It also states, concerning the family and wealth: “They are his servants and family.”

This is found in Jāmiʿ al-Masānīd (12/165/9503), Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid (10/251), and al-Targhīb (4/100), where he said: “Al-Ṭabarānī narrated it in al-Kabīr through several chains, one of which is authentic.”

Al-ḥasham means servants. Al-Nihāyah states: “Al-ḥasham—with the first two letters vocalized—are a person’s retinue, those who attend upon him in his service.”

I say: Thus, the phrase “and his wealth” in the hadith employs the whole while intending only a part. This is a well-known mode of expression in the Quran, the sunnah, and the Arabic language. It is clear that what is meant here is the deceased’s slaves who used to serve him; indeed, this is explicitly stated in the hadith of al-Nuʿmān and others. Ibn al-Athīr said in al-Nihāyah:

“Wealth originally referred to what one possesses of gold and silver; then it came to be used for everything that is acquired and owned of tangible property. Among the Arabs, however, the term wealth was most commonly applied to camels, because they constituted the greater part of their wealth.” He further said:

“The term ‘wealth,’ with its various referents, occurs repeatedly in hadith, and its meanings are distinguished by contextual indications.”

I say: The evidences from the Quran and the sunnah for what has been mentioned—not to mention the Arabic language—are exceedingly numerous. One example is the Prophet’s saying: “Of the wealth you amass, all you need is a servant and a mount in the path of Allah.”