A Muslims Attitude Towards Poverty & Prosperity - Shaykh Hafeezullah Khan

Khutbah Opening

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْهِ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا وَمَوْلَانَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَخَيْرَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ

Introduction: Allah is the Provider

My dear brothers, as a Muslim, we all believe that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is only our provider. As Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

Verily, Allah is the Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong. But sometimes Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala provides a lot to people and sometimes reduces provision when He wishes.

So, in both circumstances — in poverty and in prosperity — as a Muslim, what should be our attitude?

Part One: Our Attitude During Poverty & Hardship

1. Be Satisfied with What Allah Has Given You

Brothers, firstly, as a Muslim, we believe that no matter what the situation — good or bad — they are both trials from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for us. So if our situation, especially our financial situation, is bad and we are facing hardship, then firstly we should be satisfied with what Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given us. Then we will be the richest person.

As the Prophet ﷺ says:

(Sunan al-Tirmidhī, Hadith 2305)

2. Firmly Believe That Your Provision Will Reach You

Secondly, we should firmly believe that whatever provision Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has set for us, we will achieve it — no matter what. As the Prophet ﷺ says in a Sahih hadith from Ibn Majah:

(Sunan Ibn Mājah, Hadith 2144)

O people, fear Allah and be moderate in seeking a living. For no soul will die until it has received all its provision, even if it is slow in coming. So fear Allah and be moderate in seeking provision. Take that which is permissible and leave that which is forbidden.

So in light of this hadith, we can easily understand that no matter what the situation is, we should not turn towards haram.

But unfortunately, we see many of us, when they face poverty — if they lose their job or their business is going down — they turn towards quick money-making activities and try to gain wealth through haram means. And some people turn towards fortune tellers and saints, seeking amulets and doing different kinds and different acts of shirk.

So brothers, in our hardship, if we are facing hardship, and in that situation we save ourselves from haram and try our best to earn only halal rizq — this is the taqwa. This is the real piety. Whereas Allah says about the one who has this kind of taqwa:

And whoever has taqwa of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, He will make a way for him to get out from every kind of difficulty. And He will provide him from where he could never imagine.

3. Repent and Seek Allah's Forgiveness

Number two, brothers, as we know that we all make mistakes. As the Prophet ﷺ says, every child of Adam makes mistakes. Every child of Adam is a wrongdoer. And the best of the wrongdoers is the one who repents.

And especially when we are facing any kind of difficulty in our life, any kind of hardship, we have to turn towards Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala — repenting and seeking His forgiveness. Because when we seek Allah's forgiveness, it means that we are opening the doors of rizq and provision for ourselves.

As in the Holy Qur'an, the Prophet Nuh ﷺ advised his people by saying:

Ask forgiveness from your Lord. He is Most Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance, and give you increase in your wealth and in your children, and bestow upon you gardens and bestow upon you rivers.

Once, in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), when there was a drought in the land, he made du'a for rain. And he only asked Allah's forgiveness for their sins. The people asked him, "You never asked anything about the rain." Then he replied: "Through seeking Allah's forgiveness, I have knocked on the doors by which Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala sends the rain." And then he recited the same ayah that I just mentioned.

4. Maintain Kinship with Relatives

Number three, brothers — in that situation, we have to try our best to maintain kinship with our relatives. As in a hadith from Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet ﷺ says:

(Sahih al-Bukhārī, Hadith 5986)

Whoever is pleased that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala increase his rizq, grant more wealth, and increase his age — then he should keep good relations with his relatives, with his kith and his kin.

Keeping good relations with our relatives means that you have to treat them with goodness. Keep in contact with them, keep track of their situation and support those in need. Respect the elderly and share in their sorrows.

5. Spend in the Way of Allah

Number four — yes, when we face hardship, it is very hard for us to spend in the way of Allah. But in that situation, we have to spend in the way of Allah as much as possible. This is the best way to increase our rizq, to increase our provision.

But sadly, some people think that in this situation, if we spend in the way of Allah, we will decrease our rizq as well. Whereas Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in Surah Saba:

Whatever you spend of anything in Allah's cause, He will replace it. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala promised — He will replace it. Because He is the best of providers.

And especially brothers, we must not forget the poor and weak people in our families and in our society. We must help them as much as possible. Because it is through these people that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala provides us. As the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ says in a hadith from Sahih Bukhari:

(Sahih al-Bukhārī, Hadith 2896)

The help that you get and the rizq provided to you is because of the weak and poor among you. So keep ourselves attached to them.

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Part Two: Our Attitude During Prosperity & Wealth

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ

So brothers, when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala blesses us with prosperity, with wealth — then as a Muslim, what should we do?

1. Thank Allah and Recognise That All Wealth Comes From Him

Number one — we should thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala first and never think that this wealth has been gained because of our own strength, ability, and our own efforts. This is the thinking of Qarun, who faced the wrath of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Instead, you should always believe that whatever you have is given from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and always try to help those who do not have as much as you do.

And when helping someone, you should never think that you are doing them a favour. Rather, you should support others thinking that they have the same right as you have on this wealth.

2. Be Balanced in Spending — Neither Wasteful Nor Miserly

Number two — as a Muslim, we should always be balanced when spending our wealth. Neither overspend and waste it, nor be stingy. As Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

Yes, you have to eat, you have to drink — but do not waste. He does not love the wasteful.

Unfortunately, we don't feel anything bad when we waste money on useless things or we overspend — especially on the occasion of weddings — just to show off to others. Whereas Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in Surah Al-Isra:

Those who waste money and overspend — they are the brothers of Shaitan. And Shaitan himself is ungrateful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. It means that the one who wastes or overspends money is being ungrateful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And because Shaitan is also ungrateful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, hence both of these become brothers to each other. And they will face the same consequences in the Hereafter.

3. Do Not Waste Food

And especially, brothers, we have to be so careful about overspending on our food and then wasting it or throwing it in the bin. Because food — the importance of food — is that it helps us to live in this world and to maintain our health. So this is a great blessing of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and we should be grateful for it. Otherwise, there are many of our brothers and sisters around the world who hardly get one piece of bread to eat in a day.

The Prophet ﷺ mentioned in many different ahadith the importance of food. As in a hadith from Sahih Bukhari, once Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw a piece of dead meat on the ground. So he said: "If this was not from sadaqah, I would have eaten it." As we know, sadaqah is haram for Muhammad ﷺ and for his family as well. That is why he did not eat it — otherwise he would have eaten it, even if it was on the floor, because it was rizq from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. This means that throwing away edible food is totally haram.

In another hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that whenever Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would eat, he would lick his fingers at the end. And he would say:

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2034)

If a piece of food falls down, pick it up, clean it, and eat it. Do not leave it for the Shaitan. And he commanded us: do not leave any food in your plate — eat it all up. Because you do not know what part of the food has barakah in it. SubhanAllah.

We should assess ourselves in light of these ahadith and ask ourselves whether we are following the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. As we say, we are the true followers of the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ — and yet we spend on unnecessary things, we make excessive food, and then end up putting the leftovers in the bin. Whereas the Prophet ﷺ would not even leave food on his fingers. So how ungrateful can we be, brothers?

We should be thankful for Allah's favour and blessings upon us. And then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will give us more. Otherwise, we will face the punishment of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. As Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

A very important ayah. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says clearly: whatever I give you, whatever I provided you — you have to be thankful to Me. And if you are thankful, I will give you more. And if you are not thankful, verily My punishment is indeed severe.

Closing Du'as

وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا كَثِيرًا