“There is reward for every expenditure a believer makes, except expenditure on this earth.” Al-Ṭabarānī recorded it (4/64/3620).

I say: Its chain of transmission is weak. ʿUbayd Allāh ibn Zaḥr was truthful but made mistakes, and his teacher, ʿAlī ibn Yazīd—al-Alhānī—was weak. There is also a report on this subject from Anas, attributed to the Prophet: “All expenditure is in the cause of Allah, except construction, for there is no good in it.” Al-Tirmidhī recorded it (2484) and deemed it singular. Al-Ḥāfiẓ mentioned it (11/92) as a supporting witness for the preceding hadith of Khabbāb narrated by al-Tirmidhī.

However, I have observed that its first half differs from the preceding routes, agreeing with them only in its second half. This is in addition to the weakness of its chain of transmission, to which al-Tirmidhī alluded. I have traced it and explained its defect in al-Ḍaʿīfah (1061).

Know that what is meant by this hadith and the one before it—Allah knows best—is to discourage the Muslim from preoccupation with building and erecting it beyond his needs. There is no doubt that such needs differ according to whether the builder’s household is small or large, and whether he is hospitable or not. In this respect, it fully accords with the authentic hadith: “One bed is for the man, one bed is for his wife, a third is for the guest, and a fourth is for Satan.” Muslim (6/146) and others narrated it, and it is cited in Sahih Abi Dawud.

Therefore, after citing the hadith under discussion and others, al-Ḥāfiẓ said: “All of this is to be understood as referring to what is not needed beyond that which is indispensable for habitation and for protection against cold and heat.”