WEALTH IS BLESSING OF ALLAH
Few verses from the holy Quran related to wealth;
“And whatever khair (wealth) you spend for Allah, Allah knows it well.
“It is compulsory for you to make will before your death. So that if you leave behind khair (wealth), it should be correctly distributed among parents and relatives. It is a must for those who fear Allah. (2:180)
“ O Muhammad (SAW), People ask you where they should spend. Tell them whatever khair (wealth) you want to spend, spend it for you parents, relatives, orphans and poor people of society and travellers. And whatever good deeds you will do, Allah knows it. (2:215)
In the above few verses of the holy Qu’ran Allah has refered to wealth as “khair”. Khair in Arabic means noble deed, attaining excellence, favour. In short is the blessing of Allah.
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (SAWl) said:
"O People! Allah is al-Tayyib (Pure), and He only accepts that which is pure! Allah has commanded the believers what He has commanded the Messengers, for He said, 'O Messengers! Eat from the pure foods, and do right,' and He said, 'O you who believe! Eat from the pure and good foods We have given you.'"
WHY SHOULD WE EARN MONEY?
“When you finish your prayer, get dispersed on land and search for my blessing (travel on land for earning money)”. (62:10)
According to hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (RA), Prophet Mohammad (SAW), said, “after obeying compulsory religious commandments of Allah (that is Namaz, Fasting, Zakaat, Hajj), earning money by right means ( to fulfil our basic necessity of life is compulsory for every individual.” i.e house, food,clothes, education are some of the sic necessities of every human being.
So, in the light of the above mentioned Qur’anic verse and noble tradition, it is clear that earning money is compulsory for every individual for fulfilling his own as well as family’s need and if possible helping the needy for the sake of Allah.
HOW SHOULD WE EARN MONEY
Once a companion of the Prophet (SAW) shook his hand with him. The Prophet (saw) felt hard skin os palm and inquiry about it. The companion said it was due to hard work for earning the daily bread for his family. Prophet (saw) kissed his hand and appreciated him. ( Abu Dawood, Islamiyaat 37)
Hazrat Sumayyah bin Umair (RA) said, once people asked Prophet Mohammad (SAW), “Whihc earning the best earning?” Prophet (saw) replird, “The earning which you earn by your own hands, and earning through all business; but which do not involve disobedience of Allah.
IMPORTANCE OF WEALTH IN THIS ERA
A Tabaeen Hazrat Abu Bakr bin abi Maryam (R) says, “The companion of hazrat Mohammad (saw) Hazrat Maqdaam bin Maadi Kaab (RA) was the owner of many cattles. His maid use to milk the cattle and use to sale in the market and Maqdaam (RA) used to collect the income.
Many people considered this bad and was surprised on the behaviour of hazrat Maqdaam (RA). They were expecting that either Hazrat Maqdaam (RA) donate milk to relatives or should let his maid keep the income. Hazrat Maqdaam (RA) defended his behaviour and said that there is nothing wrong in selling my own commodity and earning money, because rophet (saw) had said. “An era will come in which only money will serve your purpose.”
(Musnad Ahmed, Mar’iful Ahadeeth Vol. 7, pg 66)
Hazrat Sufyan Souree (RA) said that, in the period of Prophet (saw) and caliphs, wealth was not a desired thing. But in this era wealth is a shield a righteous person (believer), because without money, the king and royal families will make us their cleaning duster.(They will exploit us for their wrong purpose). So a person should try to increase his wealth in righteous way, because if a person becomes poor the first thing he compromises on is his faith in Allah. (Mishkaat Zaah 89)
EARNING MONEY FOR RIGHT CAUSE IS AN EIBADAH (PRAYER)
Hazrat Kaab bin Agrah (RA) said, “Once a person passed in hurry iin front of Hazrat Mohammad (Saw) and his companions. That Person was making good efforts to earn his bread butter and was very sincere about his business.
Companions of Prophet (SAW) said, “O messenger of Allah (saw), this person is so serious about his earning and making so much effort for it. If he had used his efforts and sincerity for noble cause of Allah, it would have been much netter for him.
To this the messenger of Allah (saw) said, “If he is earning to feed his children, his effort will be counted as a struggle for noble cause of Allah. If he is earning to look after his old parents, then also his struggle will be counted as a struggle for noble cause. If he is earning so that he need not beg to feed himself, then also his earnings and hard struggle will be counted as a struggle for noble cause of Allah. But if he is earning and increasing wealth so that he can show his prosperity and prove his superiority over others, then such struggle is wrong and will be counted as a struggle for wrong cause of devil (satan).”
In fact, even the Prophet of Allah(SAW) used to earn from his own hands. Once, he (SAW) stated,
"Allah did not send any prophet except that he used to be a shepherd of sheep."
So the companions asked, "Including you, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied,
"Yes, I used to be a shepherd for the people of Makkah, in return for some qararit (i.e., coins of copper)." [7]
The Prophet (SAW) was not embarrassed or ashamed to inform his companions that he used to work as a shepherd in return for a very small amount of money (qararit).
