Heart Melting Traditions: The Reality of Your Wealth

Part Three: The Reality of Your Wealth

Based on the course by Shaykh Abdullah Misra

This is the third article based on the series, The Heart Softeners from Kitab al-Riqaq from the Mishkat al Masabih, presented by Shaykh Abdullah Misra. In the previous article, we learned about the temptations of this world.

Our world can be viewed from the lens of a trial; in both good times and bad, the potential to develop cynicism and callousness exists. It is our duty as Muslims to always remain vigilant such that we do not forget Allah Most High’s blessings and mercy.

For this purpose SeekersGuidance scholar Shaykh Abdullah Misra chose the documented work of Imam Khatib al-Tabrizi; Mishkat al-Masabih (The Niche Of Lamps) to deeply explore the topic of a soft heart. Imam al-Tabrizi gathered sayings and practices of the Prophet (hadiths) found in the six canonical books such as Bukhari, Muslim, and others on a multitude of topics. Throughout this nineteen article series, each hadith is put forward with an explanation.

Article One: Reality of This Word 

Article Two: Temptations of This World

Hadith Eleven – Successful People

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Successful is the one who embraced Islam, was blessed with just enough provision for every day and who was made content with that by Allah.” (Muslim)

Shaykh Abdullah informs us that the ultimate success is in attaining the goal of reaching Allah Most High in His good pleasure and attains paradise (Janna). Achieving this goal lies in the three components outlined in this Hadith.

One. To embrace Islam is to direct one’s life towards Allah Most High, to submit to His commands, and to take Allah as their Lord. This path is not automatic by virtue of being born into a Muslim home, practicing Islam from birth. Instead, one makes this conscious decision having lived for some time, understanding the world to some degree.  

Two. Everything we have: be it food, clothing, shelter, or financial wealth was given to us by Allah Most High. A successful person receives sustenance (rizq) is a measure of neither more nor less than what is required and Allah Almighty causes them to be satisfied and fulfilled.  

Three. Contentment is not within a human being’s control. Rather, it is a gift created in the heart and bestowed upon them by Allah Most High. A contented person is more thankful and his breast blessings increase. Examples of such blessings include striving harder without feeling tired, deriving greater output from efforts made, and being filled with internal happiness and peace.

Hadith Twelve – True Wealth

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The servant says, “My wealth! My wealth! Yet the only things that he truly owns from his wealth are three: That which he consumed and finished, that which he dressed in and wore it out and that which he gave away [for the sake of Allah] and saved up [for the Hereafter]. Other than that, he is soon departing and leaving it behind for other people. (Muslim)

Shaykh Abdullah explains that true wealth is what we personally consumed, wore, and enjoyed, followed by that which we gave in the path of Allah Most High for purposes such as charity, education, and philanthropy. Spending for the sake of Allah Almighty is considered the wealth of the Hereafter.

Consequently, any remaining resources not consumed or spent at the time of death will no longer be ours because they will be utilized by our inheritors.

Hadith Thirteen – Our Actions Remain With Us

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Three things follow a dead person [up to the grave], and two [of them] return and only one remains. His family, wealth and actions follow him, but his family and wealth turn back, while his actions remain.” (Muslim)

Shaykh Abdullah reminds us of the reality that when we die, our family, friends and well-wishers may attend our funerals and supplicate but after we are buried, they leave the graveyard.

Our wealth might have been used to purchase our shrouding and perhaps the funeral prayer is said at our home, but yet again, as soon as we are buried our wealth switches ownership into the hands of spouses and children. Our actions or deeds are the only things that stay with us and can be a source of comfort in this next phase of existence.

Hadith Fourteen – Inheritor’s Wealth

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) once asked, “Which of you loves the wealth of his inheritor more than his own wealth?” They answered, ‘O Messenger of Allah! There isn’t any one of us but that his own wealth is more beloved to him than the wealth of his inheritor!’ The Prophet replied, “Then certainly, his own wealth is only what he sent forward and the wealth of his inheritor is what he kept back.” (Bukhari)

As was mentioned in Hadith #12, the largest component of true wealth is what was spent in the path of Allah Most High. Shaykh Abdullah clarifies the wealth not sent forward to the Hereafter is left for the inheritors and will be of no benefit to the deceased. Therefore no one would choose the wealth of his inheritor (wealth left behind) over his own wealth (wealth saved).

Hadith Fifteen – Forwarded Wealth

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) related that, “When someone dies, the angels ask: what did they send forward?” And the people ask, ‘what did they leave behind?’ (Baihaqi)

Shaykh Abdullah encourages us to adopt the attitude of the angels and concentrate our efforts on the wealth sent forth.

Hadith Sixteen – Richness of The Soul

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Being rich is not having a lot of things, but rather being rich is the richness of the soul.”  (Bukhari and Muslim)

Shaykh Abdullah expounds on the concept of riches and affluence which means to be free of need from what others possess. When one examines their life, a rich person feels contentment in his soul and is not disturbed or envious concerning what he doesn’t have. 

Episode three of the Heart Softeners urges us to break our attachment to our wealth in our hearts and instead redirects us to spend it in doing good and on the things pleasing to Allah Most High. 

Utilizing wealth in this way will be forwarded to the Hereafter in our account and any unused wealth will be allocated to our inheritors, without us deriving any benefit. 

Watch the full episode:

About the Author

Shaykh Abdullah Misra was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, into a Hindu family of North Indian heritage. He became Muslim at the age of 18, graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Business Administration and worked briefly in marketing. He then went abroad with his wife to seek religious knowledge full-time, first in Tarim, then in the West Indies and finally in Amman, Jordan, where he focussed his traditional studies on the sciences of Sacred Law (fiqh), hadith, Islamic belief, tajwid, and sira.

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