The purpose of wealth

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

An Example of Selective Quoting:

During my stay in India, I would often come across people hanging frames in their houses and stores containing this verse:

{هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي}

{This is by the Grace of my Lord}

What they failed to realize is that this was only a part of the verse. A lot of them neither knew the complete verse nor did they know which Surah it was taken from:

{هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ}

{…This is by the Grace of my Lord to TEST me whether I am GRATEFUL or UNGRATEFUL! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his ownself, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his ownself). Certainly! My Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), Bountiful.} [Surah al-Naml (27):40]

Since some of them did not know the complete verse, the purpose of this wealth became obscure to them. They failed to realize that this wealth and whatever other blessings which Allaah bestowed upon is an Amaanah (trust) from Allaah تعالى to them, so that through it Heتعالى can test them whether they will be grateful to Him or not.

Abu Waaqid رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Indeed Allaah تعالى said: {We have sent down wealth so that the prayer is established and charity is given and if the son of Aadam was given a valley (full of wealth), he would crave for another one, and if he had two valleys, he would crave for a third. Nothing will fill the stomach of the son of Aadam except dust. Then Allaah will turn to whoever turned to Him (in repentance).}” 

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (5/218-219) and Tabaraani (3300 and 3301). Shaikh al-Albaanee said in al-Saheehah (1639), its chain of narration is “Hasan” (good) and it is on the condition of Imaam Muslim except for Hishaam bin Sa`d. And it has supporting chains which makes it “Saheeh” (authentic)].

And Salaah is established for Allaah’s remembrance and obedience:

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي﴾

{Verily! I am Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As-Salaat (Iqaamat-as-Salaat) for My Remembrance.} [Surah Taahaa (20): 14]

So do not let your wealth divert you from Allaah’s remembrance:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾

{O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allaah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers.} [Surah al-Munaafiqoon (63): 9]