Hadhrat Abuzar (Radhiyallaho anho) reprimands his servant:

Hadhrat Abuzar Ghifari (Radhiyallaho anho) was well known for his piety and abstinence. He kept no money with him, and likewise did not like others to hoard it. He was always fighting against the moneyed class. Hadhrat Usman, (Radhiyallaho anho), therefore, during his caliphate advised him to shift to Rabzah (a small village in the desert). He had a few camels to live on, and an old servant to look after them. A tribesman from Banu Sulaim once presented himself with a request:

"I wish to stay with you to benefit from your knowledge of Allah's commandments and the Prophet's (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) ways and habits: I shall also help your servant in looking after the camels."

Hadhrat Abuzar (Radhiyallaho anho) replied:

"I cannot keep with me a person who does not comply with my wishes; but if you can always do as bidden, you may remain with me, else I wish goodbye to you."

The person asked:

"In what way do you like me to carry out your wishes."

Hadhrat Abuzar (Radhiyallaho anho) replied:

"When I ask you to spend from my belongings, you are required to spend the best of them."

The person says, "I accepted Hadhrat Abuzar's (Rad-hiyallaho anho) condition and stayed on with him. One day, somebody informed him that there were some poor folk camping near the spring close-by and were in dire need of food. He asked me to fetch a camel. Accordingly, I went and intended to select the best of the lot, as I had pledged to do. It was a very fine and submissive animal and good for riding, so I decided to let it be, and selected the second best, as after all it was only to be slaughtered and eaten and, for this purpose, just as good as the other.

The other one was very good for riding and much more useful to Hadhrat Abuzar (Radhiyallaho anho) and his family, while the poor would find the one as tasty as the other. I, therefore, led the other camel to Hadhrat Abuzar (Radhiyallaho anho). He retorted:

"So, after all you have broken your pledge."

Knowing well what he meant, I turned back and fetched the best camel instead. He addressed the people about him,

"I want two persons to do a job for Allah."

As two persons volunteered themselves, he bade them go and slaughter the camel, and distribute the meat equally among the families camping near the water, including his own, saying, "My family will also share equally with the rest." The volunteers carried out his instructions. He then sent for me and asked:

'Did you intentionally ignore my instructions about spending the best out of my belongings, or you just happened to forget about it?'

I:  'I did not forget you instructions, but thought it better to preserve the one for transport duties, while the other was as good for eating.'

Abuzar: 'Was it for my personal need that you left it?'

I:   'Yes.'

Hadhrat Abuzar (Radhiyallaho anho):

'Come, let me tell you the occasion of my needs. That is the day when I shall be laid all alone in the solitude of the grave. Remember, there are three partners in your wealth, viz.

(1) Your destiny, which does not wait to take away its share. Good or bad it would take away all that it has to take.

(2) Your heirs, who are waiting for the day of your death, so that they may take over their share, and

(3) Yourself. If you can manage, don't be the most helpless of the three partners. Take your full share, while you can. Allah says:

'Ye will not attain unto piety until you spend of that which you love. (III: 92). I, therefore, think it advisable to send in advance the things which I love best, so that they may be in safe deposit for me there.'

That man is the worst loser of the three partners who does not spend his wealth in the path of Allah, and keeps postponing the event till at last destiny takes it away from him, or he dies and his heirs appropriate it. It is very seldom that the heirs give away in the path of Allah the wealth inherited from another person, so that his soul may benefit by it. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) once remarked:

"Man cherishes his worldly belongings, hugging them to his soul, and gloating, 'my wealth, my wealth,' but in reality only that much of it is his wealth, which he either enjoys in the form of food or dress or spends in the path of Allah to be stored up for him in the Hereafter. What is left of his wealth belongs to others; he is only acting as a custodian."

In another Hadith, it is reported that once the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) inquired of the Sahabah.

"Which of you would rather like to see his wealth in the hands of his heirs than keep it with himself?"

They replied:   "Who would like to be such a person, O Prophet of Allah? (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam)"

Thereupon the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) explained:

"Whatever you send in advance by spending it in the path of Allah is yours, and whatever is left behind be-longs to your heirs."