When Is It Enough…?

When is it enough…?

-a journey towards
Contentment!

By

Syed Humam ibn Masood

With special thanks

To

Yasmeen Kauser Sheikh

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List of contents

1. About this book

2

2. Meaning of success
3

3. Two hungry brothers

4

4. Mankind, a single nation

5

5. Importance of helping others in Islam

5

6. Charity and rights of the poor

6

7. When is it enough…?
9

8. Wealth, a trial to the wealthy

10

9. The surprise exam

11

10. The time of disruption

12

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11. The deception

13

12. The final abode

15

13. The conclusion

18

About this book

O Allah! praise be to Thee, Thou art the Guardian of

the heavens and the earth and of those that are
therein , Praise be to Thee, Thou art the light of the
heaven and earth and of those that are therein, unto
Thee belongeth the praise, Thou are the Expediter
and Thou art the Deferrer , there is no god save Thee
and there is no god other than Thee.

In the glittering and glamorous world of today, where

peoples are running blindly after their desires and
dreams, this book helps the reader to understand
how much does he requires from this world and the
importance of the hereafter over this world.

The book “WHEN IS IT ENOUGH” also serves as a

reminder of the rights of the poor and needy people
and the need and importance of helping them

Moreover this book tells its reader, “WHEN IS IT

ENOUGH” and when one should start thinking about
others as well should.

May this book be a mean to increase the faith of the

reader.

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(Ameen)

◊Meaning of success

In today’s world of modernization, technology and

globalization, there are endless number of dreams and
desires. An ordinary human being works for hours in search
of a better life style or to put it simple, in search of the
success. But what actually the word success means? Oxford
dictionary defines success as “the accomplishment of an
aim or purpose”.

If asked what success is to a common man, the reply would

be, having a good job with a salary of 50k+, owning a luxury
car and a big house in a porch colony, etc… if that all is
attained by him, and he is asked if he is successful now?
Whether he had it all what he needed? Is he content? The
reply would be that he wants more.

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That is because, fulfillment of his previous desires has

arouse the new ones, now he wants to be the CEO of the
company he works in, and if that also is attained by him,
then he want his company to be the best in the world, then
he want to be the richest man on the earth, then he want to
be the king of the whole world and so on and so forth.

Human desires are endless and this can be used by the devil
as one of the most effective weapon through which he can
drive a believer away from the straight path and make his
mind occupied with the attainment and fulfillment of his
desires and thereby making him forget his duties towards his
brothers and sisters in Islam and humanity. So the questions
arise, when do we have enough for ourselves and when
should we start thinking about others?

(…and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not love the
extravagant.) (Al-A`raf: 31)

◊Two Hungry brothers

An individual working for the attainment of his endless

desires becomes a mean animal, which does not care about
anyone except of himself. A result of which, people who
need help are left helpless.

Explaining further by an example, once there were two

hungry brothers, one of them was given $10 by their father.
The one with the money had two options through which he
could have fed himself, one of those options were to have
food in an ordinary restaurant in $5 and give the remaining
$5 to his brother so that he could do the same and satisfy
his hunger. But he chose to go to an expensive restaurant
where he had lavish food for $10 and left his brother hungry.
And as a result he got scolded and beaten up by his father
for being selfish and mean

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Having food in an ordinary restaurant would have been

enough for him, considering the fact that he had a hungry
brother with him too. But he was driven by his own desires in
such a way that he forgot about his brother. That is how
devil can use one’s desires against himself. So if a father can
scold and beat his son for not caring for his needy brother,
then what do we expect from Allah for the same? Mankind is
a single nation, brothers and sisters to each other in
humanity. They all need to be helped and cared by each
other.

◊Mankind, a single nation

The whole mankind is created from a single pair, therefore

all are brothers and sisters to each others and therefore the
stronger ones should help and support the weaker ones so
as to establish humanity, unity and peace around the world.

