Written by abdul baqi

Monday, 12 February 2007

UN, World Bank, NGOs and else, all try to bring development to this globe.
Islam also has it's own definition and methodology to achieve development. Let us
read here few verses and hadiths.

Verse 1

ْ‫ن مَا كَانُوا‬

ِ َ‫حس‬
ْ ‫جرَهُم ِبَأ‬
ْ ‫ط ّيبَةً وََل َنجْ ِز َي ّنهُمْ َأ‬
َ ‫حيَا ًة‬
َ ‫حيِ َينّ ُه‬
ْ ‫ن فََل ُن‬
ٌ ِ‫ل صَاِلحًا مّن َذكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَ ُه َو مُ ْؤم‬
َ ِ‫عم‬
َ ْ‫مَن‬
َ‫َي ْعمَلُون‬
Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true
believer (of Islâmic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world
with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a
reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the
Hereafter). [surah an-Nahl 16: 97]

This verse clearly relates the adherence to Islam with being happy in this world and the hereafter.

Verse 2

‫خ ْذنَاهُم ِبمَا‬
َ َ‫لرْضِ وََلكِن َك ّذبُو ْا َفأ‬
َ ‫سمَاء وَا‬
ّ ‫ن ال‬َ ّ‫ت م‬
ٍ ‫حنَا عََل ْيهِم َب َركَا‬
ْ ‫وَلَوْ َأنّ أَهْلَ الْ ُقرَى آ َمنُواْ وَاتّقَواْ َل َف َت‬
َ‫كَانُو ْا َي ْكسِبُون‬
And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety), certainly, We
should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they
belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to
earn (polytheism and crimes). [surah al-Araf (7): 96]

This verse relates between believe and Taqwa (piety) and the economic development of a society. Also, it
shows that the calamities that comes to mankind are because of their ill deeds.

Verse 3

ّ َ‫طيّبَةٌ َور‬
‫ب‬ َ ‫ش ُكرُوا َل ُه بَ ْلدَ ٌة‬
ْ ‫ل كُلُوا مِن ّر ْزقِ َر ّبكُمْ وَا‬ ٍ ‫شمَا‬
ِ ‫ج ّنتَانِ عَن َيمِينٍ َو‬ َ ‫س َك ِنهِ ْم آيَ ٌة‬ْ ‫س َبإٍ فِي َم‬
َ ‫لَ َق ْد كَانَ ِل‬
‫شيْ ٍء مّن‬
َ ‫خ ْمطٍ وََأثْلٍ َو‬ َ ‫ل‬ٍ ُ‫ن َذوَاتَى ُأك‬ ِ ْ‫ج ّنتَي‬
َ ‫ج ّن َتيْ ِه ْم‬
َ ‫سيْلَ ا ْل َع ِرمِ َو َبدّ ْلنَاهُم ِب‬
َ ‫ع َرضُوا َفأَ ْرسَ ْلنَا عََل ْي ِه ْم‬ ْ َ‫غَفُورٌ َفأ‬
‫ل ُنجَازِي ِإلّ ا ْلكَفُور‬ ْ َ‫ج َز ْينَاهُم ِبمَا كَ َفرُوا وَه‬ َ َ‫ل ذَِلك‬ ٍ ‫س ْدرٍ قَلِي‬ ِ
Indeed there was for Saba' (Sheba) a sign in their dwelling place - two gardens on
the right hand and on the left; (and it was said to them:) "Eat of the provision of your
Lord, and be grateful to Him." A fair land and an Oft-Forgiving Lord. But they turned
away (from the obedience of Allâh), so We sent against them Sail Al-'Arim (flood
released from the dam), and We converted their two gardens into gardens producing
bitter bad fruit, and tamarisks, and some few lote-trees. Like this We requited them
because they were ungrateful disbelievers. And never do We requite in such a way
except those who are ungrateful (disbelievers). [from Sura Saba (34) verses: 15-17]

The story of Sheba indeed gives a clear evidence that development and provision is strongly ties with being
thankful to Allah, and that calamity, economic downfall and devastations are strongly tied with being
unthankful to Allah.

Verse 4

ّ‫ل َفأَذَا َقهَا ال‬

ّ ‫ت ِبَأ ْنعُ ِم ا‬
ْ َ‫ن فَكَ َفر‬
ٍ ‫ل َمكَا‬
ّ ُ‫غدًا مّن ك‬ َ َ‫ط َمئِنّ ًة َي ْأتِيهَا ِر ْزقُهَا ر‬
ْ ‫ت آ ِمنَ ًة ّم‬
ْ َ‫ل قَ ْريَ ًة كَان‬
ً َ‫ل َمث‬
ّ ‫ضرَبَ ا‬
َ ‫َو‬
َ‫ص َنعُون‬
ْ ‫ف ِبمَا كَانُو ْا َي‬
ِ ‫ِلبَاسَ ا ْلجُوعِ وَا ْلخَ ْو‬
And Allâh puts forward the example of a township (Makkah), that dwelt secure and
well content: its provision coming to it in abundance from every place, but it (its
people) denied the Favors of Allâh (with ungratefulness). So Allâh made it taste the
extreme of hunger (famine) and fear, because of that (evil, i.e. denying Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him)) which they (its people) used to do. [surah an-Nahl
(16) verse: 112]

This verse clearly states that two main pillars of happiness and development (Security and self-content) are
attained through being thankful to Allah. When a community starts to deny their faith, then the two pillars of
un-happiness starts to get strong: extreme hunger and fear.

