Our Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "There is no sin in being rich, as long as one has God-consciousness (taqwa). But good health is a greater blessing that being rich for the one of God-consciousness" [Reported by Ibn Mājah].
From this beautiful pearl of a hadith, we learn:
- Being wealthy in and of itself is neither a sign that Allah loves us, nor a sign that He is displeased with us. Money intrinsinically is neither good nor evil. It's what we *do* with the money, and how we earn the money, that makes it blessed or accursed.
- Nonetheless, money is one of the most powerful incentives for evil, and a primary source of temptation. Hence, most religious texts caution us against an excessive love of money and warn us of the dangers of making it our primary goal. What will prevent us from falling into that temptation is taqwa (God-consciousness).
- Health is far more important than wealth. Ask any rich person who is afflicted with an incurable or painful disease: how much of his wealth would he sacrifice to be cured?! So the one who has been blessed with good health is far, far richer than the one who has been blessed with only money.
- More important than either health or wealth is God-consciousness (taqwa). The ultimate blessing of any person is not in temporary enjoyments, be it life or material possessions. What makes a person truly blessed is the connection that he has with Allah, and the level of consciousness that he constantly displays.
May Allah perfect our taqwa, grant us good health for as long as we live, and bless us with ḥalāl, pure blessed sustenance that is sufficient for us and our loved ones!
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