhari 6435)

This hadith warns against materialism and enslavement to wealth, aligning with several Quranic verses that caution against excessive love for worldly possessions.

📖Surah Al-Humazah (104:1-3)
“Woe to every scorner and mocker who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it. He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.”

🔹 This verse reflects the hadith’s message: those obsessed with wealth become its slaves, mistakenly believing it grants them security.

📖Surah Al-Kahf (18:32-36) (The Parable of the Two Men and Their Gardens)
“And present to them the example of two men: We gave one of them two gardens of grapevines, and We bordered them with palm trees and placed crops within them… And he entered his garden, while he was unjust to himself. He said, ‘I do not think this will ever perish…’”

🔹 The Quran warns that arrogance in wealth leads to downfall, just as the Prophet (ﷺ) warned about being a “slave” to material possessions.

📖Surah Al-Hadid (57:20)
“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion, and [temporary] adornment and boasting among you, and competition in increase of wealth and children—like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turn yellow; then it becomes debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion?”

🔹 Material wealth is temporary and deceptive—only what we invest in the Hereafter will last.

📖Surah At-Tawbah (9:24)
“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your relatives, the wealth you have acquired, the commerce you fear will decline, and the dwellings you love are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.’”

🔹 Loving wealth over Allah leads to loss, just as the hadith warns that the “slave of wealth” will ultimately perish.

Conclusion

The hadith aligns with multiple Quranic teachings:
✅ Wealth is a test, not a goal.
✅ Excessive love for material things leads to destruction.
✅ True contentment is in spiritual wealth and devotion to Allah.

Thus, both the hadith and Quran emphasize contentment, prioritizing faith over wealth, and not allowing material possessions to control one’s life.