The Real Nature of Wealth
The religion of Islam does not command one to completely withdraw from the world and live in poverty (monasticism). To possess wealth and property is not inherently evil; the true disaster is when that wealth takes hold of a person's qalb (the heart) and distracts them from the dhikr (remembrance of God). ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Geylani (may Allah sanctify his secret) describes the correct relationship that must be established with wealth on the spiritual path with a magnificent depiction: "Take the world in one hand, and the Hereafter in the other. Bring them together. Place them somewhere. Then step out from between them. Turn to the Master." That is, a believer may possess worldly goods, hold them in their hands, conduct trade; but their qalb must be utterly bare and independent of them. A servant whose qalb harbors only love for Allah is the true rich one.
Wealth as a Servant
One who lets property into their qalb becomes a slave to their wealth; but one who removes wealth from their qalb becomes the master of it. Al-Geylani (may Allah sanctify his secret) reminds us that wealth is only a trust, saying, "Let your wealth remain in your house; let it stay in your pockets and in the hands of your children... You, wait aside." The servant should spend the lawful wealth they have earned not for the arrogance or pride of their nafs (the lower self), but in ways pleasing to Allah (charity, good deeds, zakat). A believer who acts with this awareness neither becomes arrogant when their wealth increases nor rebels when it decreases; for they know that the one who gives and the one who takes sustenance is only Allah, the Absolute Provider (al-Razzāq).
The Treasure of Contentment and the End of Greed
True freedom is to be liberated from the endless greed for the world. The human eye is never satisfied; "Those who are seized by greed to accumulate the world do so for show." Yet al-Geylani (may Allah sanctify his secret) teaches, "Teach contentment (qanāʿa) to yourself and your children. Consider being content as sufficient for them," showing that being satisfied with what is needed brings great tranquility to the qalb. Greed disgraces a person, forcing them to bow to oppressors and to creation. But the one who is content, accepting the share Allah has allotted, does not compromise their iman (faith) or honor while seeking sustenance.
Investing in the Eternal, Not the Transient
The person who sells their Hereafter for the sake of worldly gain is the greatest bankrupt merchant. A believer who lives with the awareness that "today is your last day in this life" does not hesitate to turn their wealth into provision for the Hereafter. When the Angel of Death comes, neither the gold in our pockets nor the mansions we inhabit will pass beyond the door of the grave. Those endowed with spiritual insight who realize this truth distribute their blessings to the poor in this world, look after orphans, and transform their wealth into an everlasting treasure in the eternal abode of the Hereafter. Keeping wealth at home but removing it from the qalb is the most magnificent spiritual alchemy for turning the transient into the everlasting.