![Photo: Confused By Prosperity
Once when Umar (radi Allahu anhu) was in the house of Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) he looked around and saw nothing of importance except three hides. He narrated, “So I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah to make your followers rich, for the Persians and the Romans have been made prosperous and they have been given (the pleasures of the world), although they do not worship Allah.' Thereupon the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) sat up, as he had been reclining, and said, 'Are you of such an opinion, O son of Al-Khattab? These are the people who have received the rewards for their good deeds in this world.' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Ask Allah to forgive me.'” [Bukhari]
Unfortunately, many Muslims today get similarly confused by the prosperity that they see non-Muslims in. They say that it is the non-Muslims who must be the beloved of Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) as they have been bestowed with His favours. It is implied that the non-Muslims should now be our role models. Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) states in this hadith, as does Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) in the Quran, that whatever qualities the non-Muslims have, they will be recompensed for them in this world, since they have no share in the Hereafter. On the other hand, the main reward of the Muslims is saved for the Hereafter.
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) says that if this world had any importance in His eyes, He would not have given the disbelievers even a mouthful of water to drink! What they are getting in this life is in no ways any kind of reward. Reward and punishment is for the next, never-ending life. This life is the examination hall. If a teacher has been teaching her students all year that 2+2=4 and she notices some students writing 2+2=6, she will not correct them during the exam. It is when they get their reports that they will be rewarded or face the consequences for their lack of effort. During the examination she will not be rewarding or punishing those who are excelling or those who are failing.
Furthermore, the prosperity of Muslim societies in this worldly life will never happen, by their only having the qualities of the Kuffar. No matter how hardworking, honest, scientifically advanced, or punctual Muslims become, their societies will not prosper if eeman and the implementation of Islam/Shariah are missing. This is because Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) holds Muslims to a higher standard. A student of Masters level and a PhD student may both be taking the same Chemistry course, but for the Masters student the 'A' may be given at 80% while for the PhD student, obtaining 90% or above will get him/her the same grade. In the same way, since Muslims have guidance with them, they are held to a higher standard.](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t_Q79-54DSfafiCkGpAiKlBvySuzBGJfqAQ9r2zcRsPzG0yTNQjSyT4KQZTdFFb35rU3EHJMoYz5NLqn74OKteq1mQNyWEqKOl1dODQ7Nftc8kh3uKpURGwGG8D56W72vqtzfgPQpPXdwOxib-XXf_N4JKGOdiBrTfIQ6CmthufTYPcg9c-TSJczvhZ7cd=s0-d)
Confused By Prosperity
Once when Umar (radi Allahu anhu) was in the house of Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) he looked around and saw nothing of importance except three hides. He narrated, “So I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah to make your followers rich, for the Persians and the Romans have been made prosperous and they have been given (the pleasures of the world), although they do not worship Allah.' Thereupon the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) sat up, as he had been reclining, and said, 'Are you of such an opinion, O son of Al-Khattab? These are the people who have received the rewards for their good deeds in this world.' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Ask Allah to forgive me.'” [Bukhari]
![Photo: Commitments
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "He has (really) no faith who fulfills not his trust, and he has (really) no religion who fulfills not his promise." [Baihaqi]
Always keep your word. Each time you keep a commitment you are rewarded by Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) for obeying Him. If you mix a few drops of wine in a glass full of water, it spoils the whole glass of water and makes it unfit for consumption. Similarly, dishonesty in any sphere of your life permeates and corrupts your entire nature and eeman. When a person’s words carry no weight, it only reveals his/her treacherous nature.
If you promise to be somewhere, make sure you are there on time. If you promise to call somebody back, do so on time. Don't commit what you cannot do. One minute means 60 seconds everywhere, no more. Make a habit of under-committing rather than over-committing.](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v2FD8iVeftKDpqIHyZBKp1bBoxitPLd5TdaVKKe1WXjVHZE0eU1z2VAJjAUg--Y2S4aoXssR-at0-FDDRVQKERPWeI-tacNneMCJiN3e-L7lsn5UlGcJMzyWfP9U8qip4OeVMlnCpfG9ZN8pDulNZN3J8o-geCqJH2u8fqnRKGTG1uJhQ80-iFPPkyWA=s0-d)
![Photo: Clinging Devils
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “When a man decides to give something in charity, a group of seventy devils clings to him and tries to put him off it.” [Ahmed]
The heaviest blow to Shaitaan and the most successful method to counter his tricks is to spend your money in the cause of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). For this reason, Shaitaan inspires man to be stingy and narrow-minded, so he may be prevented from giving generously and remain involved in the entanglements of the material world.
Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) warns us in the Quran: “The devil threatens you with poverty and bids you to lewd conduct. Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounties. And Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.” [Surah Baqarah: Ayat 268]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tQ3rVq7YVRRY5kFNl3zkZQPpWR4ni_pNpgqk5stkzZ1sDumej6Jt9dQ_jRndag40mI8_cE2deHiC12wYtl_0nDBlp2wIeEerMGJJU_E75lot9OIeGDe5SpD1Xt5b5jGk8usjsAdZJRn5DiSeereezrAssnPjxvRF9xcix9aPRUt31bRqTDwdlJxVrBLw0=s0-d)
![Photo: Earth’s Information
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) recited this Ayat: “That Day it (the earth) will declare its information.” [Quran: Surah Az-Zalzalah, Ayat 4] He (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) then asked his Companions: “Do you know what ‘its information’ is?” They said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “‘Its information’ means that it will testify against every man and woman about what they did on its surface. It will say, ‘On such and such a day they did such and such. That is ‘its information.’” [Tirmidhi]
Among the witnesses against a person will be the earth, and days and nights; they will testify about what was done on/in them and against them. Wealth will testify against its owner; a person’s own body will testify against him; and the angels who record deeds, both good and evil will also be witnesses. Imaam Qurtubi devoted a chapter to this subject in his Tadhkirah.](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tGvopBu2jAn97LW1ZmU5napo97n09wGG8SH6ldEHQJ4Tz3Y0LXB9XygdZV73Y6Yn1PQ8Gh3tKyfUj2PONH2T7e7M5azB_MwbYLulA088EYxhLJJrVIxz0N-ktTiwk4_CzI1cFJiojlGlQBeMqbtDHT6tKGZ74GeQinyeXnRkXnvI5nfr_kn5105uD2qD0=s0-d)
