Materialism

Walking into a shopping center the Friday after Thanksgiving runs you the risk of being engulfed by a hoard of raging shoppers. The morning after Apple’s new iPhone X was released, you couldn’t even scroll down a few posts in your Twitter or Facebook feed without running into the trending subject again. And just when you thought you’d be early to snatch that limited edition T-shirt by Supreme, you find yourself waiting in a line that seems like it couldn’t be just a mile long. Why is that? Nowadays, everyone around us seems to be in a rush to make and spend money. Teenagers are especially the victims of our societies corrupt materialistic culture. All we can think about is how we can make ourselves happy through adding to our possessions.

You often hear of the saying “money can’t buy happiness”. Unfortunately, it’s the exact opposite that we were led to believe since we were old enough to read and write. The kid who had the most expensive toys in nursery school was always the “popular” one. No matter what age we are at, this mindset will remain unless we do something about it. So it is here that we can turn around and identify the root of the problem. The fact is, that money indeed can’t make us happy. Even the richest people share their fair share of concerns, and though it may not seem like it, go through similar problems as us. From stressing over familial matters to dealing with issues about self identity, some of these troubles aren’t too far off despite the gap of wealth. We need to instill within ourselves the belief that what we own does not in fact, define who we are. It is difficult to not lose ourselves in consumerism, but if we remain unwavering in our faith, we can keep our vision steady.

While we are busy obsessing over the newest clothes and shoes, it’s easy to forget one of the core values of Islam: humility. Being humble is undoubtedly a fundamental facet of the Muslim identity. The many characteristics of humility include getting in touch with our deen, loving and holding great respect of Allah, and also from learning more about ourselves. Remaining humble and compassionate helps us equalize ourselves among others, shielding us from arrogance and entitlement. In doing so, we can distance ourselves from the evils of materialism and grow closer to Him.

“And strain not your eyes in longing for the things; the splendour of the life of this world. But the provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.” [Quran 20:131]. Time and time in the Quran, we are reminded by Allah that the material luxuries distracting us are only a temporary existence. Our time and resources are limited, and the happiness which comes from owning something new lasts only for a short time. In order to keep them from blinding us, we have to first adopt a straightforward way of life. The very principle of living modestly incorporates detaching oneself from worldly valuables and ideal pleasures. The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was a perfect model of being humble. He lived simply and modestly, which was encompassed by his acceptance of all people from all walks of life. It was reported by Jaabir ibn Abd Allah, radiallahu anhu, that the Prophet used to slow down his pace for the poor and weak and also prayed for them.

Iyad ibn Himar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah has revealed to me that you must be humble towards one another, so that no one oppresses another or boasts to another.” Being humble, in essence, shows respect and care and requires one to set aside his or her differences in order to understand others. It is from here that being merciful stems from humility- in order to forgive and love, we must respect and understand. Only then are we be able to work together in unison.