6 Financial Behaviors That Strip Wealth of Its Blessing
The human mind
is never free from concepts into which certain misconceptions can creep, and
perhaps one of the most prominent is the concept of blessing in wealth.
Many people reduce it merely to large numbers or increasing income, overlooking
its deeper meaning that goes beyond calculations—toward peace of mind,
usefulness, and a positive impact in life.
How often do we
see people who possess much wealth yet complain of scarcity, while others with
little live in ease and contentment? The difference is rarely in the amount of
income, but rather in certain financial behaviors that strip wealth of its
blessing, often without the person realizing it.
Financial behaviors that diminish the blessing of wealth include:
1.
Earning
money from questionable sources.
2.
Extravagant
or wasteful spending without awareness.
3.
Withholding
zakat and charity.
4.
Injustice
in financial dealings.
5.
Excessive
attachment to money.
6.
Frequent
complaints and lack of gratitude.
Earning Money from Questionable Sources
The first thing
that strips wealth of its blessing is acquiring it through impure means. Money
mixed with forbidden or dubious sources may increase in quantity but becomes
spiritually and morally constricted in effect. The blessing of wealth cannot
coexist with fraud, usury, or consuming the rights of others, for Allah is Pure
and accepts only what is pure.
Extravagance and Wasteful Spending Without Awareness
Not all
spending is praiseworthy. Extravagance is one of the
most destructive behaviors toward wealth. When a person spends without
calculation or purpose, wealth shifts from being a blessing to becoming a
source of anxiety. Moderation in spending is therefore a key means of
preserving sustenance.
Withholding Zakat and Charity
Some think that
giving zakat diminishes
wealth, but in reality, it preserves and grows it. Preventing zakat and charity
is one of the gravest causes of losing the blessing of wealth. Money that is
not purified is exposed to destruction. Allah says: “Take
from their wealth ˹O Prophet˺ charity to purify and bless them.” (At-Tawbah
9:103)
Injustice in Financial Dealings
Manipulating
prices, consuming partners’ rights, delaying workers’ wages, or earning through
deceit and oppression—all these actions quickly strip wealth of its blessing.
One may gain a deal, yet lose the peace and divine blessing that can never
coexist with such wrongdoing.
Excessive Attachment to Money
When money
becomes an end rather than a means, its blessing begins to fade.
Over-attachment breeds fear, miserliness, and anxiety. In Islam, wealth is a
blessing to be used, not a deity to be worshiped. Whoever keeps money in his
hand, not in his heart, Allah will preserve its blessing and increase His favor
and generosity upon him.
Frequent Complaints and Lack of Gratitude
Constantly
complaining about lack of wealth or restricted sustenance closes the doors of
gratitude—the key to blessing. A person may be deprived of the blessing of
money, not due to poverty, but because of dissatisfaction with what he has.
Gratitude does not mean stopping the pursuit of livelihood; rather, it means
acknowledging the blessing while striving.
In conclusion,
the blessing of wealth is not measured by the size of one’s balance, but by
conscious behavior and a straight heart. The more a person monitors his
financial conduct and avoids what displeases Allah, the greater his peace of
mind and the wider his sustenance. Protect your wealth from these destructive
behaviors, and you will find blessing accompanying it.
Read Also:
-
Prohibition of Usury in Islam… Why is interest prohibited in Islam?
-
Why has Islam Exempt Certain Wealth from Zakat?
-
Economic Meanings of Ramadan
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