HIRS (GREED)
Allah Ta’ala says:
“Do not raise your eyes towards the glitter of` the worldly life which We have granted to various groups among them (kuffaar).”
Rasulullah (saws) said: “The son of Aadam ages while two things of his grow younger, viz., greed for wealth and greed for (longer) life.”
THE NATURE OF HIRS
The engrossment of the heart with wealth, etc. is hirs. Hirs is the root of all spiritual ailments. It is, therefore, proper to describe it as the mother of all maladies. All mischief and strife are the consequences of this lowly attribute. It is because of hirs that people plunder and usurp the rights of others. The basis of immorality is the lust for bestial pleasure. The root of all akhlaaq-e-razielah is this very hire.
All the aarifeen (Auliyaa of Allah) maintain that the foundation of akhlaaq-e-razielah is kibr (pride) and kibr is synonymous with the desire for fame. Thus, the basis of kibr too is hirs.
If man possesses two valleys filled with gold and silver, by nature he will desire a third. The more the demands of greed are satisfied, the greater will be its demands. Greed is like one afflicted with rash. The more he scratches, the worse the rash becomes. Allah Ta’ala says:
“What! Is there for man everything he desires?”
In other words, it is not possible for man to fulfil all his desires. It is for this reason that the harees (the one who has greed) has no peace of mind. Nothing besides soil (i.e. the grave) can satiate his greed. Before a wish can attain fulfilment, another develops. When one is not contented with taqdeer, one is smitten by a multitude of desires and hopes, the fulfilment of which is most difficult. The result of non-fulfilment of desire is frustration and worry. The harees inspite of perhaps possessing wealth in abundance and enjoying luxury, is perpetually afflicted with frustration.
THE REMEDY
Reduce expenditure. This will diminish concern and yearning for more earnings. Forget about the future and bear in mind that the harees always is contemptible.
