I have a million rands to bust

Ever find yourself in a parking lot? Look around and you will see a larnie in sunglasses in the latest metallic 4X4 Merc, a smiling working class aunty in an old 1990 model Toyota Corolla, a meticulous youngster in the latest Golf 5, a carpenter with his step ladder on top of his Station Wagon and a Maulana with 12 children in a dented Camry!

All of them have cars, but their levels of income are different.

I am sure everyone must’ve visited Bismillah Restaurant? Where else would you be on a Saturday night? Your home kitchen is closed! There, you will sometimes see half the dining area taken up by one booking (a cool R3000-00 bill) on one side and on the other side, a lone bachelor eating bunny chow. Some people order Sizzlers whilst some settle on daal ghosht. Some will order delicious paratas as starters whilst others will nibble on the free salad and sour milk. I don’t think they have pap and vleis yet on the menu, but ultimately, all of them are happy and ate to their fill.

The point is that the Almighty has given us all His bounties according to His wisdom, but we find the standard of living is generally a bit higher amongst the South African Muslims in general. Muslims are generally known to be spendthrifts and very conscious of fashion, image and competition with each other in material things. So, if we have wealth, how should we be spending it?


What Must I do with the Extra Bucks?

The first thing everyone must know is that the money which we have and which we earn is NOT OUR PROPERTY. This fact seems strange so allow me to elaborate.

If this money was ours, than why can’t we be buried with it? But if we did so, then wouldn’t we be regarded as just another selfish pharaoh not worried of his children? Why is it that from every rand we earn, WE PERSONALLY only use about 5% of it on ourselves? Assume we have R10 000-00 at the start of the month. About R4 000-00 will go to Shoprite for groceries, R1 500-00 to the Council for water & lights, R1 200-00 to Shareed the domestic worker, R1 300 -00 to Appa Farhana for Muslim School fees, and another R1000-00 to DSTV, Telkom and MTN. This is already R9 000-00. Another few 100s will go on Saturday night chows and what are we left for ourselves – the primary earner? Nothing! O yes, I forgot SARS and the Insurance Company!!

So there you have it. From the money you earn, almost 95% is for somebody else, so do you still think that the money is yours? NO, it is not. It belongs to the Almighty. He made you a means of earning it, but not the owner of it.

So if you are not the owner of your million rand, than you can not spend it how you want to. You can not go to Dubai just to buy one designer handbag, to Makkah just to avoid doing the dishes over the holidays, to Malaysia just to experience the Petronas Towers and to London to see the Royal Wedding.

You can not upgrade your Porsche to a Lamborghini because you want to be only one of three to own such a car in SA, nor you exchange your house in Laudium for a mansion in Eldoraigne just because your neighbour shifted to Sandton and nor can you book the Coca Cola Dome for your daughter’s wedding just because your uncle had his glitzy affair at the Pretoria Show Grounds!

Did you ever think the Almighty will never question us for our extravagance and thoughtless spending?

However, if you can afford a Lamborghini because you want to reach the Masjid faster, or you want to live in Eldoraigne because you want to impress Islam on your non-Muslim neighbours, or you want to book out the Show Grounds to invite all the poor people of Atteridgeville, then you will be amply rewarded for that.


Average Standard of Living

Whilst Islam is not against earning as much as possible, it is certainly against misusing such money and using such wealth to show off and depict our worldly status. Islam is also against abject poverty and living in such need that we have no dignity and self-respect. In fact, our Noble Master Muhammad (SAW) would often make this supplication: “Allahumma Innee A’oodhubika min Batril Ghina wa Madhallatil Faqr.” (Al-Hizbul A’zam) “O Lord, I seek protection in You from the deceit of wealth and the humiliation of poverty.”

As Muslims, we need to realise that the place for true enjoyment and pleasure is in the hereafter. This does not mean that we can not enjoy the permissible pleasures of the world, but it certainly means that if we make pleasure the purpose of our worldly existence – and many of us view life in this way – and indulge in the best of luxuries all the time, then we are leaving no reward for ourselves in the hereafter, our everlasting abode.

The Almighty says in the Qur’an: “Adh-Habtum Tayyibaatikum fi Hayyaatikum ad-Dunya Wastamta’tum biha. Falyauma Tujzaina Adhaabal Hoon.” (You have completed your portion of pleasure in this world and enjoyed it. Now today taste a grievous punishment…)

So if we earn money just to enjoy it in this world – to go for frequent overseas holidays, to eat out regularly at the most elite restaurants, to wear only designer clothing and live in mansions, then let us start redirecting our lives now.


Faith is more valuable than Wealth

Our Noble Master Muhammad Mustapha (SAW), the most exalted person in history, was given a choice by the Almighty of either becoming a “Slave Prophet” or a “King Prophet.” If he chose “Slave Prophet,” it would mean that he would be poor and in need all the time. If he chose a “King Prophet,” it would mean that unlimited wealth would be at his disposal. In fact, the Almighty offered the entire Mount Uhud be turned to gold for our Noble Master and what’s more, that this mountain would follow him wherever he went and he could spend at will. Our Noble Master (SAW) refused the offer.

Now I am sure if any one of us were to receive such an offer, we would welcome it with open arms. Many of us would be now saying: “Eish, why couldn’t the Prophet accept all that gold and leave it for me in inheritance. Mount Uhud weighs about 100 000 tonnes. With so much money, I can have 20 slaves surrounding me every day. One will be busy polishing my shoes the whole day, another will walk behind me carrying my six cellphones and my favourite one will be sprinkling rose water and gold dust wherever I walk!”

But our Noble Master (SAW) – the richest person in this world – did not have these thoughts. When asked why he had refused such a fantastic offer, he replied and let his reply be the guiding principle for our life for all time to come. He said:

“I wish that on one day I eat and express thanks (make shukr) to the Almighty and on the next day, I remain hungry and bear it with patience (make sabr).”

So if you do have a million bucks to spare, let your mind go to Sabera’s Orphanage and not to Dubai, let it go the Al-Imdaad Foundation and not to the Black Tie Restaurant, let it go to the poor of Soweto and not the lucrative Time Share in the Wilderness. Our spiritual return will be a million percent in both the worlds.

Go ahead and try it!