Imam Bukhari records from Sayyidina Anas that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “If the son of Adam had a valley full of gold, he would like to have two valleys, for nothing fills his mouth except dust. And Allah forgives him who repents to Him.”
The Tafsir of Surah At-Takathur, Chapter 102 of the Quran emphasizes the futility of excessive competition for worldly gains and material wealth. It warns that such distractions can lead to neglecting the remembrance of Allah and the afterlife. The surah highlights that people will eventually realize the consequences of their excessive focus on material pursuits. Just as the bible said: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-37
Surah at-Takathur reads: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 1. The mutual increase diverts you, 2. Until you visit the graves. 3. Nay! You shall come to know! 4. Again nay! You shall come to know! 5. Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge. 6. Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire! 7. And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight! 8. Then on that Day you shall be asked about the delights!
The word takathur is derived from the root kathrah, and means ‘to amass much wealth’. Qatadah says that this word is also used in the sense of ‘taking pride in the abundance of material goods’. Sayyidina Ibn ‘Abbas reports that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) recited this verse and explained its meaning, thus: “Acquiring wealth but not paying out of it the obligatory dues.”
Allah says that all are preoccupied by love of the world, its delights and its adornments, and this distracts you from seeking the Hereafter and desiring it. These delays you until death comes to you and you visit the graves, thus becoming its inhabitants.
Acquisitiveness, that is, the passion for seeking an increase in wealth, position, the number of adherents or followers or supporters, mass production and mass organization, may affect an individual as such, or it may affect whole societies or nations.
Up to a certain point it may be good and necessary. But when it becomes inordinate and monopolizes attention, it leaves no time for higher things in life, and a clear warning is here sounded from a moral point of view. Man may be engrossed in these things till death approaches, and he looks back on a wasted life, as far as the higher things are concerned.
That is, until the time comes when you must lie down in the graves and leave pomp and circumstance of an empty life. The true reality will then appear before you. Why not try to strive for a little understanding of that reality in this very life?
Three kinds of “yaqin” (certainty of knowledge) are described in Surah 69:51. The first is certainty of mind or inference mentioned here: we hear from someone, or we infer from something we know: this refers to our own state of mind. If we instruct our minds in this way, we should value the deeper things of life better, and not waste all our time in ephemeral things. But if we do not use our reasoning faculties now, we shall yet see with our own eyes, the penalty for our sins. It will be certainty of sight. We shall see Hell. But the absolute certainty of assured truth is that described in Sura 69:51. That is not liable to any human error or psychological defects. But verily it is Truth of assured certainty. (Quran 69:51)
All Truth is in itself certain. But as received by men, and understood with reference to men’s psychology, certainty may have certain degrees. There is the probability or certainty resulting from the application of man’s power of judgment and his appraisement of evidence.
This is “`ilm-ul-yaqin”, certainty by reasoning or inference. Then there is the certainty of seeing something with our own eyes. “Seeing is believing.” This is “`ain-ul-yaqin”, certainty by personal inspection. See Sura 102:5, 7. Then, as here, there is the absolute Truth, with no possibility of error of judgment or error of the eye, (which stands for any instrument of sense perception and any ancillary aids, such as microscopes, etc.). This absolute truth is the “haqq-ul-yaqin” spoken of here.
We shall be questioned, i.e., we shall be held responsible for every kind of joy we indulge in-whether it was false pride or delight in things of no value, or things evil, or the enjoyment of things legitimate, – the last, to see whether we kept this within reasonable bounds.
It is therefore important for our thieving elite who take pride in robbing the exchequer to note that there shall be a reckoning. A day they will answer for all the billions and trillions they have stolen. How on this God created Earth can some people amass so much wealth that would last till the ‘second coming’?
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is recorded in the Book of Ar-Riqaq (Narrations that soften the Heart) from Anas bin Malik, who reported that Ubayy bin Ka’b said, “We used to think that this was a part of the Qur’an until the Ayah was revealed which says; The mutual increase diverts you.”
