Hakim bin Hizam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I begged Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he gave me; I begged him again and he gave me. I begged him again and he gave me and said, "O Hakim, wealth is pleasant and sweet. He who acquires it with self-contentment, it becomes a source of blessing for him; but it is not blessed for him who seeks it out of greed. He is like one who goes on eating but his hunger is not satisfied. The upper hand is better than the lower one." I said to him, "O Messenger of Allah, by Him Who sent you with the Truth I will not, after you, ask anyone for anything till I leave this world." So Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) would summon Hakim (May Allah be pleased with him) to give his rations, but he would refuse. Then Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) would call him but he would decline to accept anything. So Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said addressing Muslims: "O Muslims, I ask you to bear testimony that I offer Hakim his share of the booty that Allah has assigned for him but he refuses my offer." Thus Hakim did not accept anything from anyone after the death of Messenger of Allah (PBUH), till he died.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
Man constantly remains engaged in hoarding wealth and there comes no point of termination to this process. Rather, the more he gets it, the more he is overpowered by lust for it till he is carried to the grave. If man gets wealth in a dignified way without being crazy for it, ethics certainly allows him to do so.
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