5 Perceived Ways of Greed in Islam

People will never satisfied with what they have and always wanted more. They keep craving on it like more and more without gratitude feeling. That’s a bad habit that makes someone become a greedy person. But, what greedy means? We may think that greedy have correlated with money, but not always like that.

Greed is not always come to achieving wealth. It may come to your desire in work such as get a higher position. It also can come to your desire for consuming, desire to your talent, or even your happiness.

First, you become jealous, then the envy is consuming you so that the greed comes over you. It’s against the morals of the prophet’s wife that must followed by Muslims.

Being a greedy person harms you both mentally and physically. It destroys you into pieces. A greedy person will have a feeling like they never need Allah in their life.

They become overbearing because of their rich, smart, and independent. They feel that they don’t need others and selfishly no need Allah’s blessing.  We need a lot of Allah blessings to get a more meaningful life such as to get the importance of praise Allah in Islam.

That is why Islam doesn’t fancy the greedy person. In the Quran surah, An Nisa verse 128 mentions about this.

وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ ۗوَاُحْضِرَتِ الْاَنْفُسُ الشُّحَّۗ وَاِنْ تُحْسِنُوْا وَتَتَّقُوْا فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ خَبِيْرًا – ١٢٨

“… But people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and have faith, Allah is aware of what you do.”

On the other hand, we need to avoid the greed so that we will have good luck from Allah. It mentions on the Quran surah Al Hasyr verse 9.

وَالَّذِيْنَ تَبَوَّءُو الدَّارَ وَالْاِيْمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّوْنَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ اِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُوْنَ فِيْ صُدُوْرِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّآ اُوْتُوْا وَيُؤْثِرُوْنَ عَلٰٓى اَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۗوَمَنْ يُّوْقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهٖ فَاُولٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَۚ – ٩

“And the people (Ansar) who had occupied the city of Medina and had believed before their (arrival) (Muhajirin), they loved those who emigrated to their place. And they do not put a desire in their hearts for what is given to them (Muhajirin); and they put priority (Muhajirin), upon themselves, even though they also needed. And who guarded him against stinginess, they are the lucky ones.”

So, how Islam see this greedy feeling on people since they always have some desires to do that? Here we have 5 perceived ways of greed in Islam. Let’s check them out!

1. Never Ending Desires

A greedy person is always wanted more and more because of their feeling overwhelmed by never-ending desires. They are never satisfied nor grateful. They always thought that what already they have is not enough.

Besides, grateful people are the most rewarding deeds in Islam. And the worst part is that they never think about others and never virtues of sunnah prayers. In the Quran surah At Takasur verse 1-2 mentions about this kind of person.

اَلْهٰىكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُۙ – ١

حَتّٰى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَۗ – ٢

“you are obsessed by greed for more and more until you visit your graves.”

2. Disgrace in Islam

People who only focused on themselves without taking care of others becomes a disgrace in Islam. If people live full of wealth but the neighbor is starving and still, they don’t care about it, so that the greedy become their best friend. Allah doesn’t love with a greedy person. It mentions in the Quran surah Al Qalam verses 17-18.

اِنَّا بَلَوْنٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ اَصْحٰبَ الْجَنَّةِۚ اِذْ اَقْسَمُوْا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِيْنَۙ – ١٧

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُوْنَ – ١٨

 “Indeed, We have tested them (the Meccan polytheists) We have tested the garden owners when they swear they will surely reap the results in the morning, but they do not set aside (by saying, “God willing”).

3. Distorting the Right Path

Becomes a greedy person make the distortion of us from the right path towards Allah. Greed is a kind of slavery that we unconsciously fulfill the feeling to have more and more.

Greed can be easily drowning us into the distortion of the right path towards Allah. The greedy feeling comes from the same evil that mentality as having no faith and no trust in Allah.

In the Quran surah, Al Qalam verses 25- 27 mentions about this.

وَّغَدَوْا عَلٰى حَرْدٍ قَادِرِيْنَ – ٢٥

فَلَمَّا رَاَوْهَا قَالُوْٓا اِنَّا لَضَاۤلُّوْنَۙ – ٢٦

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُوْمُوْنَ – ٢٧

“And they departed in the morning with the intention of blocking (poor people) when they were able to (help). So when they saw the garden, they said, “Really, we really are misguided people, we don’t even get anything,”

4. Cause Violence

Being an agreed person can cause violence. As people’s desire grows so much in themselves, greed becomes overwhelming. It will give the feeling that they feel never satisfied with what they have. And they become exhausted for it, that is why they do everything to reach the satisfaction.

There is no doubt that greedy people become harsh to another. This kind of behavior should be avoided for everyone. Islam taught us that we should not harm each other. In the Quran surah, Al Adiyat verse 8 mentions this.

وَاِنَّهٗ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ لَشَدِيْدٌ ۗ – ٨

“ And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth.”

5. Useless in Hereafter

No matter how rich you are, your money never helpful on the judgment day hereafter. No matter how wealthy you are, how high your position in the company, how much your trophy, and how much you keep your food, there are useless in the hereafter. In the Quran surah, Al Lail verse 8-11 mention about this.

وَاَمَّا مَنْۢ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنٰىۙ – ٨

وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنٰىۙ – ٩

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهٗ لِلْعُسْرٰىۗ – ١٠

وَمَا يُغْنِيْ عَنْهُ مَالُهٗٓ اِذَا تَرَدّٰىٓۙ – ١١

“and as for those who are stingy and feel sufficient (no need for God’s help), and believe (reward) the best, then We will make it easy for him the path to adversity (misery), and his wealth will not benefit him if he perishes.”

So, there are 5 ways Islam see the greed on people. Becomes a greedy person not only harm the relationship with others but also ourselves. That is why we should avoid becomes greedy people like the appearance of how to become more intelligent in Islam.