Proper Use of Allah’s (s.w.t.) Blessings

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is a transcript of a talk by Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad. 

One of the blessings of praying to the Merciful Lord to, “Guide us on the Straight Path,” is that we should utilise our material blessings and assets to be of benefit to us in this life as well as in the next.  How many people waste their lives and the precious material gifts that the Merciful Lord Bestowed on them?  Many of them became pauper after having much, and they then realised that they wasted their time and resources in things that did not stay with them forever.  They then had to continue the journey of life with very little, or in some case with nothing. 

Sometimes the thought may come to the minds of the believers and that is, why is it that Allah (s.w.t.) is bestowing so much of material things on the rejecters of His Oneness?  Many of them do not only misuse their wealth, but they also cause harm, hardship and suffering to believers who may not agree with what they are doing.  Such a thought once crossed the mind of Moses (a.s.) when he saw how Pharaoh was using his God-Given gifts to torture and torment the Children of Israel.  When Moses (a.s.) saw what Pharaoh was doing, he prayed to Allah (s.w.t.): 

سُوۡرَةُ یُونس

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ ءَاتَيۡتَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَأَهُ ۥ زِينَةً۬ وَأَمۡوَٲلاً۬ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِكَ‌ۖ رَبَّنَا ٱطۡمِسۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ وَٱشۡدُدۡ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَلَا يُؤۡمِنُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ (٨٨) قَالَ قَدۡ أُجِيبَت دَّعۡوَتُڪُمَا فَٱسۡتَقِيمَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعَآنِّ سَبِيلَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ (٨٩) 

Moses prayed, “Our Lord!  You have indeed Bestowed on Pharaoh and his chiefs splendour and wealth in the life of the present, and so, our Lord they mislead (men) from Your Path.  Deface, our Lord, the features of their wealth, and Send hardness to their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous Penalty.”  Allah Said, “Accepted is your prayer (O Moses and Aaron)!  So stand you straight, and follow not the path of those who know not.” (Surah Yunus:88-89) 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) used to feel sorry for those who wasted their wealth, talent and life by staying busy with only the material life, not realising that one day they would die and leave all these things behind them. So sad and depressed, he used to be when he saw how these people were wasting their lives, that Allah (s.w.t.) had to Console him: 

سُوۡرَةُ الکهف

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌ۬ نَّفۡسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمۡ إِن لَّمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا (٦) 

You would only perchance, fret yourself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message. (Surah al-Kahf:6) 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) knew that, out of ignorance, the non-believers spend all their time trying to acquire as much as they can the wealth of this world and then they will be Called back by the Lord and they will die and leave everything behind them.  And some of their inheritors may even abuse what they got.  Muslims are taught to manage their precious time and resources properly, so that these things can benefit them while they are alive in this world, and will also benefit on the onward journey and in the next life.  Islam teaches us how to do so.