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female,
and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily
the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of
you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well-acquainted.” (49:13)

◊Importance of helping others in Islam

A Muslim is a person from whom others get benefited and

helped, while in Islam, helping others holds a huge

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importance & reward, we can understand this with help of

the following hadith:

Ibn Abbas related that the Prophet said: “Any Muslim who gives a
Muslim a garment to wear will be in Allah's safekeeping as long as a
shred of it remains on him.”
(Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

Abu Qatadah related that the Prophet said: “If anyone would like Allah to
save him from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection, he should give
more time to his debtor who is short of money, or remit his debt
altogether.” (Muslim)

Safwan ibn Salim related that the Prophet said: “Anyone who looks after
and works for a widow and a poor person is like a warrior fighting for
Allah’s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all
night.”
(Bukhari)

Prophet Muhammad (saws) says, never to make one's own

perceptions; like being good with the good ones, and being
bad to the bad ones,
on the other hand he expects Muslims to be good to every
one, even if others are not good to them.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Do not be people
without minds of your own, saying that if others treat you well you will
treat them well, and that if they do wrong you will do wrong. Instead,
accustom yourselves to do good if people do good and not to do wrong if
they do evil."
- Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1325

Therefore helping people, doing good to the people and

giving the poor their rights is specially emphasized by
Prophet Muhammad (Saws)

◊Charity and rights of the poor

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As we earlier discussed that mankind is one single nation,

brothers and sisters to each other, which came into
existence by a single pair, therefore the needy should be
helped thorough charity and other means described by
prophet Muhammad (saws). In Islam, poor have several
rights and helping them results into great rewards and at the
same time, causing injustice to them results into terrible
punishments:

The Prophet also said: "The people before you were destroyed because
they inflicted legal punishments on the poor and forgave the rich."
- Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 778

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "If you love the poor
and bring them near you . . . God will bring you near Him on the Day of
Resurrection."
- Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1376

People, who live a Poor’s life, will enjoy several benefits in

the hereafter, therefore prophet Muhammad (saws) prayed
to Allah for granting him life of a poor:

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "O God, grant me life
as a poor man, cause me to die as a poor man and resurrect me in the
company of the poor." His wife asked him why he said that, and he
replied: "Because (the poor) will enter Paradise (before) the rich. Do not
turn away a poor man even if all you can give is half a date. If you love
the poor and bring them near you, God will bring you near Him on the
Day of Resurrection."
- Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1376

The people who cause oppression and injustice will have no

escape:

The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Verily, Allah prolongs the life of
the oppressor until when he takes him there is no escape.”

The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Beware of the supplication of the

oppressed one, for verily, between it and Allah, there is no veil (or
barrier).”

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Paying charity is one the 5 pillars of Islam and it has various

benefits and reward in this life and the hereafter.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The believer's shade
on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity."
- Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 604

You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in
the way of Allah). Allah knows whatever you spend.
(Qur’an 3:92)

The example of those who spend there wealth in d way of Allah is like a
seed (of grain)which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred
grains.And Allah multiplies (his reward) for whome He wills. and Allah is
all- Encompassing and Knowing.
(2:261)

In Islam charity is not limited to only giving money, a charity

can be performed by a good act too:

The Prophet also said: "Every act of goodness is charity."

- Sahih Muslim, Hadith 496

Charity is not limited to only poor people:

They ask you (O Muhammad) what they should spend in charity. Say:
“Whatever you spend with a good heart, give it to parents, relatives,
orphans, the helpless, and travelers in need. Whatever good you do, God is
aware of it.” –
The Holy Quran, 2:215

Salman ibn Amer reported that the Prophet said: “To give something to a
poor man brings one reward, while giving the same to a needy relation
brings two: one for charity and the other for respecting the family ties.”
(Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Nasai, Tirmidhi)

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The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Shall I guide you to
the best (form of) charity? It is to provide for your daughter when she
(returns) to you (because of divorce or other circumstances) and has no
one but you to provide for her."
- Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1296

◊When is it enough?

To know “when is it enough” for an individual is extremely

important, as an individual will only then think about helping
and supporting others when he himself is content. And if he
is not content, he will continuously run after his dreams and
desires of attaining success and a better life style. The
prophet Mohammad (saws) tells us when is it enough in the
following hadith:
:

Prophet Mohammad (saws) said:

“Whoever spends his nigh safely in his home, with a healthy body and
enough provision for his day it is as if he has gained the world entirely.”

