Zeal and Enthusiasm Described in the Qur'an: Submission of Themselves and Their Wealth to Allah

Wealth and self are two concepts to which the ignorant society attaches great importance. In fact for many, they are practically the sole purpose of existence. Throughout their lives some people strive to attain a status through which they can be respected and gain superiority. In the Qur’an, Allah draws attention to the fact that hoarding wealth and being esteemed in society are the passions of some ignorant people: "Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire – of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return [i.e., paradise]."

In another verse Allah informs us that wealth and status are but trials: "You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves." With unquenchable desire in their hearts, people in ignorant societies aspire to wealth. Their greatest fear is harm to their possessions or something of which they are proud because the damage affects their main purpose in life. For this reason they dedicate everything to the protection of their wealth and themselves and the furtherance of their worldly interests. Their ignorant view that the life of this world, its possessions and its alluring pleasures are more valuable than Allah’s acceptance of them accounts for such an attitude. Believers, on the other hand, immediately set aside the material benefits (to which people of ignorance dedicate their lives) in order to earn the good pleasure of Allah and paradise. They are aware that they are being tested through their possessions and their selves and that Allah is the real owner of favors granted in this world. As a matter of fact, Allah may well take back what He has entrusted at any time He wills because Allah holds absolute control over everything in the universe. The "self" of a man, which is his body, will ultimately undergo a rapid process of deterioration after seven or eight decades and his possessions will bring him no benefits in the Hereafter. But when a person uses his means for Allah’s cause, he will meet contentment both in this world and beyond. Believers submit themselves to Almighty Allah, and it is the zeal in their hearts that makes submission possible. In the Qur’an their state is related as follows: "Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have paradise." The verse concludes: "So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment."

This reminder allows believers to continually experience happiness and zeal in their hearts. When required, they eagerly spend their wealth for a good purpose in return for the pleasure of Allah. They use their selves (bodies) to render services to the religion and do good deeds for the approval of Allah. No doubt, they are aware that at times their properties and lives may be in danger, but they accept that willingly for they consider it a gain. In the Qur’an, Allah instructs believers to encounter every difficulty with acceptance and willingness: "Say, ‘Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.’ And upon Allah let the believers rely."

Allah informs in the Qur’an an incident showing how zealously believers submitted their wealth and life to Allah. A group of believers at the time of the Prophet Muhammad sincerely desired to fight for the cause of Allah but circumstances prevented them. Allah appreciated their sincerity and excused them: "There is no blame upon those who, when they came to you that you might give them mounts, you said, ‘I can find nothing for you to ride upon.’ They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find something to spend."

This is an evident indication of how a sincere believer desires to use his property and life for the cause of Allah and the kind of zeal he feels for this cause. No doubt, the type of service a believer may render will change according to time and situation. At the time of the Prophet Muhammad a struggle had to be waged to protect the rights of believers. In our day Muslims need to strive in intellectual realms and serve in scholarly fields. Every person who makes serious sacrifices to live by the values of the Qur’an and communicate its beauties to others can expect a reward from his Lord. The reward of those who spend their time and possessions in this world for the cause of Allah is confirmed in the Qur’an as follows: "Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward?"