BLESSINGS OF EARNING HONESTLY
Noble messenger of Allah (saw) said “Honest traders will be in the category of messengers, saints and martyrs on day of judgement.” – Bukhari & Muslim
According to Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) Hazrat Mohammad (saw) said, “if a person earns money to avoid beggg and to fulfil needs of his family, to help neighbour, then face of such a person will glow lik the moon of 14th night on judgement day (Mazgharul Haque – Asaan Rizq pg.12)
Hence if we do our business or earn in accordance to the divine instruction, our every act will be recorded as worship. ( Mariful Ahadeeth, Vol. 7 Pg.64)
Another hadith affirms the above:
"Whoever gives charity equivalent to a date, from his pure earnings and Allah only accepts pure then Allah will accept it with His right hand, then He will nurture it for its companion, like one of you nurtures his foal, until it becomes like a mountain." [2]
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DONT EARN HONESTLY?
Allah is great and pure, free from any short comings, needs etc. For Him the acceptable is pure and nothing else.
The Prophet (saw) said Allah ahs ordered believers same commandments which He has ordered to messengers. Allah’s commandments for the messengers are “O you messenger! Eat of the good things and act righteously.’
( 23:51).
The almightly has also said “O manking eat of which is lawful and good on the earth (2:168)
The above verses throw light on the importance of earning halaal and keeping safe distance from haraam.
Hazrat Anas (RA) asked Prophet (saw) to pray for him so that he may become “Mustajibut Dawaat” ( a person whose prayers and supplications are accepted) Prophet (saw) replied, Yaa Anas! Earn halal and honest living, Allah will grant you whatever you ask for. Keep away for Haraam food, because even a single morsel of i.e small bite of haraam food, invalidates supplications. (At – targheeb)
Haraam food extinguishes light of imaan, and the heart becomes dark. It makes man dull, lethargic and inactive. It leads to corrupt and evil thoughts.
Umar ibn al-Khattab said,
"I see a man that impresses me, so I ask, 'Does he have a profession (through which he earns money)?' So if they say, 'No,' then he falls from my eyes (and I do not respect him)." [4]
So great is the status of halal sustenance that Islam has not looked down upon manual labour. Instead, it has given it a very high place, due to the fact that manual labour is, in general, a very honest profession. The Prophet (SAW|) stated,
"No one has ever eaten any food that is better than eating what his hands have earned. And indeed the Prophet of Allah, Dawud, would eat from the earnings of his hands." [5]
The Companions, too, were careful about how they earned their sustenance. Once, a servant of Abu Bakr's came to him with some food, so he ate from it. The servant then asked him, "Do you know where this came from?" He replied, "From where?" The servant responded, "I practised astrology once in the times of Jahiliyyah — even though I am not an expert in it, except that I managed to trick the other person. [10 ]So he paid me, and gave me what you ate!" Hearing this, Abu Bakr put his finger in his mouth and forced himself to vomit up the food, until there was nothing left in his stomach. [11 ]A similar incident is reported from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, when he was given some milk by his servant, and then found out that the milk was from the camels that were meant for charity. [12 ]In yet another indication of the piety of the early generations, Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqas, one of the famous Companions of the Prophet (SAW), was once asked, "Why is it that your prayers are responded to, amongst all of the other Companions?" So he replied, "I do not raise to my mouth a morsel except that I know where it came from and where it came out of." [13]
In conclusion, the Prophet (SAW|) gave an example contrasting the person who takes from this world excessively, not caring how he earns his money, with the person who takes from it moderately, ensuring that his earnings are halal. He (SAW) said,
"What I fear for you after me (is) what will be given to you from the magnificence and beauty of this world, except that good never brings about evil. The fruits that are harvested in spring cause death (for the animal that eats it), or brings it close to death, except for the one that eats khadir. [14 ]So when it (the animal) eats this until its stomach is full, it faces the sun and releases its bowels and urinates (i.e., with ease), then pastures again. And verily this money is enticing and sweet.
So how great is the Muslim companion (to it), who gives it to the poor and the orphan and the way-farer. So he who acquires it justly, and puts it in its proper place, then how great a helper it is! But he who takes it unjustly, is like the one who eats but is never satisfied, and it will be a witness against him on the Day of Judgement." [15]
In this beautiful hadith, the Prophet (SAW|) drew a parable between the one who does not care how he earns, but rather takes everything he finds, like the animal that eats from all types of crops in the spring. Spring is the season that gives crops which are generally not suitable for animals to eat. So this is an indication of a greedy person, whose only desire is to increase his or her wealth, regardless of the consequences. Such a person is never satisfied, but rather eats, and eats, and eats, until he or she is destroyed, or is almost about to be destroyed, just like the animal that eats excessively. However, the wise person chooses with care how to earn sustenance, and picks the right types of food to eat. Such a person only takes what is needed, and does not become excessively involved with earning more than the basic needs. Such a person will live a comfortable life, just like the animal that eats the right crop in moderate quantities. Furthermore, such a person will be able to earn more, when the need arises, just like this animal will be able to pasture again when it needs to. How beautiful, then, is this money when earned properly and spent properly! And how evil it is, when earned improperly, and spent improperly!
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