Just like a poverty line describes people below it, as poverty

stricken and above it, as self sufficient, similarly this hadith
tells us, when is it, that we have enough for ourselves. This
should be taken as a standard by which one should be
content with one’s provisions. People who are blessed with
more provisions should help the people who are in need and
are below this standard of contentment. Helping people in
need can become a mean for gaining rewards from Allah, at
the same time if an individual, in spite of having means to
help others do not help them, then he will be questioned by
Allah about it, as all blessings are a trial from Allah, in

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respect of how they are used and utilized. The more the
blessings are, the bigger the trial is.

◊Wealth, a trial to the wealthy

Every blessing which Allah bestows on a person holds trials

in it, in the manner in which it is spend or used. Similar is the
case with wealth and property. A person should spend his
wealth in a way that can benefit others and which is pleasing
to Allah and should always be grateful to Him:

“…… If ye are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you; but if ye show
ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed."
(Qur’an 14:7)

But if a person does not spend his wealth wisely and does
not pay zakat or help the people in need, then he will have
to face severe punishment in the hereafter.

Abu Huraira related that the Prophet said: “When someone is made rich
but he does not pay Zakat for his wealth, then on the Day of Judgment his
money will be turned into a poisonous snake with two black spots on its
head. It will coil around his neck and bite his cheeks and say: 'I am your
wealth, I am your treasure'.” Then the Prophet recited verse 3:180 of the
Quran.
(Bukhari)

“And let not those who covetously withhold of the gifts which Allah Hath
given them of His Grace, think that it is good for them: Nay, it will be the
worse for them: soon shall the things which they covetously with held be
tied to their necks Like a twisted collar, on the Day of Judgment. To Allah
belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is well-
acquainted with all that ye do.”
(Qur’an 3:180)

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Life is a test, through which a person is judged and on its

basis will it be sent to heaven or hell, therefore he should
perform righteous act, fulfill his religious duties and use
blessings from Allah in a way which is pleasing to Him, so
that when death take him by surprise, he has nothing to fear
about.

◊The surprise exam

If a student is aware of a surprise exam which could be held

just any time the next week, then what do u expect from this
student to do? He will surely prepare himself before the
ultimate day arise, even though he is not sure of the exact
day, but he is definitely aware of the time period between
which the exam could be held. That is because he is afraid to
appear in the exam unprepared, because that would result
into a failure.

Then imagine appearing unprepared in the most important

exam of our life, the Death, which is also a surprise exam
and if one fails, then there is no reappearing. The only
difference between the surprise exam of death and the
surprise exam mentioned above in the given e.g. is that,
there the student knows, that the surprise exam will be held
next week and this surprise exam i.e. death, could occur in
the next minute.

We think that the Day of Judgment is far away; as there are

still things to happen, like the invasion of The Dajjal, Prophet
Jesus (as) etc…; but we forget that our judgment will start
the moment death closes our eyes. Death is described by
Prophet Muhammad (saws) as the destroyer of pleasure:

The Prophet said (in another hadith): “Keep much in remembrance

of death, which is the destroyer of pleasure.” [Tirmidhi]

So we should prepare ourselves by performing our religious

duties sincerely. And one of the duties is to take care of the
people in need:

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A Muslim should not discriminate, he should love for his

brother what all he loves for himself.

Abu Hamzah Anas bin Maalik (Radiya ‘Llahu ‘anhu) who was the
servant of the Messenger of Allaah (Salla ’Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
reported that the Prophet (Salla ’Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"None of you truly believes (in Allaah and in His religion) until he
loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” [Bukhaaree &
Muslim]

A Muslim is the one who never sleeps peacefully while the

neighbors are still hungry.

related by Anas (R.A.), the Prophet (S.A.W.) said "He has not affirmed
faith in me (i.e. he is not a true follower) who eats to his satisfaction and
sleeps comfortably at night while his neighbor goes hungry - and he is
aware of it."

◊The time of disruption

According to present scholars of Islam, most of the signs of

the Day of Judgment that were described by prophet (Saws)
have already occurred, some of them are:

-Wine (intoxicants, alcohol) will be drunk in great quantity.

