15. Quran verse and the related Ahadith:

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاتة

بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِٱلرَّحِيمِ

قُلْ اِنَّ رَبِّىْ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَّشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلٰـكِنَّ اَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ

Say, "Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it], but most of the people do not know." [Al Quran, 34:36].

When the Prophets were sent to a township, its people who lived a luxurious life disbelieved them and transgressed their message. As Qatadah said, "They were their tyrants, chiefs and leaders in evil."

But the weaker people of the town believed them and followed them. This was the case with the societies of prophets from Nuh (AS) to Mohammad (SAW).

The wealthy people, who were proud of their great wealth and great numbers of children say, "We do not believe your message and we will not follow it." They were misled by their

provisions from Allah and say: "We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to be punished." They believed that that was a sign of Allah's love and care. He would not punish them in the Hereafter. Their Hereafter will be better than their worldly life.

Allah ask them: "Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them We hasten unto them with good things? Nay, but they perceive not." (23:55-56)

Allah Subhanahuthala says: "And it is not the wealth, nor the children that bring a man nearer to Us but only the faith, righteous deeds and good intentions of heart; as for such, there will be twofold reward for what they did, and they will reside in the high dwellings (Paradise) in peace and security.' (34:37)

Abu Huraira (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Verily, Allah does not look at your appearance or wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and actions.” [Sahih Muslim 2564 c]

Provision from Allahuthala is a kind of test/ trail in this word. The man has to understand that wealth is not theirs, it is from the mercy of Allah and man is only a trustee. Allah will test a wealthy man with their way of life - whether stingy/moderate/ extravagant in spending; humble/proud in their attitude, how he helps and shares the needy and how he pays his Zakath etc.

Wealthy people are more accountable in the way they earn, manage and spend their wealth than the poor.

Abu Barzah Al-Aslami narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:“The feet of the slave of Allah shall not move [on the Day of Judgement] until he is asked about five things: about his life and what he did with it, about his knowledge and what he did with it, about his wealth and how he earned it and where he spent it on, about his body and for what did he wear it out.” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 2417)

Narrated `Amr bin `Auf Al-Ansari (RA), the Prophet told, "..........By Allah, it is not poverty that I fear for you, but rather I fear you will be given the wealth of the world... and it will ruin you just as it ruined them." [Sahih al-Bukhari 3158].

For the poor people, restricted provision is a test/trail for their patience/sacrifice/inability/endurance

Narrated Usama (RA): The Prophet (SAW) said, "I stood at the gate of Paradise and saw that the majority of the people who had entered it were poor people, while the rich were forbidden (to enter along with the poor, because they were waiting the reckoning of their accounts) .... [Sahih al-Bukhari 6547].

Abu Sa'eed (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "The poor Muhajirin will enter Paradise before the rich among them by five hundred years." [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2351].

True richness is in the heart. True wealth is spiritual contentment. Anas bin Malik (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:"Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allah makes his heart rich, and organizes his affairs, and the world comes to him whether it wants to or not. And whoever makes the world his goal, Allah puts his poverty right before his eyes, and disorganizes his affairs, and the world does not come to him, except what has been decreed for him." [Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 2465]

As Allahuthala says in ayath 33:21 "There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent example for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often", Prophet Mohammad (SAW) led a simple life. The following hadith highlighted this Concept.

Abu Huraira (RA)reported: The Angel Jibriel (AS) was with the Prophet (SAW), and he looked towards the sky as an angel descended. Jibriel (AS) said, “Verily, this angel has not come down since the day he was created.” The angel said, “O Muhammad, your Lord has sent me to you with the offer that I make you a prophet-king or a servant-messenger.” Jibriel (AS) said, “Be humble before your Lord, O Muhammad!” The Prophet (SAW) said, “Rather, I will be a servant-messenger.” [Musnad Aḥmad 7120]

الحمدلله