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The merciful taught the Qur'an; he created man, taught him plain speech. The sun and
the moon have their appointed time; the herbs and the trees adore; and the heavens, he
raised them and set the balance, that you should not be outrageous in the balance; But
weigh you aright, and stint not the balance. And the earth he has set it for living
creatures; therein are fruits and palms, with sheaths; and grain with chaff and frequent
shoots; then which of your Lord's bounties will you twain deny?
[Qur'an 55:2-9]
As the verse mentions it, man should adjust himself to Nature. The balance has been set
to see if the man is able to keep his covenant. He is tested in his capacity of thinking and of
giving to himself a discipline. The revealed books were sent in order to give insights in the way
men should behave. The most perfect of those book is the last one -- the Qur'an. In it, men are
taught how to live in conformity with Nature. Muslims can find in there all they need to know
concerning how to live happily on earth and how to solve problems.
If men are granted such diversity and such a beautiful place as the earth to live on, in
Islam, the believers are often warned against wasting the treasures of the earth. They are
forbidden to waste the water even while performing ritual ablutions near a big river. Trees must
be respected even in time of war.
WASTING
It is worth mentioning that the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and the
righteous caliphs (Allah may reward them) counted among the poorest of the Muslims. They
were afraid they would have, on Doom Day, to account for everything they had spent. They did
not want to waste anything; to attain this state, they did not attach themselves to worldly things.
They hardly have a cloth to cover their intimacy, and they gave everything they could to the poor.
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Ordinary men are not asked to go that far. On the contrary, Muslims are permitted to
become rich and show their wealth, but they should never be arrogant, and they should observe
parsimony in everything.
It is He Who produces gardens, with trellises and without, and date-palms, and crops of
different shape and taste (its fruits and its seeds), and olives and pomegranates, similar
(in kind) and different (in taste). Eat of their fruit when they ripen, but render the dues
that are proper on the day that the harvest is gathered (i.e., zakât: 1/10th to 1/20th). But
waste not by excess: for Allah loves not Al-Musrifun (the wasters by extravagance; with
lack of wisdom and thinking, etc.).
[Surah An-‘âm (The Cattle): 6:141]
O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time
and place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess,
for Allah loves not the wasters
[Surah A’ râf (The Heights) 7:31]
What are the two very important principles these last verses teach to Muslims?
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So, men are encouraged to purify their wealth by an annual tax called the Zakat.
Furthermore, they are advised not to be excessive in performing acts of piety. Men should take
time to eat and take time to sleep because too much excess can lead them to sins.
How? Can you describe some situations as examples?
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Here is a story to ponder about from the Islamic traditions of Haadiths:
The Poor Man Said .
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