Bismihi Ta`ala
*SALAAH IS THE SOLUTION FOR THE SCARCITY-CRISIS.*Although there are efforts of humans to influence economic stimulus to improve the health of the economy to generate higher life standards, yet until now, no man or empire have been able to change the fate of the economic ‘’boom-bust’’ circle. Human enjoy the boom of the economy and wish that it endure for ever. But an invisible force from within the economy drag the system from the full swing boom where everyone are employed and enjoying high living standards to its unpleasant recession where the market becomes gloomy and the society full of unemployment. Boom brings employment and boost purchasing power. This improves living standards. Then comes inflation that shrink the purchasing power. Slowly bringing living standards low. Then From a boom to a bust or a recession, Allah Ta`ala controls the economy of the world with a full grip that no one escape it.The boom bust economic circle was stated by our beloved prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam 1400 years ago:سنن الترمذي – () حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ مِنْهَالٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ وَثَابِتٌ وَحُمَيْدٌ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَغَلَا السِّعْرُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ سَعِّرْ لَنَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّزَّاقُ وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى رَبِّي وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يَطْلُبُنِي بِمَظْلِمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلَا مَالٍقَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
Reported in Tirmizi, Abu Dawood and Ibn Majah that prices rose in the market of Madinah Munawarah. So the sahabahs came to Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam as the head of the state to fix the prices. So the beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam gave an economic definition answer: ‘’It is Allah who fixes the prices! He is the One who contracts the system, He is the One who expands it and He is the One who is the Provider. And I want to meet my Lord in such a state that no one amongst you has a complaint against me in terms of injustice of either blood or in money terms.’’(Tirmizi)A few words that contain an ocean of meaning. Let`s see the first phrase: ‘’It is Allah who fixes the prices.’’Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam indicate here that the economic phases of inflation/rising of prices is in the hands of Allah Ta`ala. That Allah Ta`ala alone who controls the economy and fixes the price. Economists mention the ‘’invisible hand’’ in their theory of definition of prices in a free economy. This confirms the fact that the most healthy economy is a free economy. That is no interference is made in prices and demand and supply are left free to interact. And when Allah Ta`ala wills, He will create inflation and hence reduce purchasing power. Hazrat Ali ra used to say that when unwanted fate comes in the breaking of my careful plans, then I recognized Allah Ta`ala`s forceful presence. All humans wish to have continuous high living standards and full employment. But it is in the plan of Allah to reduce economic activities and bring a recession or a bust soon. So Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said:’’ He is the One who contracts the system, He is the One who expands it and He is the One who is the Provider.’’The circle of boom bust circle defined by the prophet Muhammad Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam sitting in Masjid An Nabawi 1400 years from now. Telling us that whatever economic issues you have, then turn to Allah Ta`ala. Finance, debt, unemployment, etc should be addressed to Allah Ta`ala for improvement. Nowadays, the pandemic has left many in chaotic financial difficulties. The only out is through salaat and duas:Our beloved prophet Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam used to advise his family to establish salaah whenever there used to be scarcity in the house. He would then read the following ayah: (Shu`abul Imaan)
وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى [طه : 132]
“Bid your family to establish salaah and adhere to it yourself. We ask no provision from you. It is We who give you provision. And the ending will be in favour of Taqwa(the pious).”(20:132)شعب الإيمان -أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو نَصْرِ بْنُ قَتَادَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ النَّضْرَوِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ نَجْدَةَ، -]- حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَمْزَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ، قَالَ: ” كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا نَزَلَ بِأَهْلِهِ شِدَّةٌ أَوْ قَالَ: ضِيقٌ أَمَرَهُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَتَلَا ” { وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا } المعجم الأوسط – الطبراني – ()حدثنا أحمد قال : نا سعيد ، عن عبد الله بن المبارك ، عن معمر ، عن محمد بن حمزة بن يوسف ، عن أبيه ، عن جده ، عن عبد الله بن سلام قال : كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم « إذا نزل بأهله الضيق أمرهم بالصلاة ، ثم قرأ : ( وأمر أهلك بالصلاة واصطبر عليها () » الآية
Hazrat Umar ra used to read long tahajjud and then he would wake his family up at the end portion of the night reading the above ayah.(Muatta Malik) Indicating that tahajjud salaah improve one`s financial status.
الموطأ – مالك – (و حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِك عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِكَانَ يُصَلِّي مِنْ اللَّيْلِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ أَيْقَظَ أَهْلَهُ لِلصَّلَاةِ يَقُولُ لَهُمْ الصَّلَاةَ الصَّلَاةَ ثُمَّ يَتْلُو هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ{ وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى }
Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam used to read this du`a after Fajr salaah:
اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا
O Allah! I seek from You a beneficial knowledge, an accepted action and a pure sustenance.(Nassai; Ahmad)مسند أحمد ط الرسالة -حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ أَبِي عَائِشَةَ، عَنْ مَوْلًى لِأُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ: فِي دُبُرِ الْفَجْرِ: ” اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا
So salaah and du`as are the core ingredients to improve one`s financial of affairs.Finally, in the last part of the first hadith, Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said that he did not want to meet Allah Ta’ala in such a state that he has caused any difficulty to anyone. Because if it is a cost push inflation, then the seller in the market would have bought the goods expensive. Hence if price set under their cost level, then this would have caused them loss. So Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam did not want to cause anyone harm in anyway. We have to be more careful that we do not hurt anyone’s feelings or harm them in any way because they will call a case of injustice in the court of Allah Ta’ala. Injustice towards others will be settled with large amount of your good deed assets. Today you are in charge. Tomorrow you will be charged. In a riwayat of Abu Dawood, Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said that ‘’I would rather make du`a’’ for the improvement of this inflationary phase:سنن أبى داود – (حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ أَنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ بِلَالٍ حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الْعَلَاءُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَأَنَّ رَجُلًا جَاءَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ سَعِّرْ فَقَالَ بَلْ أَدْعُو ثُمَّ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ سَعِّرْ فَقَالَ بَلْ اللَّهُ يَخْفِضُ وَيَرْفَعُ وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَلَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدِي مَظْلَمَةٌ
So sabr, salaah and duas are the solution of the present economic crisis.
Mufti Mackoojee+23057921333