A Millionaire Muslim In Manchester (UK)

[Khalid Saifullah]

A breath taking article written below by a brother in Manchester, UK.
Masha'Allah a succesful businessman who has asked for his writeup to be given on The Islamic Email Circle....

Read on:

Sitting with people who are content.

I would like to thank the Management of The Islamic Email Circle for allowing me to express my views, and life experience. Please note, the composition of this article is my personal view and experience of life:

I have no intention to create debate. Allah hu Alam.

I am born, educated, here in the UK, in the city of Manchester, and let’s just say, Allâh (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala ) has been very kind to me, He uplifted me many years ago to become a very successful business entrepreneur.

Today, I run a Multi Million pound business; this is all due to His command and authority.

The words “Multi Million” may strike a sense of awe by you, the reader of this article. Yes, money does help you to live in a good area; it does help you to buy good quality clothing, a nicer car, a comfort zone much better than others.

Let’s accept it, I don’t want to pretend to you that money doesn’t mean anything to me, if it had not, I wouldn’t be running such a big business and strive for continuous improvement looking at how I can better myself each year.

However, equally, over the last weeks, I have also realised who the pure hearted are and who the prideful are. When you are my level, you meet people who are in the same ‘prestige’ level as you with fancy lifestyles, big egos and unfortunately, a lot of pride.

In my business, I meet a lot of top level executives, business people who are successful, but unfortunately, they are full of themselves, they boast and bragg alot ,and they think they are superior compared to others. High profile people at my level, have an ‘attitude’ problem because of their wealth and business success.
When it comes to Islam, some shy away from the concept of offering the fardh Salah, paying the correct Zakaat, and due to their prestigious lifestyles, they are so focused on making more and more wealth, they don’t want to discuss Islam.

Equally, some think you are too extreme if you talk about the deen. This arrogance comes from wealth and pride. You find yourself competing with each other, making big statements like :

“ Oh, I just sold my new build in Dubai for £1.5million, I am now going to invest in Brazil, that country is going to be the next boom country to accelerate and good for a crazy economic surge”. Powerful statements like this which only creates more competition, it’s almost like ‘keeping up with Jones’s’. Did I ask you what you are doing or do you feel the need to tell me, I keep asking myself?

When you are living in such prestigious areas, the type of people in your neighbourhood, some are full of pride such that they hardly talk to you. And, the ones who do talk to you want to compete and show off as to what they have recently done or achieved. The conversation is either about how much money they have spent on getting a new extension, or how their children are this and that or how they are now going to buy another holiday home in Turkey for £275,000. Did I ask you what you are doing or do you feel the need to tell me, I keep asking myself?

As you read this article, you may be thinking, what is his point?

Let me tell you.

A few weeks ago, I met one of my friends from school at the Masjid. I met him after 15years. He has a white collared job and Alhamdulillah, he and his wife are earning enough to maintain the house. It was very nice to meet him. We had a good chat as we talked about old times. He invited me to his house and said , “Bro, you must come to my home now, I am going to tell my wife to prepare food for us”.

We went to the musjid car park, I had to get my ipad out from car. He looked at my car and said: ,”Wow , bro, MashAllah very nice car”.

I didn’t reply. I said to him , “Bro, let’s go in your car” , he replied ,“Sure”.

We sat in his Honda Civic. It started first time, it had a smooth engine, it was nice and clean inside. As soon as he started the car, the Quran recitation was heard, he put the cd track off and played the radio.

I said to him, “Bro, put the Qur’an back on, that voice was beautiful, we can talk when we get to your house”. Happily, the brother put the Quran on. I was at peace.

When we arrived at his house, his 2 small kids came to the door and greeted me with the salam. We went to the living room, sat down and talked. His wife came in and left us juice, samosas and a few other snacks. We started to engage in good conversation. I felt so much at ease.

He had a comfortable life, and was very content. He started talking about the deen, how important it was for him and his wife to give his children a good upbringing in the deen, teaching them the Salah, the Quran and how treat others with respect, dignity and always fear Allâh (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala ).

He said something to me which made my heart sink.

He said,:
“Bro, think about it. How long do we have? We are in our 30’s. Half our life has gone. Allahhu alam how long we have. I just want to do
enough for my Akhirah, Allâh swt says in the Qur'an that your life, your kids, your wealth, they are all a test on you. I just want to do whatever I can to Insha’Allah get into jannah, not just for me , I pray for my family and the Muslim Ummah..it’s not going to be an easy entrance”.

His level of humbleness made me compare my lifestyle and some of the people who I mingle with. He had no hesitancy to talk about the beautiful deen & death, he was very down to earth.

I felt at ease with this brother, someone very down to earth, easy going, soft spoken, a pure heart and more importantly, a brother who was happy and content with what he has, striving for Jannah.

We were on an entirely different playing field compared to my normal circle of ‘associates’.

And do you know what the icing on the cake was?

We went to his local musjid for the Isha prayer where I met more humble brothers after the Esha salah. We all sat on the soft carpet whilst one of the brothers read from a book about the Seerah of the Prophet (ﷺ).

It was remarkably uplifting and very refreshing.

These brothers were so happy, well spoken, pure hearted and you could feel the love and respect they had for each other, purely for the sake of Allâh (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala)

That day changed my life. I was away from my usual stressful life of always thinking, working long exhausting hours, meeting my usual crowd of associates who were so full of arrogance , pride and hardly interested in the Akhirah, because they were too busy competing with each other as to who has achieved what in life.
I came home and reflected. I could see a clear and defined difference.

The society I normally associate with, not everyone, but I can confidently say, at least 70%, they are simply chasing the duniya ,are full of arrogance, pride and no fear of the Akirah, some even calling Islam to be extreme.

The high class society wives are more into hosting parties, showing off their new homes and simply going out on a spending spree with their flashy cars. Enter their cars and the latest Bollywood song can be heard. They are obsessed with their skin and complexion, willing to spend hundreds per week in ageing creams.

Allahu alam I thought. I too must have displayed pride and arrogance to others, I too must have showed off and I too must have simply chased after this duniya.

However, I have learnt my lesson. Meeting that brother at the Masjid, his lifestyle, his ease of talking, his humbleness, his way of thinking, his contentment and thankfulness to Allâh (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala), his humble friends at the Masjid have opened my eyes as to where I have gone wrong and how his society and company of friends was much better than mines.

He and his humble friends are chasing the Akhirah.

Myself and my high class society are chasing the duniya.

Lets accept this. ... I have.

I hope this article has helped you to understand, the ‘grass’ is always greener on the other side.

Be content in what you have Muslim brothers and sisters. My eyes have opened.

Please make Du'a for me, that I can become much more closer to chasing the Akhirah as the brothers are. I know one thing for sure, I am going to be spending a lot more time with them and at the Masjid.

They have uplifted my Imaan and made me feel ‘alive’ and to be down to earth.

And Allâh (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) knows best

W’salam
Brother X in Islam
Manchester, United Kingdom

[strivingobserver98]

:sl:

Beautiful story :jz: for sharing.

May Allah :swt: protect us from excess love of wealth. Ameen.