thE desiRe to 0btaIn m0neY..

[hidaayah]

The Desirability of Obtaining Money

It is not a sin for a person to wish for more money, as long as his or her intentions are pure. Once the Prophet (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) called for 'Arm ibn al-'Aas, and ordered him to bring his armour and weapons. When he arrived, the Prophet (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) looked at him and said,

"I wish to send you out on an expedition in which you will gain plenty of booty, and you will come back safely, and I wish that you come back with a good amount of money (because of the booty)."

'Amr replied, "0 Messenger of Allah! I did not accept Islam in order to increase my wealth! Rather, I accepted it out of a sincere desire for Islam!" To which the Prophet (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) replied,

"0 'Amr! How admirable is pure money for a righteous person!" [1]

He (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) also said,
"There is no harm in richness, for he who has taqwa, but good health is better than being rich, for he who has taqwa." [2]

So there is no harm in seeking money and desiring it, as long as the means to achieve it, and the intention for which it is desired, is permissible. Wealth is essential for a person to survive in this life, and, if possessed in excess of one's needs, can be used in such a manner as to incur the pleasure of Allah. It is for this reason that the Prophet (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) stated that it is a noble possession, but only for a righteous person, for only the pious person will use wealth
properly, unhindered by the selfishness which deprives wealth of so many blessings.

The Prophet (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) stated,
"This money is green and luscious (like ripe fruits), so he who takes it rightfully, then what a great aid it is for him," [3]

In this hadith we are told the true purpose of money, and that it can be a tool that helps us to worship Allah. So in this is a great blessing, for everything that assists in the worship of Allah helps the faithful to achieve their goal of paradise. Therefore, to seek, spend, and protect money can all be acts of worship, if done with correctness and purity of intention.

For this reason, the Prophet (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) used to ask Allah to bless him with sufficient sustenance, and seek refuge in Allah from poverty. He would regularly supplicate after the prayer,

"0 Allah! I ask you for beneficial knowledge, and a good sustenance (rizq), and deeds that are accepted (by you)." [4]

He (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) would also supplicate, three times at sunrise and three tImes at sunset,

"0 Allah! I seek your refuge from disbelief (kufr) and poverty, and I seek your refuge from the punishment of the grave. There is no deity worthy of worship except you." [5]

Lastly, he would close the day by making the following du'a before going to sleep,

"...0 Allah! Payoff my debts, and make us rich from poverty." [6]

The Prophet Muhammad (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) commanded the Muslims to do likewise. 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit related that the Prophet (m) said,

"Seek refuge in Allah from poverty, and destitution, and that someone wrongs you or you wrong others." [7]

He would also teach any person who had accepted Islam to make the following supplication following every prayer,

"0 Allah! Forgive me, and have mercy on me. Guide me, and
give me health, and good sustenance." [8]

Once, the mother of his servant Anas came to him (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam), and asked him, "0 Messenger of Allah! Your little servant Anas - pray for him." So he (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) prayed,
"0 Allah! Increase his money and children, and bless him in whatever you give him."

Many years later, Anas said, "There is no one from the Ansar who has more money that I do, and my daughter Umaynah informed me that when Hajjaj attacked Basra (and killed many of its inhabitants) over one hundred and twenty of my offspring were amongst those buried. " [9]

In order to demonstrate the permissibility of desiring more wealth, the Prophet (Sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam) narrated,

"Once, while (the Prophet) Ayub was taking a bath naked, locusts of gold fell upon him. So he started to gather them in his clothes. His Lord called out to him, '0 Ayub! Have I not given you riches?' He replied, 'Yes, indeed, my Lord, but I can never be self-sufficient from your blessings!”

In another narration, he responded,

".. .but who is there that can be satisfied with your Mercy (so
that he does not desire more)?" [10]

Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr states, commenting on this hadith, "In this hadith, the permissibility of being eager to increase one's (money) through balal means is shown, but this is for the one who is confident that he will be able to thank Allah (with the money once he obtains it). Another point of benefit is that money that is achieved through lawful (i.e., halal) means has been called 'blessings' (barakah). Furthermore, this hadith shows the superiority of the rich man who is thankful." [11]

In the above badith we find the Prophet of Allah, Ayub (Job), the patient one, so eager to collect the wealth and blessings of Allah that he uses the very clothes with which he covers himself to collect the treasure. And when Allah, though being All-Knowing and All-Aware of His servants, questions him about his eagerness, Ayub responds that no one can be satisfied with any amount of blessings from Allah, for he will always want more and more.

Slightly Adapted from the book "15 ways to increase ur earnings from the Qur'aan and Sunnah " By Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi.
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[1] Reported by ai-Hakim (2/3) with this story, and he authenticated it, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and Abmad (5/272). AI-Albani agreed with them and considered it authentic in his al-Silsilah al-Sahihah (# 174).

[2] Reported by Ibn Majah (# 2141), and al-Busayri said, "Its isnad is authentic," as did al-Albani in Silsilah al- Sahihah (# 174).

[3] Reported with this wording by Ibn Abi al-Dunya in Islah aI-Mal (# 3), and with various other wordings by Muslim (# 6883), al- Tirmidhi (3/277) and others.

[4] Reported by Ibn Majah (# 925); al-Busayri stated that its narrators were trustworthy, and al-Albani considered it authentic in his Sahih lbn Majah (1/152).

[5] Reported by Abu Dawud (4/324), Ahmad (5/42), and others. Ibn Baz considered it to be hasan in Tuhfat al-Akhyaar, p. 26.

[6] Reported by Muslim (4/2084) and others.

[7] Reported by al-Tabarani in his al-Kabir. Although al-Haythami pointed out that its chain is slightly weak (in his Majma' al-Zawa'id, 10/143), there is supporting evidence for it in other narrations, so the hadith is authentic, as al-Albani mentions in his al-Sahihah (# 1445)

[8] Reported by Muslim (4/2073) and others.

[9] Reported by al-Bukhari (# 202) and others.

[10] Reported by al-Bukhari (# 3391), al-Nasa'i (# 407) and others.

[11] Fath al-Bari, v. 6, p. 485.