87 - الْغَنِيُّ

[Bint e Aisha]

 الْغَنِيُّ

 

Translation

الْغَنِيُّ is translated as The Self-Sufficient.A person who is well to do is referred to as  غَنِيُّ. Uthmaan RA was known as ‘Uthmaan al-Ghaniyy as he was a well to do person i.e. self-sufficient. It comes from the root غنى which means to be self-sufficient and independent and to be free from needs or wants. It can also mean to be wealthy.

Linguistically غِنىٰ is used to refer to the concept of independence because of being self-sufficient. The opposite is فَقْر which refers to poverty, being in need. Faqeer is used to describe a poor person or beggar. 

 

Definition

The One Who Himself is self-sufficient. The One Who is not dependent on another due to His own high stature and being self-sufficient and independent. 

In reality no one is in absence of need of Allah ta’ala and everyone is dependent on no one other than Him. Allah ta’ala does not need anything. He does not need our Salaah, Sadaqah or goodness.  It is mentioned in a Hadith that Allah ta’ala says, 

“O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases the sea if put into it.” 
[Part of a long Hadith; Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

This is Allah ta’ala being الْغَنِيُّ

What people do or do not do does not affect Him at all. We do not perform good deeds because Allah ta’ala needs them, we do them because we need them and to express our love for Him. In the Qur’an Allah ta’ala says, 

 

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
 

O mankind! It is you who stands in need of Allah, and it is Allah Who is Free of all wants, Worthy of all praise. [Surah Faatir: 15]

 

فُقَرَاء is plural for Faqeer. Even the richest person in the world is a Faqeer (Beggar) in front of Allah ta’ala Who is absolutely self-sufficient. His self-sufficiency does not even need our praise.

 

Secret behind praising Allah ta’ala

When we praise Him, Allah ta’ala will listen to our prayers and that is the secret behind praising Allah ta’ala, that it attracts the Rahmah of Allah ta’ala. 

 

Allah ta’ala is Self-sufficient, Forbearing and Kind
 

Being self-sufficient is mentioned many times in the Qur’an along with being forbearing and kind. 

 

In Surah Baqarah Allah ta’ala says, 

قَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ
 

Kind words and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. Allah is Self-sufficient, Forbearing. [Surah Baqarah: 263]

A kind word and forgiving is better than that charity which is followed up by insult or injury. Allah ta’ala is Self-Sufficient and Forbearing. He does not need our charity as He is غَنِيٌّ, independent. If the recipient of our charity do not show appreciation or reciprocate the favour then we should show forbearance and be independent i.e. be emotionally self-sufficient. We should try and emulate to some extent the two qualities of Allah ta’ala mentioned in the verse. 

When Allah ta’ala said, “Who is the one who would give Allah a good loan so that Allah multiplies it for him many times?” [Surah Baqarah:245] the Mushrikeen of Makkah made fun saying Allah ta’ala is poor and that He needs help. But it is an expression meaning the loan will help the person as Allah ta’ala is Self-sufficient. 

 

Allah ta’ala says, 

وَرَبُّكَ الْغَنِيُّ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ - Your Rabb is Self-Sufficient, Lord of Mercy. [Surah An’aam:133]

 

Even though Allah ta’ala is self-sufficient, He is merciful. People who are self-sufficient often do not show mercy to others. They think they have done a great deed by giving Sadaqah but Allah ta’ala does not need it and we should be happy to have had the opportunity to please Allah ta’ala.  

 

Allah ta’ala is not dependent on Progeny
 

In terms of Aqeedah regarding the Ahli Kitaab attributing a son to Allah ta’ala, it  implies He needed one to depend on and therefore was not self-sufficient. Allah ta’ala rebuts it in Surah Yunus saying He is beyond any type of dependency on progeny. 

 

قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَانَهُ ۖ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ
 

They (Jews and Christians) say: “Allah has begotten a son!” Glory be to Him! He is self-sufficient! 
[Surah Yunus: 68]

 

In the Qur’an

الْغَنِيُّ is mentioned many times in the Qur’an in various forms.

