Bismillahir Rahmaanir
Raheem
LETTER FOUR
Acquiring wealth
Question
I am a Hindu and want you to
please foretell my future. Will I become rich in the future? I am not well off
and am very desirous and ambitious of becoming a rich man. I would also like
your suggestions on how to become rich.
Reply
Bismihi
Ta’ala
1.) Sustenance, health, life – in fact, everything – is predestined. It is only Allah Ta’ala (God) who has total knowledge of all and
everything, as well as what is going to happen. No human being can read your
palm or tell your fortune in any other way, and thereby predict your future.
2.) We live in a world of means and thus we make use of the means, and then leave
the decision to Allah Ta’ala. So we make an effort in acquiring our sustenance,
in earning a livelihood. After this
effort, whatever reaches us, should be appreciated, whether it is little or
more. …This is based on Divine Distribution, not on how much harder we work and
strive. …Many are professionals, but are without any kind of job or income.
Despite their degrees, they are unable to earn a living.
3.) Amongst many things, five are mentioned in particular, which are
exclusive to the knowledge of Allah Ta’ala. No one else knows about these five
besides Allah. So no person can tell you about these five things.
Allah Ta’ala states in His Divine Book:
“Verily
Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour (Qiyamah), He sends down
the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will
earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing,
All-Aware
(He is
acquainted with all things).”
[Surah
Luqman 31 : 34]
Thus,
tomorrow is a secret known to Allah Ta’ala Alone.
Included
in this, is:
Ø
The detailed knowledge of
exactly what a person will be able to do.
All we
can do is plan. However, we should not trust in those plans. Anything can
happen - an accident, death, sickness, war, revolution, etc. which will then
change those plans.
Ø
All plans are subject to
Allah Ta’ala’s confirmation.
Ø
This
part of the verse also refers to wealth, i.e. exactly how much money a person
will earn for that day.
4.) Look towards those who have less than you to
appreciate what you have.
5.) For a Muslim, the true contentment lies not in
material wealth and riches, rather in the contentment of the heart. This
contentment is achieved with firm belief in Allah Ta’ala, His Final Messenger, Muhammad (May Allah send salutations and peace upon him), belief in
the Hereafter, and complete submission to Allah Ta’ala in this worldly life.
The religion of Islam offers true fulfilment to heart and soul.
6.) Ambition is in its place. But
this ambition must not be at the expense of rejecting the One who has created
us, nourished us and sent us to this world with a high and lofty objective :
And that objective is not amassing wealth, rather it is recognizing and
submitting to the One who Controls our lives and all our affairs, and to whom
is our inevitable return. ...So we work towards achieving His Pleasure. In this
manner, we secure our salvation in the Hereafter, whereby we enter Paradise,
God Willing – and it is here that every desire will be fulfilled … without any
effort.
So do
not close your heart and mind towards the truth, rather work to achieve the
truth and you will find yourself very rich within your heart and soul – and
these riches cannot be stolen like material possessions.
7.) May God
guide you to this richness which is truly enviable and which you too will
consider the ultimate bounty, because you will experience in your life, the
treasures of both worlds.
“The
clouds and winds, the moon, the sun and
the
sky are always at work,
So
that you earn your living and do not eat in forgetfulness.
The
whole creation is involved in working
for
you in obedience,
The
law of justice will not be fulfilled if you
fail
to obey Allah.”
Yunus
Patel (Maulana)
