⛰️ #12 | Am I Wealthy?

Am I Wealthy?

It is no secret that a lot of us equate having an abundance of blessings as a sign of Allah’s love. It’s a quite natural comparison -- a reward-like manifestation from the One Who rewards.

However, this comparison oftentimes is not reflective of reality, and is furthered by the materialistic nature of the world around us.

For example, someone who is blessed with a large house, a beautiful family, and a lucrative job may be automatically highlighted as someone whom Allah loves.

The Quran contains a fascinating story that exemplifies this delusion and the true nature of this situation, in Surah Kahf, with the story of the man and his two beautiful gardens:

And he entered his property, while wronging his soul, saying, “I do not think this will ever perish, nor do I think the Hour will ˹ever˺ come. And if in fact I am returned to my Lord, I will definitely get a far better outcome than ˹all˺ this.”

His ˹believing˺ companion replied, while conversing with him, “Do you disbelieve in the One Who created you from dust, then ˹developed you˺ from a sperm-drop, then formed you into a man? But as for me: He is Allah, my Lord, and I will never associate anyone with my Lord ˹in worship˺.

(Al-Kahf 18: 35-38)

We know how the story goes, with the rich man not heeding his less-affluent friend’s words, and eventually waking up to destroyed gardens.

However, the message that I would like to focus on within this story is that the signs of Allah's love are not manifested in the wealth and material blessings one has. Rather, they are reflected in one’s actions and heart.

Earthly pleasures and blessings are given to both believers and non-believers, as well as to those whom Allah loves and favors and to those Who He does not. This is not an attestation to His love, but rather, it is a test for the love of Him in our hearts.

We see in this story, that the richer man fell into delusion and automatically assumed that because he was showered with worldly bounties, he was favored by God, and would equally be showered with rewards in the Hereafter. And so Allah showed him the truth his friend had tried to remind him of.

True wealth is faith. If we all strive to have rich hearts and souls, the treasure within them will surely arrive filled to the brim on the Day of Judgement, inshaAllah!