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[TD="width: 85%"]"Do not try too much to acquire property or else you will be absorbed by being too enamored (in love with) with the world."
Reporter: Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (r)
Source: Sunan at-Tirmizi, Vol. 4, #2335
Note: To be earthbound is natural for us. According to God's design, naturally, we are supposed to live a full life on this earth and utilize all the resources He has bestowed on humanity. In doing so, however, a person should not be a servant of the world, rather subject the worldly aspirations to higher and nobler goals. We eat to live, not live to eat. Thus, our attachment to worldly desires should not overshadow our ultimate pursuit. There is also some misinterpretation or misapplication of such narrations from the other extreme. This and other narrations on the same topic do not invite us to withdraw ourselves from this worldly life. Muhammad (s) was an active and successful merchant before being appointed as a prophet. During his life of prophethood, he had family and dealt with worldly affairs like any fully-engaged human being. However, even when all the riches and power were under his feet, he never abused them. Despite the op portunities as a leader to enjoy worldly life, he lived like a traveller on a long journey. This world to him was only a transit station, not to be preoccupied with at all.
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