The Forty Hadiths of al-Nawawi
On the authority of Abu al-'Abbas Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Sa'idi, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
A man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said:
"O Messenger of Allah, guide me to an action that, if I perform it, Allah will love me and the people will love me."
He replied, "Renounce the world, and Allah will love you; and renounce what is in the hands of the people, and the people will love you."
This hadith clarifies that true renunciation does not mean abandoning the world entirely;
Rather, it means not being attached to it, keeping it in one's hand rather than in one's heart,
While prioritizing what is with Allah over its fleeting pleasures.
It also explains that being independent of what is in the hands of others
Earns the love and respect of people, because greed humiliates a person, whereas contentment elevates them.
Thus, the hadith trains the Muslim to be free from attachment to the world and to turn toward the Hereafter,
And to build relationships founded upon chastity and dignity.