He was referring to the Hadith in which the Prophet (SAW) said, If the Son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire another like it…
Imam Ahmad recorded from ‘Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir that he said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) while he was saying, ‘The mutual increase diverts you.’ “The Son of Adam says, “My wealth, my wealth.” But do you get anything (of benefit) from your wealth except for that which you ate and you finished it, or that which you clothed yourself with and you wore it out, or that which you gave as charity and you have spent it?”
Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i also recorded this Hadith. Muslim recorded in his Sahih from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: The servant says “My wealth, my wealth.” Yet he only gets three (benefits) from his wealth: that which he eats and finishes, that which he wears until it is worn out, or that which he gives in charity and it is spent. Everything else other than that will go away and leave him for the people.
Al-Bukhari recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Three things follow the deceased person, and two of them return while one remains behind with him. The things which follow him are his family, his wealth and his deeds. His family and his wealth return while his deeds remain.
The owners of the Hilltop mansions should take a leaf from what became of Ijesa Lodge, Castle of Mercy, Deribe Mansion, sprawling residence of Adebisi Idiikan, omo Ogunja and of course, Darocha’s Water House.
Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that the Prophet (SAW) said: The Son of Adam becomes old with senility, but yet two things remain with him: greed and hope.
Again nay! you shall come to know! Meaning, ‘if you knew with true knowledge, you would not be diverted by rivalry for wealth away from seeking the abode of the Hereafter until you reach the graves.’ Then Allah says, Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire! And again you shall see it with certainty of sight!
Allah then says: Then on that Day you shall be asked about the delights! Meaning, ‘on that Day you all will be questioned concerning your gratitude towards the favors that Allah blessed you with, such as health, safety, sustenance and other things. You will be asked: Did you return His favors by being thankful to Him and worshipping Him?
Ibn Jarir recorded that Al-Husayn bin ‘Ali As-Suda’i narrated from Abu Hurayrah that he said, “Once while Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were sitting, the Prophet (SAW) came to them and said, What has caused you two to sit here? They replied, “By He Who has sent you with the truth, nothing has brought us out of our houses except hunger.’
“The Prophet (SAW) said, By He Who has sent me with the truth, nothing has brought me out other than this. So they went until they came to the house of a man from the Ansar, and the woman of the house received them. The Prophet said (SAW) to her, Where is so-and-so? She replied, ‘He went to fetch some drinking water for us.’ So the man came carrying his bucket and he said, ‘Welcome. Nothing has visited the servants (of Allah) better than a Prophet (SAW) who has visited me today.’ Then he hung his bucket near a palm tree, and climbed it and returned to them with a cluster of dates. So the Prophet (SAW) said, Why didn’t you pick (some of them)? The man replied, ‘I wanted you to choose with your own eyes.’ Then he took a blade to slaughter a sheep and the Prophet (SAW) said, Do not slaughter one that gives milk. So he slaughtered a sheep for them that day and they all ate.
“Then the Prophet (SAW) said, You will be asked about this on the Day of Judgment. Hunger caused you to come out of your homes and you did not return until you had eaten this meal. So this is from the delights.”
It has been confirmed in Sahih Al-Bukhari and the Sunans of At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, Two favors are treated unjustly by most people: health and free time. This means that the people are lacking gratitude for these two favors.
Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (SAW) said, Allah the Mighty and Majestic says on the Day of Judgement, “O Son of Adam! I made you ride upon the horses and camels, I gave you women to marry, and I made you reside and rule (in the earth). So where is the thanks for that?”
Let us ponder over these and reflect deeply. Have we been grateful for all that we have received and answer the question: Which of the favors of Allah can we deny? The phrase “which of the favors of your Lord do you deny?” is a recurring question in Surah Ar-Rahman (Chapter 55 of the Quran), highlighting the countless blessings bestowed by Allah. The response from believers is that none of His favors are denied, acknowledging His gifts such as faith, health, wealth, and the environment. This verse serves as a reminder to be grateful for the divine blessings in our lives.
Barka Juma’at and happy weekend.
