What True Wealth Really Is

True Wealth

Wealth is something that will never cease to be discussed. How could it be otherwise? Human desires will constantly incline toward it, and Satan will continuously beautify it so that humans become greedy and race against each other to acquire it. Because of this, Allah refers to it as a fitnah (trial or temptation) for His servants. A trial that comes in the form of a blessing, causing anyone to become complacent, except those whom Allah protects. Allah says:

إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

“Your wealth and your children are only a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward.” (At-Taghabun: 15)

Allah also mentions that the world is a place where humans compete with one another to multiply and accumulate wealth. Allah says:

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ

“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...” (Al-Hadid: 20)

For this reason, Allah warns His servants not to get carried away or subdued by their wealth. Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ يَفعلْ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

“O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers.” (Al-Munafiqun: 9)

Allah also speaks regarding those who think that by piling up and withholding their wealth, their lives will become better. Allah also describes the consequences they will face in the Hereafter:

وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ بَلْ هُوَ شَرٌّ لَهُمْ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُوا بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

“And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allah has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them. Rather, it is worse for them. Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. And Allah, with what you do, is Acquainted.” (Ali Imran: 180)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said regarding the sweetness of wealth and the nature of man who tends to remain unsatisfied with it:

إِنَّ هَذَا المَالَ خَضِرَةٌ حُلْوَةٌ، فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِسَخَاوَةِ نَفْسٍ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِيهِ، وَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِإِشْرَافِ نَفْسٍ لَمْ يُبَارَك| لَهُ فِيهِ، كَالَّذِي يَأْكُلُ وَلاَ يَشْبَعُ، اليَدُ العُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ اليَدِ السُّفْلَى

“Verily, this wealth is green and sweet. He who takes it with a generous soul will be blessed in it, and he who takes it with a greedy soul will not be blessed in it, just like one who eats but is never satisfied. The upper hand is better than the lower hand.” (HR. Al-Bukhari: 1472 and Muslim: 1035 from Hakim bin Hizam)

Such is the greatness of the blessing of wealth, to the extent that it turns human nature into that of someone who eats but is never full. Even so, Allah appreciates those who refuse to be subjugated by their wealth. Instead, it is the wealth that is subjected to them. They turn that wealth into a means (wasilah) to attain His pleasure and to save themselves from the horrors and terrors of the Day of Recompense. Allah says regarding them:

إِنَّ الْمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَالْمُصَّدِّقَاتِ وَأَقْرَضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمْ وَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ 

“Indeed, the men who practice charity and the women who practice charity and [they who] have loaned Allah a goodly loan - it will be multiplied for them, and they will have a noble reward.” (Al-Hadid: 18)

Allah says regarding those who are neither deceived nor made negligent by their wealth:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَنْ تَبُورَ (29) لِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدَهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إِنَّهُ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ (30)

“Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend [in charity] out of what We have provided for them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a profit that will never perish - That He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative.” (Fathir: 29-30)

Because of this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ illustrated that wealth consists of no more than three types for a human being—whereby only from these three types does one truly reap immediate benefits in this world. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ: مَالِي مَالِي إِنَّمَا لَهُ مِنْ مَالِهِ ثَلَاثٌ: مَا أَكَلَ فَأَفْنَى أَوْ لَبِسَ فَأَبْلَى أَوْ أَعْطَى فَاقْتَنَى، وَمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ ذَاهِبٌ وَتَارِكُهُ لِلنَّاسِ

“A servant says, 'My wealth, my wealth.' Yet he only has three things from his wealth: that which he eats and finishes, or that which he wears and wears out, or that which he gives [in charity] and keeps forever. Beyond that, everything else will vanish and he will leave it behind for other people [after his death].” (HR. Muslim: 2959 from Abu Hurairah)

This hadith implies that out of all the vast and diverse types of wealth, only three bring benefits that endure through life and toward death: the food from which our flesh grows, and the clothes that we at least carry with us to the grave in the form of a shroud and its inner layers. These two types are only carried as far as the grave and will merge with the earth, eventually vanishing. As for vehicles, residences, savings, spouses and friends, jewelry, businesses and income, and the like—all will be left behind in this world and will become the property of others (inheritance).

The only wealth that will be brought into the grave and the Hereafter, as a savings and deposit, is the charity one gives. A wise and intelligent person is one who saves and multiplies their savings as provisions for a prolonged day that will have no end, because they understand that this is the only wealth they can maintain before Ar-Rahman. That is the ultimate wealth. That is true wealth. Are we among the intelligent? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was once asked by an Ansar man:

فَأَيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَكْيَسُ؟ قَالَ: أَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْمَوْتِ ذِكْرًا وَأَحْسَنُهُمْ لِمَا بَعْدَهُ اسْتِعْدَادًا، أُولَئِكَ الْأَكْيَاسُ

“Which of the believers is the most intelligent?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “Those who remember death the most and are best in preparing provisions for what comes after it (death). It is they who are the intelligent.” (HR. Ibnu Majah: 4259 from Abdullah bin Umar)