Cheap Market

We may have heard about this, moreover at the time prices of the basic needs at the market skyrocketed. The government may try to help its people by opening a cheap market.

Upon hearing the term “cheap market”, we’ll certainly think of a market that sells thing with a very low price – below the normal market price.

Or, we’ll imagine of a market that looks “cheap”, since goods sold in it are cheap, low-quality ones. Thus it is just normal that such market only attracts poor people, who are used to starved.

Very rarely the elite ones glance toward a cheap market; those who are ultra-rich, who shop using their credit card.

Because they feel embarrassed to shop at the “twopenny” market.

But imagine: If the government announces that in the next month, the price of foodstuffs will soar. Such as: the price of 1 kg of rice is IDR 2 millions, the cooking oil is IDR 1 millions per liter, the sugar is IDR 3 millions per kg, and so on. Therefore, the government open a cheap market from this month to the next month, which sells basic needs with relatively low price.

Or imagine if this is the case:

There is a cheap market that sells luxurious items. Avanza car is priced IDR 1 million; mercy IDR 2 millions; Ferrari IDR 3 millions; and so on.

From these two examples, I believe that even the rich people will jostle in that cheap market.

Because it is natural for human being to be attracted to low price, both the rich and the poor.

Just look at how the rich people also compete to get free voucher; to pursue low-fare package provided by cellular operator.

It is all because they follow their humane instinct over prestige.

This world is a market to obtain profit in the Hereafter.

It is our place to do activities and various deeds. For a muslim, all of his deeds is aimed to obtain a better place later in the Hereafter.

In the Hereafter, there will be only two choices to get; the Paradise or the Hell. Nothing else. If Allah the Exalted protects us from the Hellfire, it means that Allah the Exalted will put us in Paradise.

If you ask all people of these choices, they’ll surely answer the Paradise as their next home.

Know, O Brother, that Allah the Exalted dubbed our worldly deeds as trading, or “selling and purchasing” in order to achieve the Paradise.

Allah the Exalted decreed,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ . تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ. يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“Believers, shall I direct you to a commerce that will deliver you from a grievous chastisement? Have faith in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the Way of Allah with your possessions and your lives. That is better for you if you only knew. He will forgive you your sins and will admit you to Gardens beneath which rivers flow. He will lodge you in excellent mansions in the Gardens of eternity. That is the supreme triumph.” (Chapter Ash Shaff:10-12)

Allah has made parable of this worldly life as a place for trade, because in this world, we are ordered to worship; be faithful; fight in Allah’s Cause. To this trade Allah the Exalted invites His slaves, so that they will attain large profits of Allah’s forgiveness and His paradise in the Hereafter.

In another verse, Allah the Exalted mentioned:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الْجَنَّةَ

Surely Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their belongings and in return has promised that they shall have Paradise. (Chapter At Tawbah/The Repentance:111)

This World is A Cheap Market

But not a “twopenny” one, because the thing sold in it is priceless; pleasures in Allah’s paradise. Something that never been imagined by human’s mind.

It is only dubbed as cheap market because the price it offers is very very, very cheap.

Lets take some examples:

– Establishing the Oneness of Allah, that none has the right to be worshipped but Him, until we die, and we’ll enter the Paradise.
– In a hadith, there is a story about a prostitute whom Allah the Exalted forgave because she gave water to a very thirsty dog.
– Removing a spike or other obstacles from road, will be rewarded with Allah’s forgiveness.
– Allah’s promise to forgive the sins of people who pray two rak’ahs of prayer fervently.
– Just by giving an alms of half date fruit, will be screened from the Hellfire and will be rewarded with Paradise.
– Even joining jihad in Allah’s Cause by sacrificing wealth and soul, is still very cheap compared to the pleasures in Paradise.

When the “Cheap Market” has been closed

Allah the Exalted mentioned about condition of the disbelievers who didn’t use the chance they got during the cheap market time in this world, thus they are tortured inside the Hell.

Allah the Exalted decreed:

يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ () وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ () وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ () وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنْجِيهِ ()

although they shall be within sight of one another. The guilty one would fain ransom himself from the torment of that Day by offering his children, and his spouse and his brother, and his kinsfolk who had stood by him, and all persons of the earth, if only he could thus save himself.” (Chapter Al Ma’arij: 11-14)

In a hadith it is said,

“Later in the Hereafter, disbeliever who are tormented in Hell will be asked, “If you have gold as much as the the whole earth, will you use it to save yourself from the torments of Hell?” He’ll answer, “Yes.” Allah the Exalted replies by saying, “I have asked you something easier than that before, that is, don’t commit any shirk.” (Narrated by Bukhari no. 6173)

When the cheap market has been closed, by death, by the arrival of The Hour, no matter how much our wealth we try to spend to get the Paradise will be useless; no matter how many lives we sacrifice will be worthless to get it.

Thus, as long as we still live in this world, as long as this cheap market is still opened, lets maximize its use -by sacrificing our wealth, time, power, and even life- to seize the Paradise and avoid the Hell.

Author: Muhammad Yassir, Lc.

Article of www.Syaria.com