The True Richness
by Shaykh Abû Ammâr Yasir al-Qadhî
Many people mistakenly assume that true wealth and real treasure is that of money. It is indeed true that wealth is a great blessing from Allah which He bestows upon His servants. And the one who earns it purely, and spends it properly, and gives it to those that deserve it, without a doubt earns a great reward from Allah. But at the same time, wealth is not the greatest blessing that can be given to mankind. Furthermore, no matter how much wealth a person has, eventually it will leave him, and pass on into the hands of others. The Prophet (:arabic5:) reminded us of this when he asked the Companions,
"Who amongst you loves the money of his inheritors more than his own money?"[1]
They replied,
"O Messenger of Allah! There is no one of us except that he loves his own money more than he loves the money of his inheritors." So the Prophet (SAW) replied, "But his money is only that which he sent forth, and the money of his inheritors is what he left behind."[2] So in reality most of the money that a person owns will eventually end up in the hands of his or her inheritors, and only that part which was spent for the sake of Allah will actually benefit one in the hereafter.
Allah emphasizes this point in the Qur'an with the teaching that,
"Wealth and children are the adornments of the life of this world. But the permanent righteous deeds are better in your Lord's Sight (to attain) rewards, and better in respect of hope." [Surah al-Kahf, 46]
So money and children can be a comfort and a pleasure of this life, but righteous deeds are what will remain permanently — not one's family or wealth. It is these righteous deeds which will bring a person Allah's Pleasure, and through which a person can hope for an ever-lasting reward in the Hereafter. The Qur'an clearly states,
"And it is not your wealth, nor your children that bring you nearer to Us, but only he (will please Us) who believes, and does righteous deeds; for such (people), there will be a double reward for what they did, and they will reside in the high dwellings (of Paradise), in peace and security." [Surah Saba', 37]
The great student of Ibn Abbas, Qatadah al-Sadusi, said commenting on this verse,
"So do not judge people based on the amount of money and children they have! Even a disbeliever might be given money, whereas the Muslim has been withheld from it.[3]
In a well-known and oft-repeated parable, the Qur'an compares the life of this world to a crop that flourishes after rainfall, only to wither up and shrivel in a short period of time. The Qur'an states,
"Realize that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. It is like the vegetation (that sprouts forth) after rain, whose growth is pleasing to the disbeliever. Soon it dries up, and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw. But in the Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the disbelievers), and (there is) Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers). And indeed, the life of this world is only a deceiving enjoyment." [Surah Hadid, 20]
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