Article Op-Ed

Prophetic Ways to Maximize Your Earnings - 2 of 15

Prophetic Ways to Maximize Your Earnings - 2 of 15


Author Shannaan Dawda by

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Photo Credit: 401(K) 2012

The author's views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of AtlantaMuslim.com. Also, the comments posted on this Website are solely the opinions of the posters.

There is no doubt that another way to increase our earnings/rizq is to seek Allah's forgiveness for our sins. When we sincerely repent to Allah, He rewards us by accepting our repentance and blessing us with worldly gain.

This begs a question. What is repentance?

Repentance is more than just saying "Astaghfirullah" (I seek Allah's forgiveness). According to the Quran and sunnah, saying such words without any faith or effect on the heart are signs of hypocrisy. Scholars of Islam have laid down the certain criteria for any repentance to be accepted by Allah.

The Criteria for Repentance:

First and foremost, we must repent purely for the sake of Allah. Not because of our parents, our peers or our jobs but for our Creator. No worldly factor should influence our reason for repenting. The Prophet (pbuh) said that all actions are judge by the intent behind them.* Thus, even though repentance may cause us to receive worldly gain, this should not motivate our repentance.

Secondly, we should immediately stop performing the sin that we were committing. How can our repentance be sincere if we continue to commit the sin? Makes sense if you think about it.

Third, make sincere intention to never return to that sin.

Fourth, we should feel guilt over the sin that committed because feeling a true sense of shame is a critical part of repentance.

Fifth, we need to seek Allah's forgiveness in both word and action. Verbal repentance consists of saying any phrases that mentioned in the Quran or Sunnah praying that Allah showers His Mercy and Forgiveness for the sins committed, the most common being "Astaghfirullah."

Finally, if the sin committed involved taking the rights of other humans or harming them in some way, forgiveness must be asked of them.

Qur'an Proof:

There are a number of verses in the Qur'an that address repentance but I selected Surah Nuh ayats 10-12.

"I said (to them): 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord: Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; He will (then) send rain to you in abundance, and give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens, and bestow on you rivers."

This verse shows us a number of points:

  • Allah is the one that forgives sins, also proven when Nuh says, “He is the one that continually forgives."
  • Seeking forgiveness causes Allah to bless the people by sending them rain, not just an ounce, but continually.
  • Sincerely repenting causes increase in money, children, property and land, and ensures the proper cultivation of that land.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir stated, "This verse means that if you repent to Allah, and seek his forgiveness, and obey him, then your rizq (i.e. rain), and the fruits of the earth will grow for you, and the crops would grow, and the udder would be full, and He will give you property, wealth and children, and He will give you gardens of all types of fruit, and scatter therein running streams."**

This is why great scholars and leaders used to seek Allah's forgiveness during times of drought or poverty.

 

If Allah has promised to reward those described in the ayat, what is to say that He would not give us the same type of rizq if we sincerely repent for our wrongdoing?

Let us repent to our Creator often and be on the lookout as we will soon, if Allah so wills, discuss a third way to increase our earnings.


*Reported by al-Bukhari
*Tasfir Ibn Kathir, v.4, p.449

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