Taking Wealth For Granted

Allah clearly states, And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sābirin (the patient ones, ...

Having money and spending and taking it for granted, not thinking about i could loose this at any time, then its all gone.........I grew up in poverty alhamduillah. my parent are 1st generation immigrants to the UK , economic migrants, that in turn settled in the UK for a better life than the native land they left behind. Purchased a home , both worked night and day to pay the morrgage. The home was very basic , there was no bathroom , the tiolet was outside, we had a tin bath that was hanged outside in the garden and we used this every friday in the kichen for bath nights, there was no boiler , no fixed heating, times were bleak but they managed and i never recall a day when mum didn't have a meal on the table even in times of severe hardship. Now my own kids , i have based them on a modest model but i don't belive in horrding wealth, its should not sit accumalating and you go without , spend wisely ,yes , save for futre goals , yes but enjoy your blessings too.

I think over the years i have compensated for the kids not having access to certain things in life with material gain i.e. spending , i called it treating them , alhamduillah they are not greedy kids or spoilt but i feel they could do with a self check esp after making hijrah to a 3rd world countary , its may come as a very rude wake up call for them.............so this week funds have been low , rock bottom infact, so we have be coping and had to produced meals ect with little , at the same time showiing them that some people in algeria don't even have this and other places no safe drinking water..........this has made them think and has an inpact on there asking and spending. i also wanted them to take better care of the blessings they have been blessed with, in turn making them last longer. Most importantly i wanted to show them that one day they may have no wealth or there maybe times to come in their own adult lives when money is tight and they have to make ends meet. I felt cruel at first but NO!!!!!! They need to understand money does not buy happyness and we need to respect it when we have it. money does not grow on a money plant in the back room (although i wish it did sometimes lol). When in the UK my kids used to say to me when i told then i had no money on me , ''umi go to the machine in the wall , put that card in and get some from there!'' sound familiar? well that does not happen in Algeria. Wealth is a true blessing especially when you witness those without , in the Western countries it is wasted , wasted so much , this is something i was aware of but became more aware when i came to Algeria. Now i understand why these 3rd world countries say the 'Streets of London are paved with gold'' looking into the west from this life view yes i can belive it too, wealth is a very important blessing that we take for granted when we have it and respect it when we dont !!!! striking the balance is the best way to deal with this blessing inshaAllah.