Never leave behind anything from this world, for indeed you will [only] be leaving it for one of two types of people: either the man who uses it in obedience to Allah, so he becomes felicitous by that which made you wretched, or the man who uses it in disobeying Allah, in which case you will have been a helper for him in his disobedience, and neither of these two deserves to be preferred by you over yourself
لَا تُخَلِّفَنَّ وَرَاءَكَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّكَ تُخَلِّفُهُ لِأَحَدِ رَجُلَيْنِ إِمَّا رَجُلٌ عَمِلَ فِيهِ بِطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ فَسَعِدَ بِمَا شَقِيتَ بِهِ وَإِمَّا رَجُلٌ عَمِلَ فِيهِ بِمَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ فَكُنْتَ عَوْناً لَهُ عَلَى الْمَعْصِيَةِ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدُ هَذَيْنِ حَقِيقاً أَنْ تُؤْثِرَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Wealth is reckoning [in the Hereafter]
الْمَالُ حِسَابٌ الظُّلْمُ عِقَابٌ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Wealth manifests the intrinsic natures of the people and their characters
الْمَالُ يُبْدِي جَوَاهِرَ الرِّجَالِ وَخَلَائِقَهَا
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Arrogance in wealth sows the seed (or warns) of abasement in poverty
الزَّهْوُ [الزُّهْدُ] فِي الْغِنَى يُبَذِّرُ الذُّلَّ [تُنْذِرُ بِالذُّلِ] فِي الْفَقْرِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Opulence through other than Allah is the greatest indigence and wretchedness
الْغِنَى بِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ أَعْظَمُ الْفَقْرِ وَالشَّقَاءِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Strive hard in your work and do not be a storekeeper for others
اسْعَ فِي كَدْحِكَ وَلَا تَكُنْ خَازِناً لِغَيْرِكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Let the effect of that which Allah, the Glorified, has blessed you with be seen on you
وَلْيُرَ عَلَيْكَ أَثَرُ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ بِهِ عَلَيْكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Take out the [rightful] dues from your wealth and share in your wealth with your friend; let your speech be measured and your endeavour well thought-out, [for by this] you will remain safe from censure and regret
أَخْرِجْ مِنْ مَالِكَ الْحُقُوقَ وَأَشْرِكْ فِيهِ الصَّدِيقَ وَلْيَكُنْ كَلَامُكَ فِي تَقْدِيرٍ وَهِمَّتُكَ فِي تَفْكِيرٍ تَأْمَنِ الْمَلَامَةَ وَالنَّدَامَةَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Beware of withholding [charity], for indeed you are [only] a treasurer for someone else in that which you withhold from what is in excess of your daily requirement
إِيَّاكَ وَالْإِمْسَاكَ فَإِنَّ مَا أَمْسَكْتَهُ فَوْقَ قُوتِ يَوْمِكَ كُنْتَ فِيهِ خَازِناً لِغَيْرِكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
The best of riches is that through with one’s honour is secured
أَفْضَلُ الْغِنَى مَا صِينَ بِهِ الْعِرْضُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
The least that is owed to the one who bestows blessings is that no sin should be committed with his blessing
أَقَلُّ مَا يَجِبُ لِلْمُنْعِمِ أَنْ لَا يُعْصَى بِنِعْمَتِهِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Verily your wealth is for the one who praises you in your lifetime and the one who vilifies you after your death
إِنَّ مَالَكَ لِحَامِدِكَ فِي حَيَاتِكَ وَلِذَامِّكَ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Verily Allah, the Glorified, has certain selected servants upon whom He bestows blessings for the benefit of the people, causing these [blessings] to remain in their possession as long as they grant them [to the people], but if they withhold them [from the people], He takes away these blessings from them and transfers them to others
إِنَّ لِلَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ عِبَاداً يَخْتَصُّهُمْ بِالنِّعَمِ لِمَنَافِعِ الْعِبَادِ يُقِرُّهَا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ مَا بَذَلُوهَا فَإِذَا مَنَعُوهَا نَزَعَهَا مِنْهُمْ وَحَوَّلَهَا إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Verily your wealth cannot fulfil the needs of all the people, so reserve it specifically for the followers of the truth
إِنَّ مَالَكَ لَا يُغْنِي جَمِيعَ النَّاسِ فَاخْصُصْ بِهِ أَهْلَ الْحَقِّ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
When you see your Lord sending continuous blessings upon you, then be careful
إِذَا رَأَيْتَ رَبَّكَ يُتَابِعُ عَلَيْكَ النِّعَمَ فَاحْذَرْهُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
