The Best Commodity of This World

Hazrat Abdullah Bin Amr (Radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The whole world is a commodity, and the best commodity of this world is a pious wife.” (Muslim Shareef – Mishkaat Shareef)

The word mataa’ [which has been translated as “commodity”] means something from which benefit is derived for a while and it then perishes.

The whole world being mataa’ thus means that the world and whatever it contains are of benefit for a short while; the use of things here will soon cease to exist.

Thus, the meaning of “the best commodity of this world being a pious wife”, is that of all the things in this world which are of use, a pious woman is the best, for a pious woman is of great help in works pertaining to the Aakhirat.

(Mazaahir-e-Haq)