you really wanted? Or, have you ever bought something that you
couldhave done without?
The answer to these two questions is yes, an unequivocal yes. It is
pat of our human nature. We want and we desire constantly. When we
allow this to go unchecked our desire for more becomes insatiable and
overtakes the dictates of our souls.
Any kind of addiction or extreme act emanates from our desire. Satan
ever whispers to our Nafs (self) to go after our desires. He
encourages us to be greedy and to overindulge ourselves. In this way
we become slaves to our desires instead of in control of them. One
enslaved to his desirescannot freely and truly worship his Lord. It is
a matter of our Eemaan (faith) that we hold ourselves back from
wasteful spending.
If we find difficulty parting with our money in times of charity, then
we know we have become victims of over-consumption, or excessive
spending. The Prophet, , said: "Cursed is the slave of gold and
silver." [Al-Bukhaari] When we allow ourselves to lust after money,
then we know the shackles have tightened.
Money and power are always aligned. Like sirens they call out to our
desires. Today, the media is their infamous recruiter. It constantly
throws in our faces more things to desire and to get and to admire.
This only leads to further blinding ourselves from our purpose in
life, which is to worship Allaah. Allaah Almighty warns us by saying
(what means): "Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you (from the
more serious things)." [Quran 102:1]
We must remind ourselves that worldly desires are mere illusions,
transitory pleasures, that Allaah is testing us with. Allaah Almighty
warns us of this by saying (what means): "Know that the life of this
world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one
another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the
example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers;
then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes
[scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and
forgiveness from Allaah and approval. And what is the worldly life
except the enjoyment of delusion." [Quran 57:20]
Guard yourself from greed
As consumers we must be mindful of Allaah and thank Him for blessing
us with the financial ability to purchase the things we need.
Remembering Allaah when shopping will help us humble ourhearts and be
grateful for all thathe has already given us. This can help prevent us
from becoming upset when we are unable to buysomething we want.
We must also seek to instill in spending habits of the Islamic
practice of moderation. I cannot stress enough the importance of the
Prophet Muhammad's injunction to the Muslim Ummah: "Eat, drink, spend,
and dress without extravagance or arrogance." [Al-Bukhaari]
We must strive for a balance between the extremes of spending too much
(Israaf) and being stingy. The righteous are "those who, when they
spend, doso not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that,
[justly] moderate." [Quran 25:67]
This verse encourages moderation and balance in our spending. Instead
of succumbing to our habits of spending on ourselves, we ought to give
morethan we take. When we give for the sole purpose of pleasing Allaah
we purify our souls. The Prophet, , was the most generous of men and
gave the majority of his belongings away. The Prophet, , understood
what was real and what was passing: He valued his humility, the
afterlife, and his connection to Allaah over worldly pleasures.
When we become entangled in the superficial, our materialistic values
will override our spiritual connection to our Lord. We must guard
ourselves against this and instead spend our resources and time so
that we may increase ourspiritual wealth. This is the struggle against
the Nafs which our beloved Prophet Muhammad always emphasized.
Striver for good deeds that will multiply themselves rather than hoard
worldly goods that will perish into the earth and becomedust. -
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