As the work week concludes here in Casablanca, and we look forward to a period of rest and family time, it's a fitting moment to consider one of life's most practical topics through the lens of our faith: wealth.

Some people mistakenly believe that an Islam encourages a life of poverty or shuns worldly success. The reality is far more nuanced and empowering. Islam provides a sophisticated and balanced framework for our financial lives, built on three pillars: diligently creating wealth, wisely preserving it, and generously sharing it. It’s a complete ecosystem for being a faithful steward of the blessings God provides.

1. Wealth Creation: The Virtue of Halal Work

Far from discouraging enterprise, Islam actively encourages us to earn a livelihood through legitimate (halal) and ethical means. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself was a successful merchant, and he taught that seeking a lawful provision is a noble act.

A famous Hadith states that it is better for one to take a rope, cut some wood, and sell it than to beg from people. This instills a powerful sense of dignity and self-reliance. In the Islamic worldview, creating wealth is not an act of greed, but a means to:

Provide for your family with dignity.
Contribute to the economic health of your community.
Gain the financial independence to do good in the world.

2. Wealth Preservation: The Wisdom of Stewardship

Once wealth is earned, Islam guides us to be wise stewards, not wasteful spenders. This isn’t about hoarding, but about responsible management.

Avoiding Waste (Israf): The Quran repeatedly warns against extravagance. Preserving wealth begins by respecting it and avoiding frivolous, wasteful spending. This fosters a mindset of mindfulness and gratitude for what we have.

Investing Wisely: Leaving wealth to stagnate is discouraged, as its value is diminished over time by inflation and the annual payment of Zakat. This implicitly encourages us to invest our savings in productive, halal enterprises. By doing so, our wealth grows, creates jobs, and benefits the real economy—a far more dynamic approach than simply letting it sit in an account.
Securing the Future (Miras): The detailed and divinely ordained laws of Islamic inheritance (Miras) provide a clear, just system for preserving and distributing family wealth across generations, ensuring fairness and preventing disputes.

3. Wealth Sharing: The Heart of Financial Worship

This is the crucial pillar that balances the entire system. In Islam, our wealth is not truly ours; it is a trust (amanah) from God, and a portion of it belongs to the community. Sharing purifies our assets and our souls.

Zakat: The Obligatory Purification. This is the foundational duty. Zakat is the annual payment of a calculated portion (usually 2.5%) of one's accumulated wealth to the poor and needy. It is not seen as a favor from the rich, but as the established right of the poor. It is a powerful, systematic tool for social justice that purifies our remaining wealth and ensures its circulation within the community.

Sadaqah: The Voluntary Generosity. This is any act of charity given voluntarily, out of a spirit of compassion and gratitude. The Prophet taught that "Sadaqah extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire." It is a means of expressing shukr (gratitude) for our blessings and is open to everyone, at any time, in any amount. Even a smile is a form of Sadaqah.
Waqf: The Enduring Legacy. This is a beautiful, advanced form of charity where an asset (like a building, a farm, or a well) is endowed for a charitable purpose in perpetuity. It is a gift that keeps on giving, generating benefits for the community long after the donor has passed on.

The Islamic approach to wealth is a holistic journey. It empowers you to strive and create, to be wise and preserve, and most importantly, to be generous and share. It’s a beautiful system that asks not how much you have, but what good you are doing with it.