Wealth, health and power are trusts from God

Islam teaches that wealth, health and power are trusts from God. They are given to us for a time and judged by how we use them. They are not proof that one person is better than another. The more a person depends on money, youth, or status for happiness, the more they fear losing them.

I have never forgotten one winter day in Portsmouth. Rain was pouring down and the cold seemed to get into my bones. An elderly homeless man was sitting begging alone on the pavement. His clothes were wet, and water dripped from the brim of his hat. People hurried past him, trying to get out of the rain, but he stayed there. There was a burger shop nearby. I went in, bought him a meal and a hot coffee and took them back to him. When I gave them to him, he looked up with surprise and gratitude. He smiled and thanked me as he held the warm food and drink. I could easily have bought that meal for myself. I could have sat somewhere warm, eaten it and soon forgotten it. But giving it to him gave me something much better than a burger and coffee. The look of pleasure and gratitude on his face has stayed with me ever since. That small act cost very little, but it gave me a happiness that lasted and helped me understand what Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor and philosopher, meant when he said that “the only wealth we keep forever is the wealth we give away.” Most people think of wealth as money, property, possessions, investments, status, or power. These things can be useful. They can make life more comfortable. But none can be kept forever. Money changes hands. Houses are sold. Possessions are lost, broken, given away, or thrown out. What lasts is the good we do with what we have. We talk about owning things, and in everyday parlance, that is true. We can own a house, a car, land, or money in the bank. These rights matter and help society work. But they are not permanent. Everything we call ours was here in some form before we arrived and it will be here, change hands, or disappear after we are gone. Even our bodies are not fully under our control. We look after them, feed them and try to protect them, but we cannot stop ageing, illness, or death. Accepting this can help us see life more clearly. It reminds us not to build all our happiness on things we will one day lose. There is nothing wrong with money. It can give security, freedom and comfort. It can help people care for their families and help others. The trouble begins when money becomes the main purpose of life or when people think it can protect them from death. It cannot. When a person dies, the house becomes someone else’s home; possessions are sold, passed on or forgotten.

This does not mean we should give everything away without thought. We have duties to our families and should plan for the future. But once our real needs are met, we can ask what our money and possessions are for. Are they only there to make us more comfortable, or can they also help someone who is struggling? The wealth we give away is not wasted. It can become a meal for a hungry person, help for a child, comfort for a neighbour, or hope for someone who feels forgotten. Ultimately, the best measure of a good life is not how much we held on to, but how much good we did with what passed through our hands. I imagine the old homeless man soon forgot my small gift, my small act of kindness, but for me, giving to someone in need became a lasting memory and a source of enduring happiness.

Karim Easterbrook

The writer is a Former Cambridge School Principal and Author