The Wealth : Lesson from the story of the owner of two gardens.

One of the interesting story in chapter Al-Kahfi is the owner of two gardens with his friend. This tale is a debatable issue among Muslim scholar whether it just a parable as Quran did not mention the whole story and its characters, place and time clearly or it is a real story. However, majority of them argued that all of the stories in Quran really happened include this tale.

Actually, unclear subject that narrated by Quran is not the issue as the main objective of Quranic stories is to give the lessons to reader. It is enough for Muslim when they understand the meaning beyond of the story rather than to find answer for unclear matter through the story.

In this particular story, it is about what is the Quranic perspective on wealth.

Money cause the happiness?

It is impossible to deny that money help human to achieve a better life, but is it means that humans live for money? In reality, money does not always create happiness for them. Take an example, a person who wants to earn six-figure salary, but when he reaches this position, it's still not satisfy him as his desire become to own more.

In contrast, Pursuit the wealth sometime leads to unhealthy competition among people. When a person overambitious to achieve his dream in possessing luxury, sometime he is willing to do anything regardless legally or not, but by far the important is it fulfill his desire.

On top of that, obsession for searching the money always makes people ignore their obligations. In many cases, we can see parents no longer have enough time to spend with their children, because many are working unsociable hours to cope with the pressure and world demand. Children consequently affected as they grow up without love, care, and education.

The moral of the story of owner of two gardens.

The issue is not the money as it also one of Allah creation, but the problem is how people deal with it. Different perspective cause different results. Thus, the story of the owner of two garden is the best guidance in understanding the wealth.

Regard to this story, one of them who was gifted by Allah with fascinating gardens. It contained two gardens of grape and surrounded by date palms. Between two gardens there were cornfields and the midst of them was a flowing river.

However, this award leaded the owner became arrogant, felt honorable and looked down to others. Moreover, he deemed his gardens will not perish and he believed that if he brought back to his Lord, surely he got something better in exchange.

His attitude followed by triggered response from his friend as he reminded him that all of human created from dust as it means one could not feel that he is better than other. Then, he advised him about all of the award that gifted by Allah should be followed by expression ‘Masha Allah' that means Allah's will (be done)! There is no power but with Allah!'

Finally, All possessions of the owner of two gardens were ruinous and then followed by his regret

"Woe is me! Would I had never ascribed partners to my Lord and Cherisher!" (Al-Kahfi: 42)

Apart from lesson, the interesting about this story is Allah give a parable of human life as he said

“Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies:
the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things. ( Al-Kahfi: 45).

This story was closed by a conclusion from Allah about wealth and sons as following:-

“Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world: But the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes. ( Al-Kahfi: 46)

When Allah said wealth and sons are allurements, he did not mean that both must be ignored. In contrast wealth and sons are individual responsibility. For example, in dealing with property, Muslim must follow divine rules such as paying zakat or dividing pusaka based on what has been taught by religion. Likewise, sons also have their right to their parent.

However what are concern by Islam, a real Muslim should not put their wealth and sons as their goal in life. In contrast, they must change them to become the avenue to achieve the real happiness in hereafter. It could be. For example a Muslim who contribute part of his wealth for the sake of religion, surely, he will reap it after his death. Another example would be, when a person have succeed to educate his son becomes a pious person, he will gain continuous reward later as long as his son pray for him.