Khutba on Wealth and Shukr
الحَمْدُ للهِ، الحَمْدُ للهِ دائِمِ الفَضْلِ والإِحسان، الذي يستحِقُّ أن يُشكَرَ في القلبِ والجوارحِ وعلى اللِّسان، وأن يُحْمَدَ في وَقتِ الفَرَحِ وفي وقتِ الِامتِحان، نَحْمَدُهُ تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، مَنْ يَهْدِ اللهُ فلا مضل له، ومَنْ يُضلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ، ونَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، له الملك وله الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا ومولانا مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُه وَرَسُولُهُ، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدّى الأمانة ونصح الأمّة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحقّ، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعَلَى آلِهِ وأَصْحابِهِ ومَنْ تَبِعَهم بإِحْسانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَيَا عِبَادَ اللهِ اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون، يا أيها الذين آمنوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا، يُصْلِحْ لَكُم أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا، يا أيها المسلمون اتقوا الله فيما أوصى وأمر، وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر
Given our topic last week, I have been asked about what is the best state for the human being: being wealthy, being poor or having just enough. The first thing that must be said with regard to this is that it depends on the person – for some wealth distracts them from their Lord and poverty reminds them of their need of Him, while for others poverty brings misery and anxiety about provision, while wealth reminds them of the extraordinary generosity of their Lord. For such people, their best state is clear. But for others who are not distracted by wealth or the lack of it from their Lord, although each of these states brings benefits, wealth is considered better. For while the poor person is rewarded for his sabr and his state encourages him to acquire and embody that characteristic, the state of the wealthy man encourages him to acquire and embody the equally praiseworthy characteristic of shukr, about which we shall speak in a moment, while at the same time enabling him to bring benefit to others, not just himself. For wealth, like ilm, can be given to others, and it is well-known that the person of knowledge is better than the worshipper for that very reason. It was this excellence and advantage of wealth that caused some of the poorer Companions to come to the Prophet and complain, saying,
ذهب أهل الدثور بالدرجات العلى
“The people of wealth have taken all the highest levels”, and in another version, “…have taken all the reward.” And it was on account of this excellence that the Messenger of Allah used to ask for wealth in some of his duas and seek protection from poverty, saying,
اللهم إني أسألك الهدى والتقى والعفاف والغنى
“O Allah, I ask you for guidance, taqwa, modesty and wealth.” And,
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من الفقر، والقلة، والذلة
“O Allah, I seek Your protection from poverty, scarcity and humiliation.”
Wealth is a great tool and a wonderful means of getting close to Allah when it is acquired in the right way and for the right reasons, and used in the right way and for the right reasons. But, similar to knowledge, if it is hoarded and held back, and not given out in the way of Allah or to those who merit or require it, or put to good use, then it becomes a burden and a weighted chain that pulls you down and away from your Lord. If it is not accompanied by shukr, then it becomes a source of harm and the means to your ruin, not the means to your success. And the truth is that not many of Allah’s slaves truly possess shukr. Allah says,
وقليل من عبادي الشكور
the translation of which is, “Few of my slaves are truly thankful.” And that is the reason for many of the warnings against wealth.
Shukr starts with the knowledge and acknowledgement that all that we have, we owe to the fadl/favour and generosity of our Lord. That includes our life, our deen, our talents and faculties, and whatever good or wealth comes into our hands. It all belongs to Him, none of it is ours by right, and He allows us to make use of it. He clothes us, feeds us and gives us the keys to His treasure houses. He makes everything around us serve us, even the sun and moon, the oceans and the seas, the animals and the trees. And all He asks in return is our shukr. Indeed, that shukr, to feel that state of thankfulness, is one of the main reasons we have been put on this planet. It is as essential to the human nature as breath and life itself. Allah says,
وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Allah says, the translation of which is, “Allah brought you out of your mothers’ wombs knowing nothing at all, and gave you hearing, sight and hearts so that perhaps you would show thanks.” He brought us into existence, and gave us whatever knowledge and faculties we possess, so that we would show gratitude to the One to whom we owed it all, not because He has need of our gratitude or is benefited by it in any way, but because it is only with that gratitude that we ourselves are able to benefit from any of it. Allah says,
وَمَنْ شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ
Allah says, the translation of which is, “Whoever gives thanks only does so to his own gain. Whoever is ungrateful, my Lord is Rich Beyond Need, Generous.” That is our fitra, that is what keeps us on an even keel and maintains the delicate balance between ourselves and the world around us. Without it, societies become arrogant and self-entitled and act in such a way that brings about their own destruction, as we have seen throughout history and in the many stories of the past peoples that are recorded in the Quran. And that is exactly what we are witnessing today where people attribute all that they have to their own hands and own effort and expertise, and are loathe to let anybody else share in it. And so they hoard and withhold and take without thought of consequence or harm to others. They are much like Qarun, who said,
إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ عِندِي
“I have been given it only on account of a knowledge I possess,” And we all know what what happened to Qarun. He was swallowed up and destroyed. One minute he was there and the next gone, no trace of him remaining. He had no shukr to protect him or his assets and so he lost everything in the blink of an eye.
