Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 1029 [Read full issue]
Beautiful Dwellings
Qays ibn Abi Hazm said: "Khabbab ibn al-Aratt came one time while we were rebuilding a wall belonging to us and told me, 'A Muslim is rewarded for everything he spends except for what he invests in this earth.'" (Related by the two shaykhs)
Anas also said: "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out one day when we were with him, and he saw a raised dome. He asked, 'What is this?' His companions replied, 'It belongs to a man of the Ansar.' He was silent and kept it to himself until its owner came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and greeted him among the people. He turned from him, and did so that several times until the man recognised anger and aversion in him. He complained of that to his companions, saying: 'By Allah, I do not know how it is with the Messenger of Allah; I do not know what he has been told about me.' They said, 'He went out and saw your dome.' The man then went to his dome and demolished it until it was level with the earth. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out that day and did not see it. He asked, 'What happened to the dome?' They said, 'Its owner complained to us that you turned away from him. We informed him and so he demolished it.' He said, 'Every building is a misfortune for its owner except what is necessary, except what is necessary.'" (Abu Dawud)
Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by me while I was putting mud on the wall of a hut. He asked, 'What is this, Abdullah?' I replied, 'It is wall I am mending.' He said, 'The time is too short for that.'" In one variant, "I think the time is too short for that." (Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi, who says it is sound.)
Anyone who reads the collection of these hadiths would never think about building either a small house or a lofty castle. He might think that living in a graveyard is closer to taqwa. The sound position is that these hadiths must be understood within the context of the atmosphere and circumstances in which they were uttered. In normal life, someone may intend to build a house and then delay it when civil war breaks out. The language used in times of stability is not the language used when anxiety prevails. Madina Munawwara was preoccupied with the task of calling people to Islam, jihad, siege and defence, and the mass of the Companions frequently participated in expeditions and raids. They were either fighting or preparing for it.
These warnings against building and beautifying dwellings must be seen within the context of those circumstances. If the command were taken as a general prohibition, no city would have been built nor any civilisation established. There are scholars who build tall buildings and then let them out to tenants for whatever purpose they wish. They are, of course, allowed to do so, but then they cannot at the same time forbid other people to build when they are doing it themselves.
Compiled From:
"The Sunna of the Prophet" - Muhammad al-Ghazali