Indulgence, ostentation and excessiveness in things worldly are things which can contribute to the destruction of one’s self, and can distract attention away from Allah subhanhuwata’ala. Indeed the scholars of history often cite these luxuries as a contributory factor to the downfall of Muslim rulers and it is exactly for this reason that pious people like Salahu Deen Ayubi rahmatullah’alay (Saladin) who brought peace to places such as Jerusalem, abstained from worldly pleasures so that they could focus on their objectives and worship Allah subhanhuwata’ala with utmost concentration. If wealth did come their way, they distributed it amongst the poor.
The great Companion Salman Al-Faarsi radhiallah’anhu was one such man whose abstinence was amazing. Attiya bin Aamir radhiallah’anhu states that he once saw Salman Al-Faarsi radhiallah’anhu being forced to eat more. In response to this he said, “That is enough for more me because I heard the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassalam say, ‘Those who are the most full in this world shall be most hungry in the Hereafter. O Salman! This world is but a prison for the Believer and paradise for the Kaafir.’”
He was neither lured by the large amounts of money which headed his way as governor of a particular province of thirty thousand Muslims. On one occasion he received five thousand Dirhams as allowance. Today we see the ruling elite wearing the finest of clothes, yet this man, Salman Al-Faarsi radhiallah’anhu, would deliver lectures to the people wrapping part of his robe over himself while spreading the other part on the ground to sit upon. All the money and wealth was distributed to the believers and he would live on the income he received from selling baskets which he himself weaved from the fibres of palm leaves. Imagine leaders of today sitting down knitting baskets in order to feed themselves!
Once Hudhayfah radhiallah’anhu once asked Salman radhiallah’anhu if he could build him a room. Salman radhiallah’anhu despised this idea. Hudhayfah radhiallah’anhu however quickly clarified his statement and said, “I intend building you a room that when you lie down, your head touched the one end and your feet the other. Furthermore, when you stand up, you head hit the roof.” To this Salman radhiallah’anhu stated, “it appears as is you live in my heart”, meaning that he knew exactly what Salman radhiallah’anhu wanted.
One needs to reflect upon these actions and think about how we spend our lives. Everyday we compete in things such designer names, mobile phones, cars, houses and things obsolete which are regarded as status-establishers, yet it is these very things which the Companions radhiallah’anhum disregarded for they knew it took them away from their sole objective of worshipping the Almighty. May Allah subhanhuwata’ala give us the ability reach the heights of resolve and abstinence of Salman Al-Faarsi radhiallah’anhu. Ameen