Why Gold Can Never Satisfy Human Greed
The Nature of Human Greed and the Path to Repentance - Sahih Bukhari and Muslim
Summary
This lecture discusses a hadith from the chapter of repentance, specifically addressing human nature and greed. The instructor explains a narration from Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, narrated by Ibn Abbas and Malik, in which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) describes how humans are never satisfied with wealth—comparing it to valleys of gold. The only thing that satisfies human greed is death (the dirt of the grave). The lecturer emphasizes that believers combat this natural inclination through the Quran and Sunnah, and importantly, that even those who allow greed to drive them to wrongdoing can find forgiveness through sincere repentance to Allah.
Note: This transcript was generated using YouTube's automatic captioning, with AI-assisted cleanup for readability. It may contain inaccuracies due to background noise, audio quality, or limitations of the transcription software — particularly during Arabic recitation. Listener discretion is advised; please refer to the original video for precise wording.
Foreign.
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Forb.
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Continuing.
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In the chapter of repentance. We're at the very end of the chapter of repentance. He mentions the 23rd narration. Now there are there is one narration that we skipped and that narration is the narration of Malik and the story of his repentance. It's a very very very long narration. If we were to start that narration, we'd be doing it for the next two weeks. , however, it is not a story that any Muslim should be unaware of. It's a story that a person should read and contemplate. It's an incredibly touching story. It's a wonderful story. And there are many very wonderful, touching, beautiful narrations that are a bit lengthy that we may skip in our journey through simply due to the time constraint and it would be difficult to u hold a continuous a continuous train of thought throughout so many days. however it is the 21st narration in the chapter of repentance. It's collected by both Bkari and Muslim and so it warrants our attention. So we should read this narration to ourselves, go through it. , and always review these narrations on your own. Have a copy of review it before at the night before. Review it after we discuss each narration. Review it. Look at the narration. develop some questions in your mind. Ask the text questions about itself and try to see if they they are answered throughout our explanation of the narration. If they are unanswered, then ask inshallah. But in order to properly and adequately benefit, you should always review the narrations on your own and read them on your own. Not just for the first time or second, but in a constant way to keep these companions and to keep the life and times of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam and his words at the forefront of your mind. We have a narration here on the authority of Abbass andb Malik who narrate that the messenger of Allah. Wasam said and this is regarding the nature of the human being. Regarding the nature of the human being he says sallall.aii alaihi wasallam. If the son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would wish that he had two of them. In another wording of this same narration, and if he had two, he would wish that he had three.
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If if the son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would wish that he had a second to go with it. And in another wording, and if he had two, he would wish that they were three. The only thing that will adequately fill the mouth of the human being is dirt. This means that a the human being naturally if he allows his greed, if he allows that desire for wealth or that desire for whatever it is he is pursuing, if he allows it to run rampant and if he follows that desire rather than making that desire follow him, this person will never be satisfied. ified by anything short of death. That is the only thing that will end put an end to that greed or put an end to that pursuit. And so the statement here that the only thing that will fill his mouth adequately is dirt. meaning the dirt of his grave when he dies and when he passes away that is the only thing that will put an end to that pursuit. This is the human being's nature. However, this does not apply in its entirety to the believer. This is the human being's nature. However, the believer fights against this nature, cartails this nature, rectifies this nature, remedies this nature with what? With the Quran, with the Sunnah, remedies this nature with alternatives to his worldly pursuits. And so this is the nature of the human being. The only thing that will put a an end to that nagging constant desire whipping at his back throughout his life for more and more and more is the dirt of his grave. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said the prophet sallall.aii wasallam then says forch.
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Buddha.
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The prophet Sam said the only thing that will adequately fill the human being's mouth and satisfy him is dirt and Allah will forgive those who repent to him. Why he will forgive those who repent to him? What does this sentence have to do with the previous? This sentence has to do with the previous in the sense that if a person allows his greed to rule him. If he allows his impulses to drive him, if he does not change this about himself by force, by hook or by crook as they say, then this person on his path to trying to find to trying to find that which will satiate this hunger. The person will step on others on the way. The person will hurt others on the way. The person will take what is not his. The person will commit terrible things on his path to pursuing that which will satiate his greed. But his greed will never be satiated. And it will only get worse. And the thrill will only have to be more potent, just a drug. And so the prophet sallall.aii wasallam tells us that even if a person lives such a life and even if they only wake up to their wrongdoing at the very end Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala forgives those who turn to him in repentance.
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Alhamdulillah.