-Illegal sexual intercourse will become widespread.
- Earthquakes will increase.
-Time will pass more quickly.
- Tribulations will prevail.
- Bloodshed will increase.
- A man will pass by the grave of another and wish he was in
the latter’s place.
(Increase in suicides)
- Trustworthiness will be lost, i.e. when authority is given to
those who do not deserve it.

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This present time has been described as the time of

disruption, when sins are common; people are more
concerned about this world then the hereafter. And in this
world of today the need to guard one’s faith and to come
closer to Allah in His protection has became even more
important. This can only be achieved by performing acts
which are pleasing to Allah.

◊The deception

If we reconsider the example of the surprise exam, then, the

student will be considered a fool, if instead of preparing for
the exam, he continues playing and watching the T.V.;
because then he will not be able to prepare and might fail in
the examination.

Sensible people avoid things which could cause them loss.

But people get diverted from preparing for the final
examination, i.e. the Day of Judgment, through the
deceptions of the devil and as a result they get more
involved in this world and forget about the hereafter. The
lives of the world and the hereafter are compared by Prophet
Mohammad (saws) in the following hadith:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The life of this world compared to
the Hereafter is as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean and
take it out again then compare the water that remains on his finger to the
water that remains in the ocean.” [Sahîh Muslim (2858)]

The Prophet Mohammad (Peace be Upon him) said: “If this worldly life
were equivalent in Allah’s sight to even a wing of a Mosquito, He would
not have given a disbeliever even a drink of water in it.”(Al-Tirmidhi)

Such is the life of this world. Still this life of 80-90 years is
given more importance, which even does not have any
comparison with the Day of Judgment which will be of 50,000
years. We all need means to pass through the road called
‘Life’; but trying to build a palace on it is mere foolishness,

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one should know how much is it required to have, for

passing through this road comfortably towards the final
destination, i.e. the Hereafter.

Sheikh Imran Husein, a well known scholar of today has

described the present world as the empire of The Dajjal, as
told by prophet (Saws) that the Dajjal will bring with him
heaven and hell; his heaven will appear like hell and his hell
will appear like heaven. In other words, the reality and
appearance will be completely opposite to each other,
examples of which can be seen in our today’s world, where
what we see, somehow totally differs to what the reality is.
For e.g. the beauty of a women is like a treasure to her,
which is openly displayed at various platforms under the
banner of freedom, adding more to it, the beauty which is of
her very own is used in advertisement and various
promotional institutions to benefit products and services.

Also people get deceived in this world by it’s glitters for

example, the glamour of the film & fashion industry which
attracts a number of people today, the attraction of
luxurious cars, expensive international clothing brands, disc,
clubs; a better standard of living, etc. a person spends his
whole life in achieving and enjoying all of these. Still he is
not able to find peace in his heart, some people in spite of
having everything always get the urge to have more, the
reason for which is described by the prophet (Saws)

Prophet saws said:” For the ones whose concern is this world Allah will
scatter his affair, and place poverty between his two eyes. And he will not
get from the world except what is written for him. And for the one whose
intention is the hereafter Allah will gather for him his affair and place
contentment in his heart, and the world will come to him willingly"

Increase in the love of this world could make people suffer in

this world as described by the prophet (saws):

Prophet (saws) said:

“The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when
eating invite others to share their dish.” Someone asked: “will that be

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because of our small numbers at that time?” He replied: “No, you will be
numerous at that time, but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried
down by torrent and Allah will take fear if you from the breasts of your
enemy and last wahn into your hearts.” Someone asked: “what is wahn.”
Apostle of Allah (saws) replied: “love of the world and dislike of death."
(Thawb, book 37, number 4284)

If this has not happened yet, and if wahn increases in our

hearts, then it surely will happen soon.

◊The final abode

A traveler while traveling takes only with him the basic

amenities which he requires for passing trough his journey
comfortably, because his main concern is the destination
towards which he is traveling. Similar is the case with a
Muslim, The Life is a road for The Hereafter and therefore a
Muslim only takes what he requires from this world, to travel
in a comfortable way to reach the Hereafter, which is his
final abode.

On the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with them
both), he relates that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) once held my
shoulders and said: “Live in this world as (if you are) a wayfarer or a
stranger.”

