Money Matters for a Muslim Man Who Wants to Do Good

The dunya, or this current world, is a passageway
for those who are Muslim, both men and women

Along this passageway is a place where we accumulate goodness
both goodness toward our fellow human beings and goodness toward God
so that we may arrive at the next world in peace

However, money is one important thing
that reflects how fully and effectively
a Muslim man is able to do good

Marriage is one of the good deeds
that Islam encourages 
because marriage is the starting point of the family institution
a place where a man and a woman have the opportunity
to begin and design a new family in the way they themselves want
We cannot choose the family we were born into
but we can choose to build a new family, through marriage

Marriage in Islam
is like an important space where a man and a woman
can express love and compassion for each other
where desires are extinguished, and calmed, in an orderly way
without causing harm to society
and taking responsibility for the children who will be born, never abandoning them

Marriage is therefore one of the arts of a Muslim’s way of life
and it is something religion commands, and part of goodness itself

However
in Islam, when a Muslim man wants to have a family
he must provide for the family 100%
including children’s expenses, housing, clothing, medicine
and the wife’s personal spending money — religion calls this portion nafaqah
it is entirely the man’s duty to be responsible for, once he wishes to marry

Even though religion permits the woman to help earn a living in this regard
the man still cannot pass this on as the woman’s burden 
When a Muslim family faces financial problems
do not blame the woman — blame yourself for not having developed yourself well enough
for not yet being able to create good economic conditions for the family
and use this as an opportunity to keep developing yourself

That is the reason why money is important for a Muslim man who wants to do good deeds
and an honest livelihood, earning income according to one’s capacity, and marrying according to one’s capacity
reflects that a man’s economic progress is itself one path of
pilgrimage for a Muslim

Therefore, Muslim society must encourage boys
from age 7 and up to understand this matter
to accumulate knowledge and keep learning, so as to become able to earn a living
and must be aware of the responsibilities ahead, and keep developing themselves
living in the present, and improving their present life well
so that one day, when ready to marry, they will be able to support themselves
and support their wife and children

Article by Yaoharee Lahtee

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