 

وَاللَّهُ الْغَنِيُّ وَأَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ - For Allah is the Self-Sufficient, whereas you stand in need of Him
[Surah Muhammad: 38]

 

الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ ۗ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ
 

“Nor those who, being stingy themselves, enjoin others to be stingy also. He that gives no heed should know that Allah is free of all needs, worthy of all praises.” [Surah Hadeed: 24]

 

وَإِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًا
 

And if you disbelieve, lo! unto Allah belong whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and Allah is ever Absolute, Owner of Praise. [ Surah Nisa’: 131]

 

Acknowledging the Reality of dependency on Allah ta’ala
 

We are all born helpless and dependent on others.  Then as we grow older we become more independent though still dependent on Allah ta’ala, and then go back to being dependent on others in old age. Allah ta’ala is showing us we are dependent on others from the very beginning and at the end.

 

A Scholar mentions that the foundation of a successful person is having the reality of how dependent one is on Allah ta’ala. Allah ta’ala says in Surah Alaq,

 

كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ - Nay! Indeed, man transgresses all bounds

أَنْ رَآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ - in thinking himself to be self-sufficient[Surah Alaq:6-7]

 

A person who realises his dependency on Allah ta’ala is successful and the person who does not realise it, has the false concept of being self-sufficient. He is deluded. It can lead to transgression and sin. The person who has servitude to Allah ta’ala (‘Uboodiyyat) realises their dependency on Allah ta’ala and it shows in their Du’a and the way they interact with people. 

 

Wealth expanded and life span extended by doing Silah Rahmi

Everyone has the desire for wealth and the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said who ever wishes to have his wealth expanded and his life span extended, then he should keep good relations with his family (Silah Rahmi) which is maintaining family ties. There are many Hadith on maintain family ties even when disputes occur. 

 

Maintaining family ties means;

•    To help relatives in time of need – to give condolences in times of grief or congratulating in happy times
•    To meet them happily and to make Du’a for them
•    Not to stop talking or cut relations

 

In a comprehensive way Silah Rahmi is to help a person towards Khayr (in terms of the world and the Aakhirah) and to help and protect them in terms of anything bad.

 

Allah ta’ala is الْغَنِيُّ and He grants wealth or poverty to whomsoever He wishes. 

 

Counsel

To regard one’s self as a Faqeer in front of Allah ta’ala and only in front of Him. Some people express their dependency on others however it is Allah ta’ala Who grants and therefore to ask Him and not creation who are only the means. 

 

Use the beautiful and comprehensive Du’a of Musa AS while realizing your need of الْغَنِيُّ. 

 

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

My Lord! I am needy of whatever good You send down for me. [Surah Qasas: 24]

 

Benefit of Surah Waaqiah for Wealth
 

Prophet sallalaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Surah Waqiah is the Surah of Wealth, so recite it and teach it to your children”. (Ibn Asakir)

It is narrated from Ibn Katheer (Rahimahullah) on the authority of Ibn Asakir that when Abdullah ibn Mas’ood RA was on his death-bed, Uthman RA visited him and asked, ‘What is your ailment?’ He replied, ‘My sins.’ ‘And what do you desire?’ He replied, ‘The mercy of my Lord.’ Uthman RA asked, ‘Shall I not give you your stipend which you have refused to take for years now?’ He replied, ‘I have no need of it.’ Uthman RA said, ‘Let it be for your daughters after you.’ He replied, ‘Do you fear poverty for my children? I have commanded them to read Surah al-Waqiah every night for I have heard the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam  saying, “Whoever reads Al-Waqiah every night shall not be afflicted by poverty ever.” 

 

Du’a for protection from the Fitnah of poverty

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam feared wealth for his Ummah as it can be a Fitnah and we see this in our time. Wealth intoxicates and leads to bad deeds and distances one from Allah ta’ala. Similarly poverty can also lead to Fitnah and affect one’s Imaan. 

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam made the following Du’a seeking refuge from many things including the Fitnah of wealth and poverty.

 

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ النَّارِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْغِنَى وَشَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْفَقْرِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَاىَ بِمَاءِ الثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّ قَلْبِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ وَبَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَالْهَرَمِ وَالْمَأْثَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ

 

O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the tribulation of the Fire and the torment of the Fire, and from the tribulation of the grave, and from the evil of the tribulation of richness and the evil of the tribulation of poverty, and from the evil of the trial of the False Christ. O Allah! Wash away my sins with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from sin as a white garment is cleansed from filth, and put a great distance between me and my sins, as great as the distance You have made between the east and the west. O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness and old age, and from sins and debt). [Ibn Majah]

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