Tag Archives: Muslim children
Why I’m Currently Writing a Book about Shari‘ah-compliant Investing in the Stock Market
I was a typical guy. I was also a typical guy like you or most of you. On financial matters, I thought I had a ‘strong’ tawakkul (reliance on God).
Immediately after graduation from college with a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies Major in Islamic History, I was immediately hired by the university, thanks to having graduated as magna cum laude and the 1994 top graduate in the entire Mindanao State University System (with eight campuses across Mindanao).
12 Financial Stories for Muslim Kids
It was then my daughter’s first summer vacation after graduation in elementary. Over lunch I was mentioning to her the articles I was planning to post at one of my blogs – www.MuslimandMoney.com – and also the book – ‘Muslim Couple and Money’ – I was currently writing then.
Curious enough, she asked, “Papa, do you have also plan to write ‘Muslim Kid and Money’ for us youngsters?”
Almost spontaneously, I replied, “Yes, I also want to… Can you help me in this project?”
Story #9: The Late-comer of Caravan
In the darkness of night, from a very far distance, they heard a voice of a young man screaming. He was imploring and demanding help. His weak and scrawny camel had remained behind the caravan and lagged entirely. He finally, exhausted, stretched out and slept. He did what he could for moving his camel, but it was in vain. Helplessly standing beside the camel, he was yelling for help. Meanwhile, the Holy Prophet, who usually moved behind – in the end of the caravan so that a weak and helpless person who parted from the caravan, would not remain alone or helpless – heard the yelling voice of the young man. As the Prophet approached him, he asked: “Who are you?”
“I am Jabir.”
“Why were you kept waiting and wondering?”
Story #8: The Black Market
The family of Imam Ja-far al-Sadiq, a great grandson of Prophet Muhammad, increased in number. And so did the cost of living. The Imam decided to do trading to increase his income through investing capital so as to meet his family expenses. He arranged an amount of one thousand Dinars and told his servant Musaddif to take that amount of one thousand Dinars and get ready for a trade journey to Egypt.
Musaddif, with that money went and purchased a type of goods usually exported to Egypt. He went and joined with a caravan of traders who were taking the same type of merchandise to Egypt and left for Egypt.
Story #7: Ascetic’s Advice
The summer heat had become intensified. The sun rays beat down Madinah”s city, garden and farms around it. In such a critical weather condition, a man named Muhammad ibn Munkadar – identified himself as one of the ascetics, pious and anchorites – arrived in Madinah. His eyes cast over a corpulent man who had obviously come out to visit and inspect his farms at that time. Because of his fatness and tiredness, he was treading by his side with the help of a few persons, certainly his friends and relatives.
He thought: “Who is this man in this hot weather of the day leading a busy worldly life?” He came nearer to this person. To his surprise, he was Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn (Imam al-Baqir)!
Story #6:– The Needy and the Wealthy
As usual, the Prophet was sitting in his place in between his Companions. They formed a circle around him and it seemed to be as if the Prophet was a bezel of a ring in between them.
Suddenly one of the Muslims, a poor man dressed in rags, came in through the door. According to the Islamic tradition, regardless of his status, anyone who enters in an assembly should sit wherever he finds an empty place, not considering whether the particular place is suitable for his social status. Therefore, that man looked around, found a vacant place, went, and sat there.
Incidentally he settled down next to a rich and wealthy man. The rich man gathered the edges of his dress and shifted on to another side away from him.
The Holy Prophet was watching and observing the behavior of the wealthy person.
He turned towards him and said: “Are afraid that something of his poverty would transfer to you?”
“No, O Messenger of Allah!”
“Did you fear that some of your wealth might adhere to him?”
“No, O Messenger of Allah!”
“Perhaps…”
“No, O Messenger of Allah!”
“Then why did you draw yourself aside and shift away from him?”
“I confess that I committed an error and made a mistake. At present, in order to compensate my error and to expiate the sin, I am ready to grant half of my wealth to this Muslim brother towards whom I have shown disrespect.”
The man in rags replied: “But I am not ready to accept this offer.”
The Companions asked: “Why?”
The man said: “I fear that I may become arrogant and ill-treat one of my Muslim brothers in the same way that this man did towards me today.”
Source: Murtada Mutahhari, THE NARRATIVES OF THE VERACIOUS, Story 17.
Financial Lesson of the Story:
- Preservation of one’s self-esteem and personal integrity.
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Story #5: ‘Ali and Assem
After the end of the battle of Jamal, Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib arrived in Basrah. During his stay in Basrah, once he went to visit one of his companions named ‘Ala ibn Zaid Haressi’. This man owned a very big and luxurious residence with all comforts. ‘Ali, after traversing his eyes on such big and magnificent building, said: “What is the use of such big residence in this world while you are in more need of a vast abode in the hereafter? If you wish to make use of it as a means to attain a spacious residence in the hereafter, you must welcome and entertain guests, be friendly with your blood relatives, clarify the rights of Muslims, take an advantage to vitalize and reveal the rights of others and neglect your personal greedy monopoly and individuality in its use.”
‘Ala said: “O Leader of the believers! I complain to you of my brother, Assem.”
Imam ‘Ali: “What is the complaint?”
‘Ala: “He has started the life of a recluse, dressed himself in rags, isolated himself from this world, and deserted everything and everyone.”
Imam ‘Ali: “Bring him in front of me!”
Assem was brought before the Imam, who turned the face towards him and said: “O enemy of your own life! The devil has stolen your sense. Why don’t you have sympathy for your wife and children? Do you believe that Allah, Who made the pure bounties of life licit for you, will be displeased with you if you benefit them? You are smaller than that before Allah.”
Assem: “O Leader of the believers! You are also like me, imposing the difficulties on yourself! You do not cover your body with soft dresses, nor eat delicious meals. Therefore I am doing the same thing which you are doing, and I am following the same path which you have chosen.”
Imam ‘Ali: “You are making a mistake. There is difference between me and you. I shoulder responsibilities of Leadership of Government but you do not. The duties of a Leader and Governor are something else. Allah made incumbent on the just leaders to take the weakest social classes of people as an example of their own personal lives and live in the same manner as the most empty-handed ones survived so that poverty and indigency does not leave impression on them. Therefore, I am having responsibilities and you have another obligation.” (Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 208)
Source: Murtada Mutahhari, THE NARRATIVES OF THE VERACIOUS, Story 16.
Financial Lessons of the Story:
- To engage in worship cannot be an excuse to abandon one’s physical necessities and social obligations.
- Both attachment to material things and abandonment of the good things in this world are condemnable in Islam.
- The Leader is supposed to serve as a model and to consider the condition of the lowest class in society.
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