The Wrong Motives of Life

The Wrong Motives of Life

Opening

"I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaitan"

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

"All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions, all of them."

As-salāmu alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Introduction

May the peace and blessings of the Almighty be on one and all. Today we will be discussing another very very important topic, and that is what we see around us.

What do we see? We see a lot of things. One of them is everybody is running, everybody is racing. Racing to do what? Racing to get more, to have more, to have the latest, to have everything the others have, and even more, and better, and to see who has the best, and so on.

The Race Behind Materialism

This is more like a rat race, the race behind materialism. If we are to run behind materialism, materialism has no end. A lot of the times, the example that people give is that of the mobile phone.

We always want the latest, even if the phone we have does our job, and it is good, and it has been faithful to us. We still want to change it, we want to update it. Sometimes when we cannot even afford to have a mobile phone, and we would have it, we would borrow, we would live on that, which is credit in the sense that we owe people, and we don't even have the means to own something, and we want it.

The same applies to a motor vehicle, where you have a person who has a car, they've barely afforded it, but they want another one, they want to update it, and they keep on updating it, and they look at the other one, and they want that one as well. And then they are never happy with what they have, because they see what others have. We are taught as Muslims, be happy with what you have.

Islamic Teaching on Contentment

Look at what you have, concentrate on it, and thank the Almighty for what He has given you, and for where He has placed you. And this is the contentment of the heart that is required by a believer. And we need to know, yes, if you can afford it very comfortably, then go to it, and maybe perhaps you are allowed to have it.

But what you do need to understand, and I do need to understand as well, is that I need to tailor make my life according to my budget. What I have is the budget. What I own is the amount that I have.

I need to make sure that I buy that which I can afford. Why should I buy something I cannot afford? It is a burden on the shoulders. It is something that will bog me down.

The Dangers of Living on Credit

It is always a worry in the mind. Some people have, and we have seen this happening even in advanced countries, some people have lived on credit all their lives. So they have a job.

The job pays them a good salary. Their car is on higher purchase. The furniture is on higher purchase.

The television on higher purchase. The computer is on higher purchase. The phone is on higher purchase.

The furniture, everything on higher purchase. So much so that even their holidays are not yet paid for. And they have just swiped a card, and it keeps on adding.

They did not calculate that one day we might lose the job. Then how are we going to pay for it? And this has happened. It has happened in the most advanced of countries.

And we need to know that it can happen anywhere. And for this reason, Islam teaches us don't live on credit. Live your life according to your means.

Practical Islamic Guidance

If you cannot afford a holiday, don't go on it. Or go on a more basic holiday. If you cannot afford a mobile phone, don't have one.

If you cannot afford a vehicle, go with public transport. It might be better for you. And so on.

Yes, we should aim right at the skies. No harm in that. But do not pretend like you're living on a cloud when you have not yet moved above the ground.

Because that will probably bring you crashing to the ground. And this is why we say the race towards materialism does not stop. It continues.

The more we run, the faster it runs. So we continue running behind it, and there is no stopping.

The Impact on Marriage and Family

Sometimes it even gets to our marriages.

And this is a point that might be a red button being pressed, but we need to say it. When a person is used to changing everything, every time a new model is out, they want a new car, a new phone, a new

watch, a new this, a new house, a new... Some people who are weak, it might even seep into their marriages, where they no longer are interested in their own wives. Why? There is a new model out, so to speak.

What does that mean? There is someone who wears a different type of clothing, who has a different cut, different likes, and everything is totally different, much younger, and so on. We need to be careful. We should never allow this to seep into that department of our lives.

And for this reason, we say harness it from the very beginning, and you will be calm. You will lead a relaxed life. How many poor people do we have who sleep very well? And on the other hand, how many rich do we have who cannot sleep without a sleeping pill? How ironic! It should have been the other way around.

Divine Wisdom in Material Limitation

But the reason is, sometimes the more we get, the more we want. And for this reason, the Almighty keeps us, sometimes, slightly backward, so that we can enjoy our sleep, we can have a happy home. So many people, when they've got enough money, enough time, enough good health, so to speak, they tend to think of sin.

