Let it be for prosperity, justice and obedience to God
By
Dr Mohd Farid Mohd Shahran
Director, Centre of the Study of Syariah Law and Politics, Institute of Islamic Understanding
According to a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission report, among the main causes of corruption, especially among civil servants, are greed and the tendency to have a lifestyle beyond their means.
The problem is aggravated by an unhealthy environment where extreme obsession with material wealth is predominant.
This tendency should not be underrated. The love of wealth, according to the Prophet, is the everlasting inspiration that is continuously being refreshed in the psychology of man: "The children of Adam will surely be getting old, but two things in him that will always be young, his hope and his love of wealth."
In Islam, to gain material wealth is originally permissible. Its status will, later on, depend on how it is used or misused.
While proper accumulation and distribution of wealth can create a prosperous life and boost the economy of a country, excessive aggrandisation of wealth could cause destruction to individuals, society and civilisation.
Imam al-Ghazali, the great Muslim sage of the 12th century, gave an interesting analogy on this dual nature of wealth. Wealth, according to him, is like a snake, which, inherently, has both poison and cure, and danger and benefit.
Those who know well about a snake will be able to use its venom as an antidote to its poison. Similarly, whoever knows the nature of wealth will know how to avoid the danger of wealth and gain benefit from it.
But just like the snake, mankind, out of ignorance, is rather open to the danger of material wealth than its benefit, particularly those who are new to it.
This is what Umar al-Khattab, the second caliph of the Islamic Caliphate, hinted at when he wept after seeing the abundant wealth of the fallen Persian Empire, including fine carpets brought back by his lieutenant, Sa'ad bin Abi Waqas, upon his return from war.
When he was asked the reason for his sadness on that supposedly joyful occasion, he responded: "This abundance of wealth has been the cause of the downfall of the Persian Kingdom, and now it comes to us to indicate our downfall."
The philosophy of wealth as reflected in Umar's words is the gist of how Islam views the possession of wealth. Islam is neither against material pursuit nor opposes accumulation of wealth.
The only caution Islam puts forth is the danger of excessive preoccupation in accumulating and conglomerating wealth either at the individual or collective level, which ultimately leads to selfishness, greed, corruption and discrimination.
The Quran strongly states the danger of piling up wealth to the extent that it influences the whole psychology and worldview of a person: "Woe to every scandal-monger and backbiter. Who pileth up wealth and layeth it by. Thinking that his wealth would make him last forever. By no means! He will be sure to be thrown into that which breaks to pieces" (Surah al-Humazah (104): verse 1-4).
To those who are involved in business and trading that deal with abundant wealth and being the door to richness and greater fortune, the Quran has an extra reminder concerning the danger that lies in the love of material profit to the point of being heedless to the love of the Divine and the Prophet: "Say, if it is that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred, or the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you are fear a decline or dwellings in which you are delightful, are dearer to you than Allah or His Messenger, or striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decision; and Allah guides not to the rebellious" (Surah al-Tawbah (9): verse 24).
And to those who have the opportunity to misuse power in accumulating wealth, there is a stern warning from God: "And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption" (Surah al-Shu'ara (26): verse 183).
It is clear that with a correct worldview, especially on the position of wealth as a means to a higher objective such as prosperity, justice and obedience to God, the obsessive accumulation of wealth that is destructive can be curbed.
