✨Wealth Advice
Our religion clearly specifies the path to success and happiness in this world and the hereafter. A path that safeguards and preserves life and alleviates the souls and raises their worth and spreads tranquility and satisfaction. It clarifies the links between the religion and this worldly life and between the deeds of the heart and building this earth.
Whatever is in the heavens and on the earth has been subjected to mankind. And people’s relationship to this worldly life is working, building and establishing. Allāh Almighty said:
Al Jathiyah (45) 13: And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth – all from Him.
And Allāh Almighty said:
Al Baqarah (2) 29: It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth.
At the same time, it is also a relationship of affliction and testing.
Al Mulk (67) 2: [He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed
And the goal of all of that is realization of worshipping Allāh. Allāh Almighty said:
Adh Dhariyat (51) 56: And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
And Allāh Almighty said:
Al Baqarah (2) 21: O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous
And in their worship, Muslims combine realization of sincerely worshipping Allāh alone without any partners and seeking His bounty. Allāh Almighty said regarding prayer:
Al Jumu’ah (62) 10: And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allāh, and remember Allāh often that you may succeed.
And in Hajj:
Al Baqarah (2) 197-198: (197) And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allāh. And fear Me, O you of understanding. (198) There is no blame upon you for seeking bounty from your Lord [during ḥajj].
And the Book of Allāh praises those establishing the houses of Allāh. Among them are those engaged in commerce and trade, but:
An Noor (24) 37: Neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allāh and performance of prayer and giving of zakāh. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about
Indeed, people innately hate poverty and love wealth. And the Islamic ordainments do not stand in the face of the innate disposition with which Allāh Almighty created mankind. But at the same time, the ordainments clearly correct the course urging moderation in all matters including wealth. For the Prophet ﷺsought refuge in Allāh from the evil of wealth and poverty. So Islam never encourages poverty, because poverty could almost be disbelief. And Islam did not enjoin blindly pursuing wealth, because people may exceed all bounds and think that they are free of need.
In his hadith collection, Ahmad ibn HanbalI, may Allāh have mercy on him, narrated that Prophet ﷺ mentioned that the Hour will not be established until wealth is abundant. In these times, we clearly witness the abundance of wealth and the diversification of its resources and the widespread investment and money making opportunities. People have flocked to them like mouths flock around lights. And no household has been spared. And this is not surprising, for the Prophet has informed us of this competition. Rather, what is astonishing is when this pursuit is devoid of patience, clarity, and distinguishing between what Allāh has permitted and what He has forbidden. And that the goal of many is to collect without looking at the shariah controls and the rules pertaining to transactions, buying, selling and profiting. And this vacuum did not come suddenly without warning. Rather, it echoes the lack of knowledge and insufficient keenness to obtain money from clear ways in consideration of the lawful and unlawful. The various investment offers that we witness today are riddled with doubts and suspicions. Rather, most likely they are tainted by some of the prohibited transactions. This reminds us of the words of the Prophet ﷺ :
A time will come upon the people when one will not care about how they gain wealth, whether lawfully or unlawfully. [Bukhari 2059]
This massive financial transformation has generated some contempt, discord and lawsuits. In addition to the sudden insolvency and accumulated losses that befall some investment opportunities. So consequently, it ignites disputes and calamities. All of this highlights the importance and necessity of clarifying some matters.
The first advice is that the affairs of people and their wealth are based on resentment and reproach. In general, investors turn a blind eye to the investment manager as long as the venture is successful and profitable. They do not ask him about either minor or major matters. Not to mention, their excessive praising and admiration of him. However, if there are losses, they reverse and blame and reproach him. And the reality confirms their friendliness to him upon profit and their animosity to him upon loss.
The second advice is that the basis in people’s wealth and their rights is caution and prohibition. So it is not permissible to transgress against it, delay restoring it or to neglect it because the Prophet ﷺ said:
All things of a Muslim is inviolable for another Muslim, his blood, his wealth, and his honor. [Bukhari 6064]
And in a narration in Muslim the Prophet ﷺ said:
Why would you take the wealth of your brother unlawfully? [Muslim 1553]
The third advice is that, in the field of commerce, satisfaction and leniency are required if one is seeking the blessing. Just as selfishness, greed and lack of satisfaction lead to failure and lack of blessing. Because commerce is similar to intoxicants that draw the user until they become high. And then they keep coming back until they get addicted. And then they do not wake up from their intoxication of thrill and greed to the point that they do not distinguish between being intoxicated or not. At this point, regret is of no use. And the Prophet ﷺ said:
Whoever takes wealth in a lawful manner, it will be blessed for him, but whoever takes it in an unlawful manner, his likeness is that of one who eats and it never satisfied. [Muslim 1052a]
For satisfaction and leniency are at the head of blessing and mercy as the Prophet ﷺ said:
May Allāh have mercy on a person who is lenient when he sells, lenient when he buys, and lenient when he asks for payment. [Bukhari 2076]
The fourth advice is correcting the misunderstanding that transactions are only prohibited if they are tainted by some form of riba (usury) and that any transaction without riba (usury) is permissible. And this is a wrong understanding. Rather, the forbidden transactions are more general than that and go back to three rules. First, the rule of riba (usury) with its types and forms. Second, the rule of betrayal with its categories and types. Third, the rule of deception and cheating with its colors and conditions.
And this is a matter that few of the merchants and profit-seekers are aware of, because a transaction may be prohibited due to a deficiency in one of its conditions, even if it is not one of the forms of riba (usury).
And the fifth advice is for those whom people have entrusted with their wealth to trade and generate profits. They must have consciousness of Allāh and discharge their responsibility in a permissible manner, with transparency and submit to what Allāh has made lawful. And stay away from any type of doubt, suspicion, negligence, or breach of people’s confidence, or use the wealth in a manner other than was intended. For Allāh is with whoever intends to discharge the rights of the people. And the opposite is true. So these people must remember the words of the Prophet ﷺ :
Whoever takes people’s wealth with the intention of repaying it, Allāh will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it intending to consume it, Allāh will devastate him. [Bukhari 2387]
So be conscious of Allāh and fear wealth for the trial of this community is wealth. And listen to the words of Allāh Almighty:
Allāh Almighty said:
Al Hadid (57) 20: Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allāh and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.
Oh Muslims: No one’s sustenance is held back. So no one will exit this worldly life until they complete their sustenance and term. And think about and ponder upon the words of the Prophet ﷺ:
O people, be conscious of Allāh and be moderate in seeking a living, for no soul will die until it has received all its provision, even if it is slow in coming. So fear Allāh and be moderate in seeking provision; take that which is permissible and leave that which is forbidden. [Sunan Ibn Majah 2144]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
Whoever wants to refrain from asking, Allāh will help him to do so, and whoever seeks self-sufficiency Allāh will be make him self-sufficient.
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
No one has ever eaten better food than what he eats as a result of the labor of his hands. [Bukhari 2072]
So be conscious of Allāh Almighty and take from your health for your illness and from your wealth for your poverty and from your strength for your weakness and from your life for your death. And sound wealth is very excellent for a righteous person. And wealth is the wealth of the soul and not the abundance of material.
We ask Allāh Almighty to enrich our souls with iman (faith) and conviction. And to fill our hearts with love, hope, fear, veneration and magnification of Him. Indeed Allāh is All Hearing Answering.
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