﷽
(I begin) In the Name of Allah, the All-Kind (or All-Beneficent), the All-Merciful (or All-Compassionate)
المالُ مادَّةُ الشَّهَواتِ
“Wealth is the source of desires.”
In this short and profound statement, the Imām (ʿa) points out a key matter about the relationship of wealth with desires (الشَّهَواتِ).
It is clear that shahwah (desire) here refers to any kind of excessive, ego-driven, and lustful attachment - whether it pertains to sexual desire, or to rank and status, or to worldly glitter and formalities, or even to revenge. To reach these selfish wants and whims, wealth plays the central role; and the more it increases, the greater the danger of falling into desires.
Why Wealth Is Dangerous if Misused
Enabler of Desires – the more wealth, the greater the risk of indulgence.
Source of Arrogance (ghurūr) – arrogance is the root of many sins.
Distraction from Allah (swt) – wealth preoccupies the heart, diverting it from His remembrance.
This is a warning not to chase excess wealth due to its dangers. Yet it is not absolute: not every affluent person is lust-ridden. Many walked Qārūn’s path, where wealth became pride and disbelief; a few, like Sayyidah Khadījah (sa), used wealth to attain a lofty status with Allah (swt).
Two Models of Wealth: Qārūn and Sayyidah Khadījah (sa)
Qārūn – Wealth as Fuel for Desire
إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ ۗ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ
“Indeed Qārūn was from among the people of Mūsā, but he tyrannized them. We had given him so many treasures that their very keys proved heavy for a group of strong men. When his people said to him, ‘Do not exult! Indeed Allah does not like the exultant.’” (Sūrah al-Qaṣaṣ 28:76)
فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فِي زِينَتِهِ ۖ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا يَا لَيْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ قَارُونُ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ
“So he went forth before his people in his pomp. Those who desired the life of this world said, ‘We wish we had the like of what Qārūn has been given! Indeed he possesses a great fortune.’” (Sūrah al-Qaṣaṣ 28:79)
Traditions describe Qārūn’s arrogance, oppression, and attributing his wealth to his own knowledge—classic signs of wealth turning into the fuel of desire.
Sayyidah Khadījah (sa) – Wealth Used for Allah’s Pleasure
In contrast, the greatest role model of wealth in Allah’s way is Sayyidah Khadījah al-Kubrā (sa).
Known as Malikat al-ʿArab (“Queen of the Arabs”) for her vast trade caravans.
She surrendered all of her resources for Islam.
She sustained the Prophet (ṣ) and the early Muslims during the boycott in Shiʿb Abī Ṭālib.
Imām ʿAlī (ʿa) is reported to have said: “Islam did not stand except through the sword of ʿAlī and the wealth of Khadījah.”
Unlike Qārūn, whose wealth led to destruction, Khadījah’s wealth became ṣadaqah jāriyah—an eternal charity that still benefits Islam today.
Qurʾānic Perspective
The Qurʾān provides a balanced view: sometimes condemning wealth, sometimes praising it—depending on how it is used.
Condemnation of Wealth When Misused
28:77 (Qārūn) – “Do not seek to cause corruption in the land. Indeed Allah does not like the agents of corruption.”
102:1–2 (Takāthur) – “Vying for increase distracts you, until you visit the graves.”
63:9 (Munāfiqūn) – “Do not let your possessions and children distract you from the remembrance of Allah.”
104:2–3 (Humazah) – “He who gathers wealth and counts it, supposing it will make him immortal.”
Praise of Wealth When Used for Good
2:180 (al-Baqarah) – “If he leaves behind wealth, he must bequeath to parents and relatives.”
2:261 (al-Baqarah) – “The example of those who spend their wealth in Allah’s way is like a grain that grows seven ears…”
8:3–4 (al-Anfāl) – “Those who spend from what We have provided are the true faithful.”
The Ḥadīth of Dirham and Dīnār
Ibn ʿAbbās narrates (from the Prophet (ṣ) or Imām ʿAlī (ʿa)):
“The very first dirham and dīnār minted on earth—Shayṭān looked at them, placed them on his eyes, pressed them against his chest, and cried out with joy. Then he said: ‘You are the light of my eyes and the fruit of my heart. If the sons of Ādam love you, I am satisfied—even if they do not worship an idol. For what idol is greater than you?’”
This shows how wealth itself can become the greatest idol if loved excessively.
Lessons for Today
Wealth is neutral – like atomic energy, it can destroy or illuminate.
Check the heart – do we own wealth, or does wealth own us?
Invest in the Hereafter – charity, supporting Islamic causes, helping the needy, leaving waṣiyyah.
Role Models – avoid the arrogance of Qārūn; emulate the generosity of Sayyidah Khadījah (sa).
Closing Reflections
Imām ʿAlī (ʿa) warned: “Wealth is the source of desires.” Sayyidah Khadījah (sa) proved that wealth can also be the greatest service to Allah (swt).
The real question for us:
➡️ Will my wealth take me closer to Allah, or further away from Him?