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Abu Huraira (may ALLAH be pleased with him) narrated a hadith recorded by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, in which the Messenger of ALLAH (Peace and Blessings be upon Him) said:
The Test of Wealth: A Divine Trial of Gratitude
“There were three men from among the Children of Israel: one afflicted with leprosy, another bald, and the third blind. ALLAH willed to test them and sent an angel to them.
The angel approached the leper first and asked, ‘What do you desire most?‘ The leper replied, ‘To have a beautiful complexion and healthy skin, as people avoid me because of my condition’. The angel then touched him, and his ailment disappeared, leaving him with radiant, healthy skin. The angel continued, ‘What kind of wealth do you love most?‘ The man answered, ‘Camels or cows’—the narrator noted some uncertainty about which. He was then given a pregnant she-camel, and the angel said, ‘May it bring you blessings‘.
The angel then went to the bald man and asked, ‘What do you desire most?‘ The man replied, ‘To have good hair and be rid of this condition that makes people avoid me’. The angel touched him, curing his condition and blessing him with good hair. The angel asked, ‘What kind of wealth do you love most?‘ The man answered, ‘Cows’. A pregnant cow was given to him, and the angel said, ‘May it bring you blessings‘.
Finally, the angel came to the blind man and asked, ‘What do you desire most?‘ The man replied, ‘I want ALLAH to restore my sight so I can see the people around me’. The angel touched him, and ALLAH restored his vision. The angel then asked, ‘What kind of wealth do you love most?‘ The man replied, ‘Sheep’. He was given a pregnant sheep, and the angel said, ‘May it bring you blessings‘”.
A Parenthetical Advice on the Test of Wealth
Before we proceed, let me share a piece of advice: If someone requests something from you in the name of ALLAH, do your best not to turn them away. At the same time, refrain from making requests of others by invoking ALLAH’s name yourself. Why? Because if your request is denied, it may put the other person in a difficult position, as though they failed to honor the sanctity of ALLAH’s name. To avoid this, do not ask anyone by ALLAH.
However, if someone does ask you by ALLAH, try your utmost not to refuse them. Even if you cannot fulfill their request, respond with kindness and gentleness, perhaps saying, ‘Forgive me, I have nothing to offer at this time’. Always strive to treat them with respect and avoid outright rejection.
The Test of Wealth: Distinguishing Gratitude from Greed
Returning to the hadith, the angel came to the leper, appearing in the same form and state the man once had. He said, “I am a poor traveler whose journey has been interrupted. I have no way to continue today except through ALLAH and then through you. I ask you by the One who granted you a good complexion, healthy skin, and wealth for a camel so I may reach my destination“. This was a request for just one camel from a man who owned an entire valley of camels—equivalent to at least 3,000. The angel’s appearance served as a reminder of the man’s previous condition.
The leper responded, “I have many obligations”. The angel then said, “Weren’t you a leper whom people avoided, and weren’t you poor before ALLAH enriched you?” But the man insisted, “I inherited this wealth through generations”. The angel replied, “If you are lying, may you return to what you were“. Surely, the prayer of an angel does not go unanswered by ALLAH.
The angel then visited the bald man in his former appearance and repeated the same request. The bald man responded in a similar manner, “I have many obligations”. This response reflects a lack of guidance, for the test of wealth is indeed significant. Wealth is temporary—what you possess today may be gone tomorrow. Either wealth departs from you, or you leave it behind when you pass away. Thus, “…And send forth something good for yourselves“1 (Suraat ‘Al-Baqarah, 2:223). The angel then said to him, “If you are lying, may you return to what you were“.
Finally, the angel went to the blind man, again appearing as he once had, and said, “I am a poor traveler whose journey has been interrupted. I have no way to continue today except through ALLAH and then through you. I ask you by the One who restored your sight to grant me a sheep so I may reach my destination“.
The man, who had once been blind, replied,
“I was blind, and ALLAH restored my sight; I was poor, and ALLAH enriched me. Take whatever you wish and leave whatever you wish. By ALLAH, I will not burden you today for anything you take for ALLAH’s sake“
The angel then said, “Keep your wealth; you have been tested, and ALLAH is pleased with you but angry with your two companions“.
The Hidden Trials: Recognizing Life’s Everyday Tests
These three individuals were explicitly informed by the angel about their test. For us, however, the tests we face in life are not made clear to us. One day, someone may approach you seeking help, and you might turn them away or respond harshly; another day, someone else may come, and you offer them assistance.
How can you be certain that through your act of giving, ALLAH has written HIS pleasure for you, or that through your rejection and harshness, ALLAH has decreed HIS displeasure? While their test was evident, ours is hidden. Every encounter with someone in need could be part of our test, for these moments are what life is made of.
Sources:
- Sheikh Dr. Said Al Kamali. عندما يختبر الله عباده ! قصّة عجيبة يحكيها لنا الشيخ سعيد الكملي. YouTube Video.
- Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran ↩︎
