Al-Risala (English), October-November 1992

One has to lose in order to gain

1992 10-11 October-November 16 One has to lose in order to gain (165) Kaab ibn Ujrah relates how one day he came before the Prophet and, noticing the marks of strain on his face, he asked him what was troubling him.· The Prophet replied that for three days his stomach had had nothing to fill it. Kaab then went out and found employment with a local Jew. He had to give water to the Jew’s camel and in return for each bucketful, he received one date. When he had a collection of dates he came before the Prophet, who asked him where he had found them. After he had explained how he came by them, the Prophet said, “Kaab, tell me, have you any love for me?” Kaab’s answer was that he would sacrifice his own dear father and mother for the sake of the Prophet. “Do you know the fate of one who loves God and His Prophet?” asked the Prophet. “Poverty, which will overtake him even more swiftly than flood waters streaming down a hillside.”

(AI-Taoarani)

The Best Wealth

1992 10-11 October-November 16 The Best Wealth (162) When this verse was revealed in the Qur’an: They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of God unto them give tidings of a painful doom (9:34). Then the Prophet said: ‘Woe to gold, woe to silver.’ When the companions of the Prophet learned of this they were upset. They began to ask one another. What things they were going to store then. At that time Umar was with them. Umar said, if you like I can put this matter to the Prophet. Everyone agreed, so Umar went to the Prophet and said, the companions are saying, ‘could we but learn which kind of wealth is better, we would store that and no other. The Prophet said: All of you should possess tongue which remembers God, a heart that thanks God and a wife that helps him in his path.’ (T’afsir ibn Kathir, Vol. II, p. 351). Another version has used the word ‘hereafter’ for faith.