Principles of Islam
58. Wealth
~ 175 ~
This indeed is a much more worthy goal than the
simple acquisition of wealth. But the attainment of this
goal is possible only when man devotes the greater
part of his energies towards reaching it. The activities
of earning money have to be kept within a certain limit
and only then will he find time to attain this nobler
goal.
Money may fulfill the physical or material needs of
man. But it is not sufficient to fulfill his spiritual and
intellectual needs. One who makes the acquisition of
wealth his life’s goal, will of course, continue to receive
bodily nourishment, but his soul will all the while
have been starving. The intellectual part of his mind,
remaining continuously in an under-nourished state,
will finally cease to exist.
That is why wealth is called
fitna
(source of trial, that
is, it is given to man as a test). The proper use of
money leads man to all kinds of progress, whereas the
wrong use of it casts man headlong into the pit of
destruction.
