The continuation of the story of the people of the garden.

 The continuation of the story of the people of the garden. 

This scene is actually amazing because it was the poor who advised the rich, and not the other way around!

“It was better for you to say when you entered your garden: ‘This is what Allah has willed, there is no power except with Allah!’ If you see me less than you in wealth and children. It may be that my Rabb will give me something better than your garden, and will send on it a torment from the sky, then it will be a slippery earth. Or the water thereof (of the gardens) becomes deep-sunken (in the underground) so that you will never be able to seek it.” [Surah Al-Kahf 18: 39-41]

The friend continued to advise him to thank Allah by saying:

مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ‌ۚ

Ma Shaa Allah, la quwwata illa billah.

This is what Allah has willed; there is no power except with Allah.

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymin rahimahullah said that when a person sees something about himself that amazes him, he should say “Ma Shaa Allah, la quwwata illa billah.” This statement is a recognition of our helplessness without Allah’s intervention. We are basically saying: I cannot possibly do and achieve all this without the help of Allah. So instead of thinking along the lines of “I am diligent/smart, and therefore I was successful”, think instead “Ma Shaa Allah, it is by the Rahmah and Helps from Allah that this project was successful.” This belief and thought process will, In Shaa Allah, nullify the feeling of self-conceit (i.e. ‘Ujub in Arabic) in our hearts.

“And so all his produce was (totally) ruined, so he started to wring his hands for all he had spent on it, while it had collapsed on its trellises. He cried: ‘Alas! I wish I had never associated anyone with my Rabb (in worship)!’ And he had no manpower to help him against Allah, nor could he (even) help himself.” [Surah Al-Kahf 18: 42-43]

One tafseer opinions is that the poor friend was hurt by the arrogance of his rich friend, so he made du’a against him and Allah answered that du’a. Another tafseer opinion is that the poor friend advised him out of sincerity, but the owner of the two gardens did not take heed of his friend’s advice, and thus Allah destroyed all of his wealth - every single one of them! Not a single piece of his property survived, not even one piece of grape. All was utterly ruined. The consequences of his sins and arrogance reached him, and the owner finally regretted his sins.

Brothers and sisters in Islam, know that this dunya is a test, and some of us will be tested with wealth and poverty. Be certain that our worldly success or loss is not a definite measurement of our akhirah, but it is our Taqwa of Allah. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says: 

“Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa.” [Surah Al-Hujurat 49: 13]

 May Allah make us humble in whatever gift he has granted us. Aamin