Be aware of Money and Wealth
• Last Updated on December 25, 2019 @ 6:55 am by Islaminlife Admin
Money and wealth that we amass today would be released by the earth after all human beings (given back life) would rise from their grave when for the second time Israfeel (AM) plays the flute. This situation has been stated in Sura Zilzal in the final para/part of the Holy Qur’an. Allah Taala mentions (meaning): When the earth will be trembled with its quake, [1] and the earth will bring forth its burdens, [2] and man will say, “What has happened to it?” [3]
In the Tafseer of Sura Zilzal, Mufti Taqi Usmani pointed out to the 2nd Verse and related two interesting anecdotes, one, a wise-quote of Shaykh Hasan Basri (R) and another, a lesson taking true story mentioned by Shaikh Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (R) in his lectures.
Money and wealth, be how valuable they are and be how plenty in amount, has no ‘self- possessing power’ to provide an outcome. We should ruminate on this fact to perceive that money and wealth has its limited use and should, therefore, wealth should never be thought of as everything or sufficient. It is true that Allah Taala, the Creator, has provided us money and wealth and also made it a means to fulfill our needs. However, hankering after it carefreely is mere foolishness. Right after when the human beings would be given back life and they would rise from their graves, the earth would be shaken and it would release its burden – the gold, silver, diamonds, oils and all minerals – all the wealth intact in the earth would be exposed and set forth before man. Man would wonder that this is the wealth that we fought for, this is the wealth that we competed and struggled shamelessly, this is the wealth that kept us away from the commandments of Allah Taala! Now they are worthless because now it is the time when only deeds would count. The reality of money and wealth will become visible, vivid and felt absolute.
Shaykh Hasan Basri (R) stated that money is such a thing, which does not provide benefits until it leaves you. Truly, we earn money and save it, but what is the reality? Can we gain from it until we spend and leave it? The plain answer is, no! This clearly proves that money and wealth has no instinct- power of itself that can provide us any good. It is, therefore, mere foolishness and stupidity to amass money crazily what many of us are up to today!
A story to take a good lesson is here from the lectures of Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanvi (R). A rich man used to amass money and wealth. He stored them in a warehouse-like treasury. His storehouse had a door that had secret keys. One day he got into his valuable store to count his plentiful of possessions. He spent some time in the storehouse counting his heap of wealth. However, thirst or hunger compelled him to walk back toward the door so that he may get out and eat something. To his great shock, the door had somehow got locked or shut! The rich man got locked inside his treasury. A heap of money and wealth was there around him; all were owned by him, but they could not provide him food; they could not fulfill his need; they could not save him! Thirst and hunger inflicted the poor rich man. He embraced inevitable death being in his accumulated money and wealth. Did this man ever imagine that the storage of his wealth would become the means of his death ?!
