Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope. (18:46)
HabibuLlah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said to the effect in the following two Hadith:
When the belly of Makkah will be cleft open and through it will be dug out river-like passages and the buildings of the Holy City of Makkah will rise higher than its mountains. When you observe these signs, then understand that the time of Fitna is near at hand.
A time will come when the best property of a man will be his goats with which he can go up to the mountains peaks, leaving the hustle and bustle of town life. For his sustenance he should depend on his goats. He will be much safer in the mountains than in the towns where visible and invisible trials are ready to descend upon him.
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Imagine the area your footprints occupy while standing to be worth SR250,000? Or increase that to an area you could reach by slightly stretching your arms and splaying your legs…about one square meter to be worth one million riyals? (‘approximate’ exchange rates: US$250.000, AD$350,000, pounds sterling 140,000) This is the projected value for land (Property Prices to Soar Due to Grand Mosque Expansion) adjacent to Masjid Haram Makkah after a few weeks when the next large area for development will see hundreds of the older buildings demolished.
I wonder whose footprints graced this very land in times gone by? Did our Noble Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam tread pathways there as he visited Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhum, did he wander these mountains so close to his home with our Lady Khadijah RadhiAllahu anha, or maybe his esteemed daughters RadhiAllahu anhunna played and frolicked in the desert sand in this place so near to where they were born and spent the early days of their lives.
Maybe it was land owned by Abu Bakr as-Siddiq RadhiAllah anhu who being one of the most wealthy of the Quraish left his entire property and possessions when he fled with our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alahi wasallam. A sacrifice so many of the illustrious companions made for their Akhirah. We could allow the mind to wander, just as the certainty is that this land was traversed by previous Prophets alaihumus-Salam, the Sahabah RadhiAllahu anhuma and thousands of our pious predecessors in their search and sacrifice for Truth.
Maybe some of the following accounts from the Awliyah took place on this sacred land about to be redeveloped?
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Once Sheikh Abu Ya`qub Basri Rahmatullah alaihi remained in I`tikaaf for ten days in the Haram Shareef. He did not get a morsel of food in all this time. Finally hunger and weakness overcame him. He set out with the intention of obtaining some food. When he came to a desolate place in the desert he saw a decaying turnip laying on the ground. As he picked it up, a fear settled in his heart. It was as if someone was rebuking and taunting him:
“After starving for ten days, your reward is a rotten turnip”
Sheikh Ya`qub threw away the turnip and went to Musjidul Haraam. After some time a man appeared. Placing a bag in front of Shaikh Ya`qub, the man said:
“This bag containing 500 Ashrafis (gold coins) is for you.”
Sheikh Ya`qub: “Why is it specially for me?”
The Man: “I was on a voyage for ten days. The boat was about to sink. Everyone in the boat made a pledge to Allah Ta`ala, vowing to give some Sadaqah if he was saved. I vowed to give 500 Ashrafis to the first person by the Ka`bah on whom my eyes fell.”
Sheikh Ya`qub: “Open the bag.”
When the bag was opened, instead of Ashrafis, it contained some delicious varieties of foods. (The coins were miraculously transformed into food). Sheikh Ya`qub ate from the food and instructed the man to distribute the remainder among his children. Sheikh Ya`qub Rahmatullah alaihi said to himself:
“O nafs! Your rizq was coming towards you since the last ten days while you went in search of it to the wilderness.”
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Hadhrat Sheikh Abu Bakr Kitaani Rahmatullah alaihi narrates:
“I was once in Makkah Muazzamah in the company of a group of Sufiyaa Kiraam who were discussing the question of Allah’s Love. The youngest of the group was Hadhrat Junaid Baghdaadi Rahmatullah alaihi. The Sufi’s urged him to speak on this question.
Hadhrat Junaid Rahmatullah alaihi lowered his head and shed tears profusely. Then he said: “A lover is such a servant whose ego has been eliminated. He is absorbed in the thikr of Allah. He fulfills the rights of Allah. He looks with his heart towards Allah. The rays of Divine Fear have consumed his heart. The cup of Wine of Divine Love is for him. From behind the unseen veils Allah has become manifest to him. When he speaks, he speaks with Allah. When he moves, he does so with Allah’s command. When he rests, he rests with Allah. He is constantly with Allah he exists with Allah and he is in Allah’s companionship.”
All the Mashaa-ikh shed tears in abundance and said: Can anyone say anything more superb? O Taajul Aarifin (crown of the Awliyah)! May Allah increase your intelligence and wisdom.”
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An Aabid who lived near to the Haram Shareef fasted every day. Every evening a man delivered two bread to him. The Aabid dissociated himself from every one and was engrossed only with Allah Ta`ala.
One day it occurred to him that he was relying on the man for his rizq, not on Allah Ta`ala. He said to himself: “You have forgotten the One who is the Sustainer of the entire creation.” When the man came with the bread, the Aabid refused to accept it. Three days went by but the Aabid had nothing to eat. He supplicated to Allah Ta`ala. That night he dreamt that he was in Allah’s Presence. Allah Ta`ala said to him: “O My Servant! Why did you reject whatever I had sent to you with one of My servants?”
The Aabid: “O Allah! I derive no solace from anyone besides You.”
Allah Ta`ala: “Who used to send the bread to you?”
The Aabid: “O Allah! Only You had sent it.”
Allah Ta`ala: “From whom were you taking it?”
Aabid: “From You, O Allah!”
Allah Ta`ala: “Henceforth accept it and do not reject it.”
Suddenly the Aabid saw the man who used to deliver the bread. He too was standing in Allah’s Presence. Addressing the man, Allah Ta`ala said: “Why did you terminate the rizq of this servant?”
The man: “O Allah! You are fully aware.”
Allah Ta`ala: “O My Servant! To whom were you giving?”
The man: “To You, O Allah!”
Allah Ta`ala: “Continue your practice and be firm. The thawaab for your practice (of delivering the bread to the Aabid) is Jannat.”
[When charity is given, it is given in reality to Allah Ta`ala, and when accepted, it is taken from Allah Ta`ala.]
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Once Sheikh Shibli Rahmatullah alaihi debated with himself: “Am I a miser or not.” He could not resolve his inner dispute. He pledged that whatever wealth he receives he would give it to the first faqeer he met. Even before completing his vow, a man appeared and presented 30 dinars to him. Taking the dirhams, Hadhrat Shibli set out in search of a faqeer. At the barbers shop he saw a blind faqeer whose hair the barber was cutting.
When Hadhrat Shibli offered the dinars to the blind faqeer, he said: “Give it to the barber.” Hadhrat Shibli said: “These are dinars (i.e. gold coins).” The faqeer, raising his head, said: “Did we not say to you that you are a miser?”
Hadhrat Shibli then presented the dinars to the barber, but he said: “When this faqeer came to me, I pledged to Allah that I will not accept any fee.” Feeling highly ashamed, Hadhrat Shibli flung the dinars into the river and commented:
“O wealth of the world! May Allah disgrace you like this. Whoever loves you, will be disgraced by Allah.”
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Hadhrat Ibraheem Bin Ad`ham Rahmatullah alaihi said to a man who was making tawaaf:
“You will never attain the elevated ranks of the pious as long as you have not traversed six difficult valleys. First Valley – The closing of the door of bounties and the opening of the door of hardship. Second Valley – Closing of the door of honour and opening of the door of disgrace. Third Valley – Closing of the door of comfort and opening of the door of toil. Fourth Valley – Closing of the door of sleep and opening of the door of wakefulness during the night. Fifth Valley – Closing of the door of wealth and opening of the doorof poverty. Sixth Valley – Closing of the door of wishes and opening of the door of preparations for Maut.”
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How much closer are we to the End of Times as predicted signs manifest before our very eyes? Are we prepared? What more can we do with our time to earn a place in Jannah? How much responsibility are we shouldering by instilling the love of the Deen in the younger generation? Are we steadfast with a daily practice that assists our focus on our Akhirah rather than this temporal Dunya?
Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope.
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.