Yes, it’s the wrath of the mean green thing coming at us. It’s nasty. It’s deadly. And the best of all, it makes its touchdown in our pock’Ka ching!’ is the sound it makes at the registers in stores. It warrants no introduction – even a little one knows that it is to be valued. It has gifted us the Great Depression and the recent worldwide financial headache. You guessed it right – it is money!
For those sympathizing with the transient resident in our wallets, I say, the cheeky little thing isn’t really the root problem here. It’s the significance with which we oh-so hold it dear to our chests. If we’ve got Benjamins forever twinkling in our eyes and dream of it to infinity, then we must know that we should be heading for a serious spiritual diagnosis.
We spend our entire lives chasing after money, making it our sole aim.
It is a means of earning our livelihood, not our goal.
Allah Says in Surah Ad-Dhariyat, Verse 56:
“And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.”
We frequently forget that money has its own way. We would like to believe that we’ve got our hands on it but it has its grip on us. Islam teaches us to be giving and open-handed when it comes to money among other things. But the rule of thumb that has found devoted disciples in everyone advises to be ‘strategic’ with money; else you are counted as a fool. What ever happened to ‘sharing is caring’? We think twice before spending on others yet seldom try to acknowledge the fault to our own selves.
Oftentimes, when pockets feel full, meanness creeps in. Instinctively, we routinely open our wallets and keep counting the green bills fearing that we might go broke. Worry tails it and we keep complaining that we don’t have enough.
Allah Says in Surah At Takathur, Verse 1:
“The mutual rivalry for accumulating (more and more wealth and other worldly gains) diverts you (from the real purpose of your life.)”
So, what went wrong? Why do we keep a strong grip on wealth and try to justify the act by assuring ourselves to be needy? What is it that holds us back? Could it be because we think that it might not be replaced by Allah?
Let us examine the following verse from Surah Saba’, Verse 39.
Allah Says,
“Say: “Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His slaves, and (also) restricts (it) for him, and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah’s Cause), He will replace it.
And He is the Best of providers.”
Ibn Mas’ud said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘If someone is afflicted by poverty and then goes to people with it, his poverty will not be alleviated. If someone goes to Allah with it, Allah will definitely bring him provision, sooner or later.” [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]
We are easily misled into thinking that money that is in our hands belongs solely to us and thus, we decide to spend it anyhow – either miserly or extravagantly. No, but it does not belong to us. So who does it belong to? It belongs to The Giver – Allah. The One who provides us with sustenance. He is The One who, without a doubt, has entrusted us with wealth and placed it in our hands. Therefore, the ultimate Owner is Allah.
When we start believing this sincerely along with trust in Allah, shall we be able to give generously with no strings attached. Our sacrifices in the desires of wealth shall be meted out by The One. And when The Ever-Giving Endows on us, it just can’t get better.
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Indeed, an ignorant man who is generous is dearer to God than a worshipper who is miserly.” [Al-Tirmidhi: Hadith 580.]
So, the next time we think of spending on someone, let’s make it grand. It doesn’t have to come with a whopping price tag, but at a price to please Him. When we think of sending food over to our neighbors, let’s top it up just a little bit more seeking His Holy Face.
When we are asked for a loan by a friend, do not hesitate and place your trust in Him. If your friend can’t repay it, think of having given the loan to this friend as a gift and forget.
We don’t have to be millionaires. A little generosity goes a long way. This ought to help the menace of the green delusion (yes, I mean sight-blinding money) at bay. Who knows, it might just help us to earn our halos and peace of mind with a sense of altruism.
By: Haya Amiri
Posted on: April 30, 2011