And they'd like to go and spend it in the casinos, you know, on people whom they are not supposed to be spending it upon, spending nights out, engaging in adulterous affairs, and so on. Because they've got the time to do that, the wealth to do that, the health to do that. So, as a gift of the Almighty, He sometimes keeps us less wealthy, so that we don't even go there.

He sometimes keeps us less healthy, so that we don't have the health to do that. And sometimes He keeps us occupied, so we don't have the time to do that. And we lead a happier home, a happier life, a happier family.

Our children are always with us, on our laps, you know, having the meals with us, and so on. Whereas you have, sometimes, those who have been given a lot, they don't have a meal with their children. Their children are distant.

They have a relation with them which is very plastic, or should I say, very cosmetic. We ask the Almighty not to make us from those. Yes, there is an exception.

The Exception: Righteous Use of Wealth

There are those who are wealthy, and they use their wealth in the right direction. And they do not allow that wealth to develop, or should I say, to change in a negative way, their character and conduct. Because sometimes what wealth does, it messes a person up.

Or, to word it more correctly, as we've always said, wealth does not spoil you, but it gives you the opportunity to show who you always were inside. And I think we've explained this in the past. Like someone working for a boss, and his boss tells him something he doesn't like.

He might be very upset. He wants to show it, but because he's not as wealthy, he cannot show it. So he says, Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir. Okay, sir. But his heart is bubbling and bursting with all this, you know, want to actually clarify and to answer back.

He hasn't done it, because of his standing. The minute he gets wealth, the wealth did not spoil him, but it gives him a chance to answer back and say, Who do you think you are? If you have, we have as well. And for this reason we say, we need to have the best character and conduct prior to when we've had wealth, whilst we have the wealth, and even after it's gone.

The Importance of Humility

And when we remain humble, we won't suffer depression, if we suffer a loss. The minute we live a haughty high life, one thing goes wrong and we're depressed. Why are we depressed? Because we were running behind materialistic items, and we wanted to live a life that was compared to those higher than us, rather than those lower than us.

And for this reason we say, it is best for us to look at those lower than us, so that we can appreciate the gifts of the Almighty upon us. Like we always say, if you don't have shoes, look at those without feet, and you will realize, at least I've got my feet, I might not have shoes. And this is just one example, in this way there are so many examples.

The Role of Media and Distinguishing Needs from Wants

The youth out there, definitely the media plays a big role, a very big role, in convincing people to want things, that they don't actually need. And this is why we need to distinguish between the wants and the needs. You need something, that is different.

But when you want something, can you afford it? Is it necessary? Even if you can afford it, is it going to result in the destruction of your marriage, in the pushing away of your own children, or in the loss of respect, or in the changing of your habits in a negative way? If it is, leave it out.

It's only something you want, you don't actually need it. You'd rather remain with that which you need, and have an intact family, with positive, you know, relatives, and family members, and a good work environment, and so on.

That is much much better, than being a person who has everything, no friends, no family, nothing good in life. And this is why I repeat, and I'd like to end with this. There are many people, who have really prayed for lots of wealth, and when that wealth came to them, it actually came to them with more negativity, than anything else.

The Consequences of Excessive Wealth

They lost their family members, they lost their relatives, they lost their children, and they lost their sleep as well. Sometimes they lose their health as well. Do you know when you can afford food, and you eat a lot of junk food, and you eat a very very unhealthy, solely because you can afford it? Sometimes the Almighty does you a favor, you simply cannot afford it, and you don't know that the gift, or should I say, you know, the side kick of that, was that you would remain much healthier, than those who could have afforded everything, and did have it.

Conclusion

So sometimes it's a gift of the Almighty, let's become happy with the condition we are on, and let us learn to budget very carefully, before we spend, spend very carefully, don't waste that money, and remember, the needs come before the wants.

Closing

Until we meet again, As-salāmu alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh.