An Ansari razes a building to the ground.
The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) was once
passing through a street of Madinah when he saw a build-
ine with a dome. He inauired of the comoanions, "What is
thrs?" They informed him that it was a n'ew building built
by one of the Ansar. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasal-
lam) ramained silent. At some other time, the Ansari who
had built that house came to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam) and greeted him with 'Assalamo alaikum'. The
Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) turned his face from
him. He repeated the greetings, but the Prophet (Sallallaho
alaihe wasallam) again gave him the cold shoulder. He was
very much shocked to notice the Prophet's aversion for
him. When he investigated, he was given the account of the
Prophet's inquring about his new building. He immediately
went and razed the new building to the ground, and'did
not even inform the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam)
about his action. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam)
happened to pass that way again. He inquired:
"Where is that building with a dome that I saw at this
spot last time?"
The Sahabah informed him of Ansari's razing it to the
ground, as it had been the likelv cause of the Prophet's dis-
pleasure. He remarked.
"Every new structure is a sinful burden for its owner,
except that which is absolutely essdntial."
This is a matter of love and devotion. The Sahabah
could not bear the displeasure of the Prophet (Sallallaho
alaihe wasallam) and, no sooner did they smell such a
thing, than they removed the cause thereof at all costs.
Again the person does not even inform the Prophet (Sallal-
laho alaihe wasallam) of his drastic action in removing the
cause of his displeasure, till he himself happened to notice
it. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) had a special
aversion for the people wasting their monev on buildings.
His own house was a temporary structure of date palm,
with mats serving the purpose of walls to secure privacy.
Once, during his absence from Madinah, Ummul Mp'minin
Umme Salma (Radhiallaho anha) who had some money in
hand, erected walls of unbaked bricks for her house. When
the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) returned from his
journey, he asked her:
"Why did you do this?"
She replied: "0, Prophet of Allah. This is only to have
better privacy."
The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) remarked:
"The worst use of money is to spend it in raising up
buildings."
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr (Radhiyallaho anho) narrates:
"I
and my mother were once repairing a wall of our
house. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) hap-
pened to see us working and remarked: 'Your own fall
(death) is more at hand than the fall of this wall."
