The Wealthiest Person

Who is the World wealthiest person today?

One might answered, “Bill Gates, the owner of Microsoft corp!”, or, “That football player!”, or even, “That you-know-who artist!”, etc.

Those answers probably normal for majority of our society, who measures “wealth” as only by concrete possessions. But if it is measured through shariah, it is possible even for us to be the candidate of world’s wealthiest person!

Who is the Wealthiest person according to shariah?

The answer is: the most contented of what he have.

Our Prophet Shallallaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam had told us,

لَيْسَ الْغِنَى عَنْ كَثْرَةِ الْعَرَضِ، وَلَكِنَّ الْغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ

“Riches is not measured by the amount of wealth, but the true riches is the riches of the heart.” (Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Huraira)

wealthiest person in the world

It is also called conviction, qana’a, which means one gladly accepted whatever Allah Ta’ala granted, either it is plenty, or less. No matter how much sustenance he get, he will never complain. He will be grateful if the amount is plenty, and be patient with the less.

If every one of us could do that, we’ll have chance to be the wealthiest person of the world. And in the end, tremendous fortune awaits us, as once promised by His Messenger, Shallallaahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَرُزِقَ كَفَافًا وَقَنَّعَهُ اللَّهُ بِمَا آتَاهُ

“Muslim is indeed fortunate, bestowed upon them enough sustenance, and he be made to gratefully accepted whatever Allah granted (to him)” (Recorded by Muslim from Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr)

Based on those parameter set by shariah, it is possible for one with daily income $20 to be categorized as rich, while one with daily income $2,000,000 as poor. Why? Because the first one feels satisfied with his little income, while the second, despite his millions-a-day income, still dissatisfied and wants to get more and more money.

There might be a question: How come an income of $20 is considered enough, while the same time he must feed his wife and children?

The answer is Yes , because of blessing Allah The Most Gracious has granted him on his wealth, and the parameter of ‘enough’ that we use is as what our Prophet Shallallaahu ‘alayh wa Sallam said,

مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ، مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ، عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا

“Whoever passes his day with the feeling of secure inside his house, health on his body, and possess sustenance for the day, then it seems like he own the whole world and the it’s content.”(Recorded by Tirmidhi; the status is good, according to Al Albani)

Secrets to Contentment

Among secrets to be contented from within, is to train ourselves, to realize and have a firm faith on every fortune belongs to Allah, and whatever we got had been measured by Him-The Exalted and Glorious. It will never surpass the number He had destined, despite the hours we spend to work.

Allah The Exalted had reminded us that,

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللّهِ رِزْقُهَا

“There is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance depends on Allah.” (Hud:6)

His messenger- Shallallaahu ‘alayh wa Sallam- advised his followers:

إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَنْ يَمُوْتَ حَتَّى يَسْتَكْمِلَ رِزْقَهُ، فَلاَ تَسْتَبْطِئُوا الرِّزْقَ، وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ أَيُّهَا النَّاس، وَأَجْمِلُوْا فِي الطَّلَبِ، خُذُوْا مَا حَلَّ وَدَعُوْا مَا حَرُمَ

“Verily, none of you will be dead unless he had received all fortunes (Allah destined him) wholly. Thus, do not be haste in waiting for it. O human, be pious to Allah! Seek your fortune proportionally, take legal ones and abandon the illegals.” (Recorded by Al Hakim; Narrated by Jabir; the status is valid according to Al Albani)

The Sweet Result of Contentment

As one of good character, self-sufficiency yields another positive attitudes, which none other it’s own results. Amongst them:

First: One will not be easy to be greedy upon other’s fortunes

He will feel satisfied with his own, hence his living is filled with peace and spiritual serenity. He wont be Jealous or envious towards other’s graces Allah had granted them.

This extraordinary character which Allah The Exalted had recorded, referring to a manner of His messenger’s- Shallallaahu ‘alayh wa Sallam- devoted companions, when He talked about their poor condition,

يَحْسَبُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَاء مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَاهُمْ لاَ يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافاً

“The ignorant man thinks because of their modesty that they are free from want. Thou shalt know them by their (unfailing) mark; they beg not importunately from all and sundry.” (Al Baqara/The Cow: 273)

Second. Contentment will shape one’s soul to abandon others, and reveal all his troubles to Allah, The Most Prosperous, only.

This is one of the highest steps of reliance on Allah, as what had been achieved by the prophets. Likewise, Allah had told us about His prophet, Ya’kub (Jacob) ‘alayh salam (peace be upon him),

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللّهِ

“He (Jacob) said: ‘I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah.'” (Yusuf/Joseph: 86)

Why do His beloved ones complaint to Him only? It was due to their firm belief, that the whole world only belongs to Allah The Most Prosperous. Then why they don’t they ask The Possessor of everything? Why they have to ask one whose possessions belong to The Possessor?

In spite of that, reality talks differently for most of us, who prefer crying out for His creatures’ help before Him. That is why, our noble scholars have reminded us: “Who is amongst us ask his needs to Allah before mankind?”

Does contentment means abandoning work and means of action?

One must not misunderstand explanations above as people ought not to work because of their self-sufficiency. And they will be allowed to sit comfortably in their shelters, by saying: If the time comes for the rain of gold to pour, then it will be poured!

That is not what conviction all about, since it’s means: every servant does the work his best, with keen and constant regard upon the fringes of shariah. After that, he accepts whatever result he gets, with pleases, without complains

His messenger Shallallaahu ‘alayh wa Sallam had explained the essence of reliance on Allah, and it’s correlation to means of action, in a very detailed parable:

لَوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ تَوَكَّلُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ حَقَّ تَوَكُّلِهِ لَرُزِقْتُمْ كَمَا يُرْزَقُ الطَّيْرُ تَغْدُو خِمَاصًا وَتَرُوحُ بِطَانًا

“If you truly rely yourself on Allah, then you will get sustenance, as the birds. It comes out every morning hungrily, and comes back in the afternoon with a belly full with foods” (Recorded by Tirmidhi, and he stated that it is hasan shahih (good and/or valid))

It is comprehended that for the birds to get foods, they ought to work to find them. And this is meaning of true reliance: do the work optimally, and let the rest be to Allah, The Exalted.

And Allah knows best.

Kedungwuluh, Purbalingga, Indonesia, 7th of Ramadhan 1430 in Hijrah/28th of August, 2009

Author: Abdullah Zaen, M.A.

2 thoughts on “The Wealthiest Person

  1. Alhamdulillah … Jazakallahu khair …

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