If your bounty falls short of reaching the weak, then [at least] let your mercy reach them
إِذَا عَجَزَ عَنِ الضُّعَفَاءِ نَيْلُكَ فَلْتَسَعْهُمْ رَحْمَتُكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Take the initiative in your affluence before your poverty and while you are alive before your death
بَادِرْ غِنَاكَ قَبْلَ فَقْرِكَ وَحَيَاتَكَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
The right of Allah, the Glorified, upon you in times of ease is piety and gratitude, and in times of hardship, [to have] contentment and patience
حَقُّ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْيُسْرِ الْبِرُّ وَالشُّكْرُ وَفِي الْعُسْرِ الرِّضَا وَالصَّبْرُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
The best affluence is the affluence of the soul
خَيْرُ الْغَنَاءِ غَنَاءُ النَّفْسِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Take from the most precious of your possessions and spend it on that for which your Lord will elevate your lofty deeds
خُذُوا مِنْ كَرَائِمِ [كَرِيمِ] أَمْوَالِكُمْ مَا يَرْفَعُ بِهِ رَبُّكُمْ سَنِيَّ أَعْمَالِكُمْ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Five qualities are detested from five [people]: Excessive licentiousness from scholars, greed from sages, stinginess from the wealthy, shamelessness from women and from the elders, adultery
خَمْسٌ يُسْتَقْبَحْنَ مِنْ خَمْسٍ كَثْرَةُ الْفُجُورِ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَالْحِرْصُ فِي الْحُكَمَاءِ وَالْبُخْلُ فِي الْأَغْنِيَاءِ وَالْقِحَةُ فِي النِّسَاءِ وَمِنَ الْمَشَايِخِ الزِّنَا
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Many an opulence leads to lasting poverty
رُبَّ غِنًى أَوْرَثَ الْفَقْرَ الْبَاقِيَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Many a person accumulates [wealth] for one who is not grateful to him
رُبَّ جَامِعٍ لِمَنْ لَا يَشْكُرُهُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Two things are such that their value is recognized only by one who has lost them: wealth and power
شَيْئَانِ لَا يَعْرِفُ قَدْرَهُمَا إِلَّا مَنْ سُلِبَهُمَا الْغِنَى وَالْقُدْرَةُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Loss of wealth is an advantage for the sagacious and a [cause of] regret for the foolish
فَوْتُ الْغِنَى غَنِيمَةُ الْأَكْيَاسِ وَحَسْرَةُ الْحَمْقَى
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
How many of the rich are unneeded [because of their unwillingness to help others]
كَمْ مِنْ غَنِيٍّ يُسْتَغْنَى عَنْهُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Be the guardian of your soul, and do with your possessions that which you would like others to do with it
كُنْ وَصِيَّ نَفْسِكَ وَافْعَلْ فِي مَالِكَ مَا تُحِبُّ أَنْ يَفْعَلَهُ فِيهِ غَيْرُكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
That portion of your wealth which teaches you a lesson and earns you gratitude will never go [to waste]
لَنْ يَذْهَبَ مِنْ مَالِكَ مَا وَعَظَكَ وَحَازَ لَكَ الشُّكْرَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
One who pretends to be poor, becomes poor
مَنْ تَفَاقَرَ افْتَقَرَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Whoever considers his dignity to be precious, money has of little value for him
مَنْ كَرُمَ عَلَيْهِ عِرْضُهُ هَانَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَالُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
How good is the humility shown by the wealthy towards the poor in order to attain that which is with Allah, the Glorified, and how good is the pride of the poor in front of the wealthy out of [their] trust in Allah, the Glorified!
مَا أَحْسَنَ تَوَاضُعَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ طَلَباً لِمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَمَا أَحْسَنَ تِيهَ الْفُقَرَاءِ عَلَى الْأَغْنِيَاءِ اتِّكَالًا عَلَى اللَّهِ سُبْحَانَهُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Never waste your wealth in other than what is good [and right]
لَا تُضَيِّعَنَّ مَالَكَ فِي غَيْرِ مَعْرُوفٍ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Do not let seeking that which is guaranteed for you be more important to you than the action which has been made obligatory upon you to perform
لَا يَكُنِ الْمَضْمُونُ لَكَ طَلَبُهُ أَوْلَى بِكَ مِنَ الْمَفْرُوضِ عَلَيْكَ عَمَلُهُ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Do not spend your wealth in sinful acts thereby coming before your Lord without any [good] deed
لَا تَصْرِفْ مَالَكَ فِي الْمَعَاصِي فَتَقْدَمَ عَلَى [إِلَى] رَبِّكَ بِلَا عَمَلٍ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech