Jaabir (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, “No meat (i.e. person) that was nourished with haraam will enter paradise. Every meat (i.e. person) that was nourished with haraam is more deserving of the Fire.” (Musnad Ahmad, Daarami, Baihaqi; Mishkaatul Masaabih pg. 242, Qadeemi)
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Verily, Allah is Pure and He only accepts pure, and indeed Allah commanded the Believers what He commanded the Messengers. He said: ‘O Messengers, eat of the pure things and perform righteous acts. Verily, I am Well-Aware of what you do.’ And He said ‘O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided you with, and give thanks to Allah if Him it is that you serve.’
Then the narrator of the hadith says: Then he (i.e. the Prophet) made mention of a man who is constantly in journeys and has dishevelled hair and dusty appearance (due to constant journeys for performing acts of righteousness such as Hajj, Umra, seeking knowledge etc.) and he raises his hands towards the sky saying “O my Rabb. O my Rabb”. But his food is from haraam. His drink is from haraam. His clothes are from haraam. He is nourished from haraam. How can it (his prayer) be accepted?” (Muslim; Mishkaatul Masaabih pg. 241, Qadeemi)
Ibn Mas’ood (Radiyallaahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, “A slave (of Allah) who acquires haraam wealth and gives charity from it, it is not accepted from him. If he spends from it, he does not have any blessing (barakah) in it. If he leaves it behind him (i.e. he dies) it will be a means of taking him to the fire (of Hell). Verily, Allah does not wipe out evil deed with evil deed; instead, He wipes out evil deed with good deed. Indeed, the repulsive does not wipe out the repulsive.” (Musnad Ahmad, Sharh As-sunnah; Mishkaatul Masaabih pg. 242, Qadeemi)
Excellence in All Aspects
Ihsan can mean “good character” but a greater meaning is that of “excellence” or “perfection”. Prophet Muhammad (S) said, ““Allah has prescribed “Al Ihsan” in every matter.” [Muslim]. It is a matter of taking one’s inner faith and showing it in both deed and action, a sense of social responsibility borne from religious convictions. Ihsan is the Muslim’s responsibility to obtain perfection, or excellence in worship, such that we try to worship God as if we see Him, and although we cannot see Him, we undoubtedly believe that He is constantly watching over us.
This striving for excellence has to be rigorous when it comes to our earnings as well. As mentioned earlier, someone who does constant acts of righteousness such as Hajj, Umrah and seeking knowledge etc runs the risk of having his prayer and supplications not accepted by Allah, and all this because of unlawful earnings.
Seeking excellence in ensuring your earnings are lawful and full of barakah and blessings is to give your best in your work, and to fear Allah with regards to cheating others, or going into contracts or agreements that are oppressive.
Effects of Consuming Haram Wealth
Consuming haram wealth results in:
- Food that you buy with the ill-gotten wealth lacks blessings and results in ill-health. It harms instead of nourishes.
- Getting your heart hardened
- Laziness in performing acts of worship
- Difficulty in getting up for tahajjud
- Strained relationships with parents, spouse, children
- General unhappiness and unease in life
- Resistance to performing taubah and reflection
- Wealth increases but due to the lack of barakah, it never feels enough
The sources of haram wealth may not just come from your work but also inheritance. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Learn inheritance and teach it for it is half the knowledge and it will be forgotten, and it is the first thing to be ripped from my Ummah” (Ibn Majah 2710).
He also said: “Learn inheritance and teach it to people for I am a mortal being and knowledge will decrease until two people would differ amongst themselves over inheritance, but wouldn’t find an arbitrator” (al Nisa’i 6305).
There are amongst us today people who took a share of their parents’ wealth when it was not their due. Many families fight when there’s a death in the family, especially when the deceased owns a large estate. The fighting and trips to the courts to accumulate their share of the inheritance can get very messy and ugly. The continued use of that wealth (if it isn’t their right) is disastrous to their spirituality and afterlife whether they realize it or not.
As the Prophet (S) mentioned, the knowledge of Islamic Inheritance and Will (Faraidh) is one of the first knowledges to be lifted. Living in the end of times and seeing the above-mentioned scenario playing out with people we know, even when we know them to be pious and righteous people, is disturbing.
We should take it upon ourselves to learn about this knowledge so that we not only save ourselves and our families from falling into sin when a death occurs, but we can also help and serve others with this knowledge.
Syariah Consultancy is conducting a Basic Faraidh course this weekend and it is not too late to attend! You can get your tickets at http://www.islamicevents.sg/event/4008.
In this course, you will learn how to:
1) Settle all burial matters
2) Settle debts owed by others to the Deceased
3) Settle debts the Deceased owes to others and Allah swt (Zakat and Hajj Badal)
4) Settle what has been willed
5) Distributing wealth to family members
Consistently ensure that your sources of wealth are pure so that it invites barakah into your food, clothing and your life, and eventually, Allah’s Pleasure in the Hereafter.
