Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 863 [Read full issue]
Sound Aspiration
Disengaging from the malady of materialism requires engaging the higher purpose for which we were created, the prelude to which is sound aspiration (iradah). What is meant by 'sound aspiration' is the desire to draw closer to Allah through inner struggle, or mujahadah; in other words it is the heart's quest for its spiritual sustenance.
One of the fruits of this aspiration is that of being granted inner peace. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever makes the Afterlife his concern, Allah will gather together his affairs, place contentment in his heart and the world will come to him despite his reluctance; whoever makes the world his concern, Allah will split-up his affairs, put poverty before him and nothing of the world will come to him except what Allah has written for him." [Tirmidhi]
Perhaps the profoundest fruit that arises as a result of this aspiration is being indemnified in Allah's divine love - as the Prophet said: "Whenever Allah loves a person, He shelters him from worldliness." [Tirmidhi]
Here the question is often asked: how should material possessions and wealth be dealt with, should they be totally abandoned? The answer to this apparent 'dilemma' was aptly given by Ibn Taymiyyah who said: "Wealth should be viewed just like the toilet, in that you have need for it and resort to it when necessary, but it has no place in your heart."
Compiled From:
"Exquisite Pearl" - Abd Al-Rahman Al-Sadi, pp. VI-VIII