by When the Prices Soar
Question:
What is the wise attitude to respond to the increasing of prices? Because this morning, my wife bought some vegetables, and when she got back home, she told me that the price of some fried foods has increased. It seemed like people were busy to think about the increasing prices of goods. Please give us advices, what to do to respond such phenomenon?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, and peace and prayer of Allah be upon His messenger.
The tendency to be a whiner at the time of hardship is one of the character of human being.
إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا . إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا . وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا
“Verily man is impatient by nature: bewailing when evil befalls him, and tight-fisted when good fortune visits him,” (QS. Al-Ma’arij/The Ascending Stairways: 19 – 21)
Because what they desired is to live prosperously. Thus, when, they were confronted with uncomfortable situation, they felt very upset, even distressed.
There are several lessons to learn from the increase in the prices of goods.
Firstly: That the increase happened by Allah’s ordainment.
This phenomenon also happened at the time of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-. It is mentioned in a narration that at the time of the companions, the price of goods increased. Then they came to the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- and told him about their problem. They said,
يا رسول الله غلا السعر فسعر لنا
“O Messenger of Allah, many of the prices of goods are increasing, thus, please issue a verdict that regulates the prices of goods.”
Hearing their complaint, the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- replied,
إن الله هو المسعر القابض الباسط الرازق وإني لآرجو أن ألقى الله وليس أحد منكم يطلبني بمظلمة في دم أو مال
“Verily, Allah is The One Who who sets the price, Who narrows and enlarges the sustenance, The Giver of sustenance. While I expect to encounter Allah in a state of no one of you suing me due to my violation in his blood and treasure affairs.” (Narrated by Ahmad no. 12591, Abu Daud no. 3451, Ibn Maja no. 2200, and classed as valid hadith by Al Albani).
You could see that when the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- received some reports about the increase of the price, he didn’t lower it, instead, he reminded his companions about Allah’s providence, and Allah was The One Who set the price. Hence, they would be able to accept the reality with faith and they wouldn’t be too confuse in facing the increase of prices, moreover be distressed or commit suicide.
Secondly: The increase of prices do not affect anyone’s share of sustenance
An important part to believe here is that Allah has decided the sustenances of every one of us. And it will not increase nor decrease. So although the Indonesian citizens are shaken by the increase of prices, it will not change the amount of their sustenances at all.
Allah declared,
وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَكِنْ يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ
“If Allah were to grant ample sustenance to His servants they would go about transgressing in the land. But He sends down in due measure whatever (sustenance) He wills. Surely He is Well-Aware and All-Seeing concerning matters that relate to His servants.” (QS. As-Syura/The Consultation: 27)
Ibn Katsir said,
أي: ولكن يرزقهم من الرزق ما يختاره مما فيه صلاحهم، وهو أعلم بذلك فيغني من يستحق الغنى، ويفقر من يستحق الفقر.
“This verse means that Allah gives sustenances to them according to what He chooses for them, which will bring benefits to them. And Allah is The All-Known about it, thus Allah gives richness to those who deserves to be rich, and Allah destines some who deserves to be poor, to be poor.” (See: Tafseer Alquran al-Adzim, 7/206)
Regarding this matter of sustenance, the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- had warned his followers not to think that their sustenance came too slow, or it went sluggishly. The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,
أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ، إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَنْ يَمُوتَ حَتَّى يَسْتَكْمِلَ رِزْقَهُ ، فَلا تَسْتَبْطِئُوا الرِّزْقَ ، اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ، وَأَجْمِلُوا فِي الطَّلَبِ ، خُذُوا مَا حَلَّ ، وَدَعُوا مَا حَرُمَ
“O all men, indeed, you will not die until you received your sustenances perfectly, thus, don’t feel that your sustenances are being hampered and fear Allah, O all men. Seek your sustenances through decent ways, take the lawful and leave the unlawful.” (Narrated by Baihaqi in his work, “Sunan al Kubro” 9640, classed as valid hadith by Hakim in “Al Mustadrak” no. 2070 and Adz Dzahabi agreed with him).
An important note to understand is that this hadith doesn’t motivate you to be idle or to stop seeking for sustenances. The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- reminded his followers so that they wont be over ambitious in pursuing the worldly matters, until they do unlawful things in shari’a. Also, when a calamity happened, they wont be too mournful moreover distressed.
Preserve your Prayers, then no matter how expensive the foodstuffs are, Allah will guarantee your sustenance.
Allah decreed,
وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى
“Enjoin Prayer on your household, and do keep observing it. We do not ask you for any worldly provision; rather, it is We Who provide you, and ultimately the pious will end up the best.”(QS. Thaha: 132)
At the past time, once, the price of the foodstuffs soared. The people then went to complain about this condition to one of the scholar of their time. Let’s see, how did he reply to their complaints,
والله لا أبالي ولو أصبحت حبة الشعير بدينار! عليَّ أن أعبده كما أمرني، وعليه أن يرزقني كما وعدني
“By Allah, I don’t care with this increase of price, even though the price of a grain reaches 1 dinar! My obligation is to worship Allah, as He ordered me to do, and He will provide my sustenances, as He promised me.”
And Allah knows best.
Answered by: Ustadz Ammi Nur Baits
Article of www.Syaria.com
