Page 254 - A Call For Unity

A Call for Unity

but do not help the needy. This is definitely behavior of
which Allah does not approve. They forget that Allah is per-
fect and above all needs, and that people need to earn His
good pleasure by using their gifts given by Allah wisely. In
the Qur'an Allah reveals the truth of this statement:
Here you are then: people who are called upon to spend
in the Way of Allah and then some of you are tight-fist-
ed! But whoever is tight-fisted is only tight-fisted to
himself. Allah is Rich and you are poor. If you turn
away, He will replace you with a people other than your-
selves, and they will not be like you. (Surah
Muhammad: 38)

People who think that wealth and property are eternal
are wrong. In fact, such things have no value in His Presence:
We never sent a warner into any city without the afflu-
ent people in it saying: "We reject what you have been
sent with." They also said: "We have more wealth and
children. We are not going to be punished." Say: "My
Lord expands the provision of anyone He wills or re-
stricts it. But the majority of humanity do not know it."
It is not your wealth or your children that will bring you
near to Us – only in the case of people who believe and
act rightly; such people will have a double recompense
for what they did. They will be safe from all harm in the
High Halls of Paradise. (Surah Saba: 34-37)

The Torah states: Woe to you who add house to house and
join field to field till no space is left, and you live alone in the land
(Isaiah, 5: 8). Judaism condemns hording possessions and
greed.

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