Shunning materialism

‏ازْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُحِبَّكَ اللَّهُ

The Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) stated, "Shun materialism, and G'd will love you."

In today's world, success in life by many is measured by the piling up of material acquisitions. Many of the problems in today's world including war, oppression, crime and debt can be traced or linked to greed in most cases.

Islam promotes austerity, the life of simplicity. Austerity, zuhd in Arabic, does not translate into shunning all aspects of the material world or making unlawful what is lawful. According to Islam, the human being is to resist notions that material acquistion is an end, not a means to an end. Neither is one to preoccupy themself with the accumulation of wealth.

The preoccupation of wealth accumulation may cause one to scuttle their religious and ethical values out of fear of loosing a opportunity for increased material benefit. Such an example would be for a person of faith to hide their religious identity at work or even work against the ethical principles of their religion at their place of employment to advance their career. Thus, the person sells their soul for monetary benefit, which cannot be taken to the grave and will assist them none when meeting their Lord.

"Keeping up with the Jones'" is contrary to the Islamic ethic and should not be the goal of any religious minded person.

And surely G'd knows best.