Verse 5

)4( ٍ‫خ ْوف‬

َ ‫ن‬ ْ ‫) اّلذِي َأ‬3( ِ‫فَ ْليَ ْع ُبدُوا رَبّ َهذَا ا ْل َبيْت‬
ْ ّ‫ط َع َمهُم مّن جُوعٍ وَآ َم َنهُم م‬

So let them worship (Allâh) the Lord of this House (the Ka'bah in Makkah). (He) Who
has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear. [the last two verses
from Surah Quraish (106)]

Verse 6

ّ‫ح‬
‫ق‬ َ ‫ل بِهِ عََل ْي ُك ْم سُ ْلطَانًا فََأيّ الْ َفرِي َقيْنِ َأ‬
ْ ّ‫ش َركْتُم بِالّ مَا َلمْ ُي َنز‬ ْ ‫ل َتخَافُونَ َأ ّن ُكمْ َأ‬
َ ‫شرَ ْك ُتمْ َو‬
ْ ‫َو َكيْفَ َأخَافُ مَا َأ‬
)82( َ‫ل ْمنُ وَهُم ّم ْهتَدُون‬ َ ‫ن آ َمنُواْ وََل ْم يَ ْل ِبسُواْ إِيمَا َنهُم ِبظُلْمٍ أُوَْل ِئكَ َل ُهمُ ا‬ َ ‫) اّلذِي‬81( َ‫لمْنِ إِن كُن ُت ْم َتعَْلمُون‬ َ ‫بِا‬

Prophet Ibrahim Said to his people:

And how should I fear those whom you associate in worship with Allâh (though they
can neither benefit nor harm), while you fear not that you have joined in worship with
Allâh things for which He has not sent down to you any authority. (So) which of the
two parties has more right to be in security? If you but know." It is those who believe
(in the Oneness of Allâh and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief
with Zulm (wrong i.e. by worshipping others besides Allâh), for them (only) there is
security and they are the guided. [surah al-Anam (6) verses: 81,82]

This verse clearly indicates that worshiping anything other than Allah will result in feeling insecure in this
world and the hereafter. To the contrary, adhering to Monotheism will result in feeling secure, because the
monotheist surrenders to a single supreme power (Allah), and thus feels secure from dangers. This is an
important pillar of happiness.

Verse 7

)11( ٌ‫شيْءٍ عَلِيم‬

َ ‫ل‬
ّ ُ‫لّ َي ْهدِ قَ ْلبَهُ وَالُّ ِبك‬
ِ ‫ن الِّ َومَن يُ ْؤمِن بِا‬
ِ ْ‫ب مِن ّمصِيبَةٍ ِإلّ ِبِإذ‬
َ ‫مَا َأصَا‬

No calamity befalls, but with the Leave (i.e. decision and Qadar (Divine
Preordainments)) of Allâh, and whosoever believes in Allâh, He guides his heart (to
the true Faith with certainty, i.e. what has befallen him was already written for him by
Allâh from the Qadar (Divine Preordainments)) and Allâh is the All-Knower of
everything. [sura at-Taghabun (64) verse 11]

This verse shows the virtue of faith in the Divine Preordainments. Muslims believe that any calamity befalls
by Divine leave, and that Allah knows about it. And that Allah will give reward to those to stay steadfast.
This is why, today, most Muslim countries are poor, yet the less in terms of rates of suicide. Whereas, the
most developed countries (i.e., Scandinavian countries) are the topmost in development, yet the topmost –as
well- in the rate of psychological breakdown, and suicide.

Hadith 1

Recorded by Imam Ahmad from `Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah said:

»‫ل ِبمَا آتَاه‬

ُ ‫ َوقَ ّنعَ ُه ا‬،‫ق كَفَافًا‬
َ ‫ َورُ ِز‬،َ‫ح َمنْ َأسْلَم‬
َ َ‫« َقدْ َأفْل‬
He who submits (becomes a Muslim) has succeeded, is given sufficient provisions,
and is content with Allah for what he is given. [It was also recorded by Muslim]

This hadith shows the three pillars of success (happiness and development):
submission to God, getting the basic provisions, and being content (i.e.,not greedy )

Hadith 2

Reported by at-Tirmidhi:

‫قال رسول ال صلى ال عليه وسلم من أصبح منكم آمنا في سربه معافى في جسده عنده قوت يومه‬
‫فكأنما حيزت له الدنيا‬
He among you who wakes up in the morning feeling secure, has a good health and
has the provision of that day, as if –then- the whole world is been in his possession.

This hadith defines the real king –who posses the whole globe-: 1. security 2. health
3. basic provision.