This materialistic world holds, with its materialism the

pleasures which are limited, whereas The Hereafter consist
of pleasures which are more excellent and far more superior
then that of this world. Following are some of its
descriptions:

Allah Most High Said: “I have prepared for My virtuous servants that
which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human being has
imagined.” (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

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I asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Of what was the creation made?" He

replied: "Of water." We asked: "(As for) Paradise, what is its
foundation?" He said: "One brick of gold and one brick of silver. Its
mortars are of musk of strong scent, its stones are pearls and emeralds,
and its soil is of saffron. Whoever enters it will be in bliss and not in want,
live in bliss and not die, their clothes will not get old, and their youth will
not end." (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

“Platters and cups of gold will be passed around among them, and they
will have there all that their hearts desire and in which their eyes find
delight. You will remain in it timelessly, forever.” (Surat az-Zukhruf, 71)

“There, they have everything that their hearts want.” (Surat al-Kahf, 35),

“In an environment with no fatigue or boredom, Allah rewards believers

by creating ‘whatever they wish’;”(Surat ash-Shura, 22; Surat al-Furqan,
16; Surat az-Zumar, 34).

Therefore one’s main concern should be The Hereafter,

where pleasures are unlimited and will remain forever.
Following are some of the famous saying regarding the life of
this world, its pleasures and the way it should be lived:

 `Abdullah ibn Mubarak said, "O man! Prepare

yourself for the Hereafter, obey Allah to the extent
of your need for Him and anger Him to the extent
of your patience in Hell."
 Abu Safwan ar-Ru`wini was asked: "What is that
life dispraised by Allah in the Qur'an and that the
sensible man should avoid?" He said: "Whatever
you love in this life seeking worldly benefits is

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dispraised, and whatever you love seeking

benefits in the Hereafter is praised."
 Yahya ibn Mu`adh said, "O how poor is man, if he
fears Hell in the same degree of his fearing
poverty, then he will enter Paradise."
 Shumait ibn `Ajlan used to say: "Two persons are
tormented in the life of this world: a rich man who
is given a great wealth that keeps him so busy
with worldly pleasures, and a poor man who is
deprived of such pleasures for which he is longing
with a heartbreak."
 Al-Hasan said: "How good is life in this world for a
believer because he uses it to prepare his
provisions for Paradise. And how evil it is for a
disbeliever, who uses it to prepare his provisions
for Hell."
 Yahya ibn Mu`adh said: "The life of this world is a
house of deeds and the Hereafter is a house of
horrors. Man remains between deeds and horrors
until he settles either in Paradise or in Hell."
 One of the salaf said: "Beware of the life of this
world because its magic is more effective than
that of Harut and Marut. The two latter's separate

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a man from his wife whereas the life of this world

separates a man from his Rabb."
 A man came to Sufyan ath-Thawree seeking his
advice, and he said to the man: "Work for the sake
of this life within the extent of your stay in it, and
for the Hereafter within the extent of your stay
therein."
 Salman ibn Dinar said: "What you love to have
with you in the Hereafter you should advance
today, and what you hate to have with you, you
should abandon today."
 A poet said: "Don't seek anything other than
contentment, because therein is the bliss and the
comfort of your body. Then consider the case of a
person who possesses the whole world, can he
take with him in the grave more than cotton and a
shroud?"

◊ The conclusion

Allah has blessed us with various blessings for which He will

question us, about how we have spent it. The more we have
them, the bigger will be our trial, therefore, we should not be
a slave of our desires and get deceived with this world, we

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should not worry about our provision because it is with Allah,

we should benefit others, we should live a normal life in this
world and earn our provision lawfully and spend wisely, but
our main aim should be hereafter. And we should know;
“when it is enough”.

And with Him are the keys of the Ghaib (all that is hidden), none knows
them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea;
not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the
earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.
(Al-Anaam, Chapter #6, Verse #59)

Oh Allah! Bestow upon us good in this world and the

hereafter and save us from the trials of the life and death.

"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our

Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on
those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us
a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us
and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our
Maula (Patron, Supporter and Protector, etc.) and give us
victory over the disbelieving people.

Ameen!

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