The Aulia Allah teach that knowing ourselves leads to knowing Allah. In this article we cover one aspect of human nature – “knowing ourselves – greed for wealth and this world.”
With the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful,
Today businesses are open till late into the night, 7 days a week and if they could, they would open 24/7. Husbands and wives both work although, in some cases, any one of their salaries would be enough to run their homes. If someone has a successful business, they would want to open up branches or diversify by investing in property. We are not the only ones with this obsession to make money. Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alha commanded the Jews not to work on a Saturday but some of them found a way to deviously break this law and they were punished for this by being turned into apes. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, has said that:
“if the son of Adam were to possess two valleys or riches, he would long for the third one, and the stomach of the son of Adam is not filled but with dust. And Allah returns to him who repents.” Muslim 2282.
So this greed for wealth is a problem we all face.
Islam encourages us to work and support ourselves and our families but it also teaches us to be moderate and to learn to control this urge. This greed to earn more money stems from our carnal desires or ‘nafs’ and our ‘nafs’ knows no limits. If we do not learn to control this desire then we could end up saving and hoarding excessively and this is a sin which will take us to hell.
“…And there are those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah: announce to them a most grievous chastisement.” Al Quran 9:34
The most important reason why ‘this urge to chase after wealth’ is bad for us is that it distracts us from the true purpose of life.
“(Mankind! your) competing with one another to excel in multiplying worldly possessions diverts you (from God and true values of life)….” Sura Al Takathur 102.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad Sal-lal-lahu Allayed Wasallam has said:
“I am not afraid that you will become poor, but I am afraid that worldly wealth will be given to you in abundance as it was given to those nations before you and you will start competing against each other for it as they did and then it will divert you from the good things as it diverted them. Shaih Bukahari Vol 8 Hadis 433.
Greed for wealth can also leads us towards all types of sin, such as corruption, lying, stealing, pride, begging and so forth. By being obsessed with wealth we are making it into a god. It also leads to competing with one another by us trying to do things better than others, such as having a better house than others or having a ‘talk of the town’ wedding. This competition leads to ill feelings and hatred which is against the grain of Islam.
“O you who believe! Eat not up your properties amongst yourself for vanities.” Sura An Nisa 4:29.
Hazrath Umar (RA) has said: “It is the excess of riches that makes a man haughty, corrupts his heart and multiplies his sins.” Ihya Uloom ud Deen
Saying we believe is not good enough, praying five times a day is not good enough. In life we are going to be tested and passing these tests is what is important. One of the ways by which we will be tested is by this urge that we all have to chase after wealth.
“That which is on earth we have made but as a glitter show of it, in order that we may test them as to which of them are the best of conduct.” Al Quran 18:7.
We have to crush this urge to chase after this world until money, houses and cars mean absolutely nothing to us. This is making ourselves better people, this is what Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alha wants of us. Even if we have all the riches in the world by the Grace of Allah, like Hazrath Sulaimaan AS, it must still mean nothing to us. If we have a rusted car and it means a lot to us then we are still chasing the world.
We will also be questioned about how we spend the wealth that Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alha entrusts us with so we also have to learn to control the way we spend our wealth.
“…. And then on that Day (of Reckoning) you shall be called to account for the favors (bestowed upon you” Al Quran. Al Takathur 102.
If someone has a fancy wedding then we do not have to live up to the standard. We must not be trapped by the norms set up by modern society because every now and again someone sets the bar even higher. We do not have to care about what others will think of us if we do things practically but we have to care about what pleases Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alha.
In life we have to earn and do things but we also need to learn to draw the line somewhere. Study the lives of the Prophets and the Aulia Allah and you would see that most of them lived simple lives so that they could have time to spend with their Creator. They lived with the bare necessities. The room of Hazrath Ayesha Siddiqa (RA) was so small that she could not stretch out and sleep if the Prophet, peace be upon him, was praying.
“You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar” Al Quran 33:21
Our Pir O Murshid, Harath PoonaWale Shah Saib (RA) never had a bedroom let alone a lounge suite. Once his son said to him; father you have guests coming from throughout the world, why do you not make the place a little better. He replied, if they love me then all this does not matter. These are the role models we should be following.
“And keep yourself attached to those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, constantly seeking His pleasure, and do not let your eyes turn away from them to pursue the glamour of the present life and do not follow him whose heart We have declared unmindful of Our remembrance; who follows his evil inclinations, and whose affair exceeds all legitimate limits.” Al Quran 18:28
Islam is a balanced way of life. We can work very hard and be wealthy but we must use our wealth wisely for good deeds such as helping our family members. The Prophet Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam has said that there is no envy except for two persons: 1) One whom Allah has given Knowledge according to which he conducts himself and teaches it to people and 2) One whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in good deeds. Ihya Ulum id Deen. All our air and graces will eventually amount to nothing when we end up buried in the earth alongside everyone else, all the things we worked so hard for will eventually belong to someone else.
Conclusion
The bottom line – Islam teaches that we need to learn to control ourselves in terms of money and wealth. It teaches that we would be answerable for the way we spend our wealth and time. Let’s become the masters of our greed instead of being slaves to it.
Peace and salutations be upon Allah’s Messengers who are responsible for guiding humanity throughout time. Ameen.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi.
Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr/Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA, (lovingly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib RA).
Author: Mahomed Hassan Gaffoor
His WhatsApp: +27 84 910 1486