The true secret to the acquisition and preservation of wealth is and always has been shukr, never taking it for granted and never losing sight of where it comes from. It is that which will ensure that you always use it in the way that brings most benefit to you in this world and the next. As Allah says,
وَلَإِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُم
the translation of which is, “If you are thankful, I will increase you.”
أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين كما ينبغي لجلالِ وجهِهِ وعظيمِ سُلطانِه، أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، صلى الله وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وصحبه، والتابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته
As we have shown in the first khutba, the quality of shukr is one that is vital to the human condition, and one that every successful human being must possess. Indeed, it is one of the characteristics with which Allah frequently describes His Prophets and Messengers in the Quran. But what does it mean to be shakur? What does it mean to be thankful? It is not enough to simply feel grateful, that thankfulness must be expressed at three levels: on the tongue, in the heart and through the limbs.
Shukr of the tongue is expressed in two ways: the first way is by speaking about the blessings your Lord has given you. Allah says,
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ
the translation of which is, “And as for the blessing of your Lord, speak out!” And the Prophet said,
التَحَدُّثُ بِنِعْمَةِ اللهِ شُكر
“Speaking about the blessings of Allah is shukr.” Speaking about Islam, speaking about the life and qualities of the Messenger of Allah, speaking of the awliya, speaking about the good things your Lord has granted you, all that is shukr. And if done correctly, it is not boasting, simply joy and delight.
The second way is by hamd – praising Allah. The basic formula for doing this is by saying al-hamdu lillah and is the way that Allah Himself taught us to praise and thank Him, opening His Book with those very Words. There is no better way of expressing your thanks to Allah with your tongue, and simply by saying it, you bring further blessings upon yourself. The Prophet said,
ما أَنعمَ اللهُ عَلى عَبدٍ مِن نعمةٍ صغُرَتْ أَو كبُرتْ فقال الحمدُ لِلهِ إِلا كَان قد أُعطِيَ أفضلَ مِمَّا أَخَذَ
“There is no slave who says alhamdulillah upon receiving a blessing from Allah, large or small, except that Allah grants that slave another blessing better than the one he received.”
The second level of shukr, shukr of the heart is acknowledging in your heart that every blessing that comes your way is from Allah and from Allah alone, and knowing for certain that that is the case. It is narrated that Musa asked Allah, "How was Adam able to thank You for the incredible blessings You bestowed upon him, for You created him with Your own hands, blew the ruh into him directly, made the angels bow down to him and taught him the names of everything." Allah replied,
علِمَ أنّ ذلك منّي، فكَانت معرفتُهُ بِذلك شُكرا
“He knew that those things were from Me. And the fact that he knew that was his shukr.” This knowledge of which we speak is a conscious awareness and implies a perfect tawhid – an awareness that Allah is One and that He is the only Actor – an awareness that nothing comes to pass except through His Power.
However, a word of warning. The fact that the ultimate source of every blessing we receive is Allah does not mean that we overlook the means by which it reaches us. The Prophet said,
لا يشكُرُ اللهَ مَن لا يشكُرُ الناسَ
“The one who has not thanked people has not thanked Allah.” In other words, Allah does not accept the shukr of the slave who does not thank the means, so make sure to always thank people, whoever they may be, when they do you a good turn.
The final level, shukr of the limbs is wearying out the limbs in the worship of Allah. It is doing actions for no reason other than for the sake of Allah. It is obeying Allah not because you have to but because you need to. This aspect is best expressed by the famous hadith of ‘A’isha, in which she narrated that the Messenger of Allah used to stand in prayer during the night for so long that his feet would become swollen, so one night she asked him why he used to do that when Allah had already forgiven him everything he had ever done and everything he would ever do. He replied,
أفلا أكون عبدا شكورا
“Should I not be a grateful slave?” That is shukr. Indeed, every aspect of the life of the Messenger of Allah was shukr. And emulating his sunna and putting it into practice in all its aspects is one of the best ways to demonstrate our gratitude to our Lord. We ask Allah to give us the capacity to bring that sunna back to life and appreciate the tremendous blessing that it represents. We ask Allak to grant us tongues which are always wet with His praise and thanks, hearts which are always filled with gratitude and contentment, and limbs which move only out of obedience to Him. We ask Allah to enable us to see His hand in everything and grant us the shukr of the awliya and salihin.
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله في سورة النور أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شَيْخِنَا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ، وَاخْذُلِ الْكُفْرَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ، وَانْصُرِ المُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ. وَاجْعَلْ كَلِمََتَكَ هِيَ العُلْيَا وَكَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ هِيَ السُّفْلَى.
رَبَّنَا ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقَِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.
إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ.