Quran Garden

Do you spend most of your time chasing money?  Get ready to be inspired by two incredible stories: Mus'ab ibn Umayr's transformation and the lesson from the Battle of Hunayn!  True Muslims who chose the joy of being with the Prophet over the temptations of worldly wealth.  These tales are a powerful reminder of where the real rewards lie.   

Session 608

Chapter 4

Verse 37

As for those who are tight-fisted, direct others to be miserly, and hide the bounty Allah has given them.  We have prepared a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers.

(Chapter 4: Verse 37)

Think about how the Mafia, or similar corrupt groups, draw people in with attractive perks, fast cash, and flashy cars, only to demand the dirty work later.  It all starts glamorous, but you pay a heavy price down the line.  Contrast this with the true heroes of history, like heavenly prophets and civil rights activists, who often start with personal sacrifice and struggle to pave the way for real, lasting rewards.  They face severe hardship upfront, but reap lasting rewards and positive change for everyone later.  If you see a movement that lures, bribes, and buys people upfront, then know it is false.  If it were built on the principles of truth, you would see people spending their precious health and wealth to join it and even sacrificing their lives for it.

We find an excellent example in Mus'ab ibn Umayr, the pampered young man of Quraysh, whose mother lavished him with luxuries.  He was well known for his fancy perfumes that lingered long after he left.  Mus'ab embraced Islam against his mother's wishes and migrated to Medina wearing a sheepskin.  The Prophet, peace be upon him, looked at him and said to his companions lovingly, "Look at what faith has done to your friend!" 

When the hypocrites like Abdullah ibn Ubayy told the Ansar, "Do not spend on those with the Messenger until they disband," they thought the believers would sell their faith for a scrap of wealth, forgetting that the Muhajiroon left everything behind for God's sake.  A person who truly embraces Islam finds sweetness in their soul, knowing that their reward is preserved with Allah. 

Ali ibn Abi Talib, may God be pleased with him, said: I was at the mosque in Medina, and Mus'ab ibn Umayr - the most refined youth of Mecca- came in wearing a patched cloak.  When God's Messenger saw him, he recalled his former luxury, and his eyes welled with tears.  Then he turned to us, "Are you better today, or when platters of bread and meat were brought to you?" We said, "We were better then, relieved of the burdens of hunger and free to focus on worship." He, peace be upon him, said, "No, you are far better today than you were then."

We find a similar example in what happened between our beloved Muhammad and the men of Medina during the pledge of allegiance in Aqaba.  The Messenger, peace be upon him, said to them: "Come and pledge allegiance to me on the condition that you do not associate anything with Allah, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not kill your children, do not falsely accuse anyone, and do not disobey me in what is right. Whoever among you fulfills this, their reward is with Allah. If anyone commits these sins and is punished in this world, it will serve as their atonement. However, But if Allah keeps your mistakes hidden, it's up to Him; He may punish them if He wills, or forgive them if He wills." 

Take note that Prophet Muhammad did not promise the companions victory, riches, or vast lands; instead, he said: "For you is Paradise." Why?  Because Allah wants faith in the Hereafter, not greed in this world.  Had Muhammad promised them the spoils of their enemies, then what about the companions who may die before seeing any of it?  How about those who would fall in battle?  What truly mattered to the believers was knowing that the Messenger of God was one of their own, and they were connected to him.  This bond assured them that they would enter Paradise with him, fulfilling their ultimate aspiration.

Likewise, when Jesus, peace be upon him, asked, "Who will be my supporters toward God?" he made the goal of reaching Allah clear and central.  God's messengers speak of guaranteed matters, not fleeting worldly pleasures.  Whoever fulfills the requirements of faith and sacrifices for the truth has their reward with Allah. 

At the Battle of Hunayn, Prophet Muhammad gave some spoils to the Muhajiroon while the Ansar received none.  Understandably, they felt something in their hearts.  He, peace be upon him, turned to them and said, "Are you not satisfied, O Ansar, that people return to their homes with sheep and camels while you return with the Messenger of Allah?  By Him in whose hand is my soul, were it not for the migration, I would be a man of the Ansar.  If people took one path and the Ansar another, I would take the Ansar's path.  O Allah, have mercy on the Ansar, their children, and their children's children." They wept until their beards were soaked, saying, "We are satisfied with the Messenger of Allah as our share and portion." What sublime faith is this?

The hypocrites did not understand this.  They were tight-fisted in everything good.  They tried at every chance to splinter the Muslims, saying to the Ansar, "Do not spend your wealth on those with the Messenger of Allah until they disband." Yet, the believers held as one.  They left behind luxury and wealth in Mecca and were not seeking any in Medina.  Their hearts were set on the eternal, boundless joys promised in Jannah.  Why?  Because they understood that worldly luxury is fleeting.  You either leave it all behind by death or lose it through life's twists and turns, but the luxury of the Hereafter has no limit; it neither leaves you nor is left behind by you.

The verse continues, "and hide the bounty Allah has given them." When something is hidden, we understand that, naturally, it seeks to emerge.  Every blessing from Allah, whether it's money or wisdom, is meant to flow and benefit people, unless someone purposely hides them.  When someone hoards a blessing, they stop it from fulfilling its true purpose, making it feel wasted, almost as if the object or knowledge itself is frustrated about being hidden away.  In fact, if you obstruct God's provision from its natural mission, those blessings can actually feel sad and even become resentful toward you.  You might think, "Can things that aren't alive really feel that way?" Yes, they can!  It's essential to open your mind to the idea that even inanimate objects can experience a kind of grief.  Listen to the following Aya,

Neither heavens nor earth shed a tear for them, nor were they given any time.  (Chapter 44:Verse 29)

Heaven and earth do weep, though not with tears, but in a way only Allah truly understands.  Thus, when you read "and hide the bounty Allah has given them," know that all blessings from Allah aren't truly yours; you didn't create them but are entrusted with them.  Take a look around at the universe; it's all temporary.  Haven't you seen a strong man become disabled?  A rich person becomes poor?  How about a teenager suddenly dying?  The world is ever-changing.  Why not take heed of the countless profound lessons around you?  Give and share while you still can.  Give before Allah changes your condition from someone who can be generous to someone desperate for others' generosity.  I advise you to save your wealth for a rainy day, not by hoarding, but through giving and sharing.  God says,

As for those who are tight-fisted, direct others to be miserly, and hide the bounty Allah has given them.  We have prepared a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers.

(Chapter 4: Verse 37)

See what stinginess does to people!?  It brings them ruin.  The phrase "We have prepared" means that all is ready and done.  Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "Paradise was shown to me; if I extended my hand, I could have taken its fruits." Allah wants you to know that your destination is ready, not planned, not under construction, but done and awaiting you.   

Another phrase we should pay attention to is "a humiliating punishment." Why humiliating?  Because a proud sinner might boast, saying, "I can bear the punishment," as the poet said:

I endure to show my detractors that I am unshaken by time's trials.

Allah clarifies that when the stingy person is punished, he or she will not be able to act tough and will try to show they are not affected by the pain.  In the Hereafter, God Almighty will penalize them with a punishment so severe that they will be screaming and begging in humiliation.