The Book of the Prohibited actions

Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 356

Prohibition of Squandering Wealth

باب النهي عن إضاعة المال في غير وجوهه التي أذن الشرع فيها

This chapter warns against wasting wealth, idaa'at al-mal, spending it outside the channels Allah has permitted. The two hadith pair what Allah loves with what He dislikes, and squandering money sits alongside idle talk and pestering with needless questions as habits that displease Him. Wealth is treated as a trust, not a toy.

Notice the company that wastefulness keeps. In the first hadith it is listed right after the call to worship Allah alone and to hold fast to His Rope, the bond of believers, so guarding wealth is framed as part of a disciplined, God-conscious life. The second hadith widens the picture to other violations of people's rights, reminding us that how we handle money is inseparable from how we honour Allah and one another.

Hadith 1781

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏ "‏إن الله تعالى يرضى لكم ثلاثا، ويكره لكم ثلاثًا‏:‏ فيرضى لكم أن تعبدوه، ولا تشركوا به شيئًا، وأن تعتصموا بحبل الله جميعًا ولا تفرقوا، ويكره لكم‏:‏ قيل وقال، وكثرة السؤال، وإضاعة المال‏" ‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم، وتقدم شرحه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, Allah likes three things for you and disapproves three things for you. He likes that you should worship Him Alone, not to associate anything with Him (in worship) and to hold fast to the Rope of Allah and not to be divided among yourselves; and He disapproves for you irrelevant talk, persistent questioning and the squandering of the wealth." [Muslim].

In plain words

The Prophet listed three things Allah loves: worshipping Him alone, holding together as believers, and three He dislikes: idle talk, pestering with questions, and wasting wealth. It frames careful use of money as part of a disciplined, God-conscious life.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1781 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 271

Hadith 1782

Warrad, the scribe of Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

وعن وراد كاتب المغيرة شعبة قال‏:‏ أملى على المغيرة بن شعبة في كتاب إلى معاوية رضي الله عنه ، أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يقول في دبر كل صلاة مكتوبة‏:‏ ‏"‏لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير، اللهم لا مانع لما أعطيت، ولا معطي لما منعت، ولا ينفع ذا الجد منك الجد‏"‏ وكتب إليه أنه ‏"‏كان ينهى عن قيل وقال، وإضاعة المال، وكثرة السؤال، وكان ينهى عن عقوق الأمهات، ووأد البنات، ومنع وهات” ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه وسبق شرحه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏

Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah dictated a letter to me addressed to Mu'awiyah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to supplicate at the end of each obligatory Salat (prescribed prayer): "La ilaha illallahu, wahadahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shai'in Qadir. Allahumma la mani'a lima a'taita, wa la mu'tiya lima mana'ta, wa la yanfa'u dhal-jaddi mink-al-jaddu. (There is no true god except Allah, the One, Who has no partner. His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Able to do everything. O Allah! Nobody can withhold what You give; and nobody can give what You withhold; and the high status of a person is of no avail against Your Will)." He also wrote to him that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to forbid irrelevant talk, wasteful expenditure, persistent questioning, disobedience of parents (especially mothers), infanticide of daughters by burying them alive, depriving others of their rights and acquisition of property wrongfully. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

Along with a supplication the Prophet said after each obligatory prayer, this report lists things he forbade: idle talk, wasting money, endless questioning, disobeying parents, killing infant daughters, and denying others their rights. Together they show that how we handle wealth is tied to how we honour Allah and people.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1782 In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 272