وَإِذَا مَسَّ النَّاسَ ضُرٌّ دَعَوْا رَبَّهُم مُّنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ إِذَا أَذَاقَهُم مِّنْهُ رَحْمَةً إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ

“And when harm touches men, they cry sincerely only to their Lord (Allāh), turning to Him in repentance, but when He gives them a taste of His Mercy, behold! A party of them associate partners in worship with their Lord.”
(Al-Rūm, 30:33)

Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Nāṣir al-Saʿdī comments:

There are other ayāt in the Qurʾān that share the same meaning as the one mentioned above.¹ Their meaning is that if such duplicity is present in the very foundations of one’s belief and religion—such that the vast majority of people will cry out sincerely for Allāh in moments of duress and in the face of harm, due to their inherent recognition that He alone grants relief from every catastrophe that may befall them, and that He has no partners in bringing about this relief, but they only turn to Him because of the extenuating circumstances they find themselves in, such that they immediately return to associating partners with Him upon its subsequent removal—then this is also a matter most applicable to the degree of religiosity displayed by those who already possess belief (i.e. the Muslims). You will similarly find them, in the majority of circumstances, answering the call of mindlessness, inattentive to matters of belief and religion, consistent in the perpetration of that which is hateful to Allāh, foregoing His remembrance, never invoking Him with sincerity. Then, when they are finally touched by a harbinger of distraught and despair in the form of tribulation, they turn to face their Lord with the utmost sincerity and humility. Crying out in convenient sincerity seeking only respite from their affliction. When Allāh finally alleviates their hardship, granting them relief from the catastrophe that befell them, they promptly return to their initial state of mindlessness, wandering blindly through a cornucopia of transgressions, unremembering the One they had previously called with such fervour, as if it never happened.

Such a state is among the most potent forms of corruption and misguidance; the greatest tribulation a servant of Allāh may be subjected to: that he only remembers his Lord in the face of harm, when under duress. In actuality, this represents a variant of shirk (associating partners with Allāh in worship) as the one whose disposition is as described, has outwardly shown resemblance to the outright polytheists.

Rather, the true, complete believer remembers his Lord in times of prosperity and adversity, in times of hardship and ease. This is the state of Allāh’s true servant, whose outcome is exemplary, granted everlasting happiness. Such a servant is granted relief from whatever catastrophe befalls him, just as the Most High mentions regarding Dhī al-Nūn (Yūnus (عليه السلام)) that, as a recompense for his worship of Allāh in times of happiness, Allāh remembered him when he was afflicted with hardship:

فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ ‎﴿١٤٣﴾‏ لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ‎﴿١٤٤﴾‏

“Had he not been of them who glorify Allāh, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the whale) till the Day of Resurrection.”
(Al-Ṣāffāt, 37:143-144)

And He also said concerning him:

وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُنجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“And delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allāh, abstain from evil and work righteousness).”
(Al-Anbiyāʾ, 21:88)

And the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Remember Allāh in times of happiness and He will remember you in times of hardship”.² A similar sentiment is expressed in the āyāt that mention the response of those granted worldly luxuries and wealth to the call of the messengers:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ كَافِرُونَ ‎

“And We did not send a warner to a township, but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them said: ‘We believe not in the (message) with which you have been sent.’”
(Sabaʾ, 34:34)

Here, Allāh informs us that their rejection of the message has occurred in relation to their state of opulence and financial prowess. This āyah proves that the state of wealth and luxury being referred to here is to be fully engrossed and enveloped in the enjoyments and bliss of this worldly life, actively dedicating oneself only to it, daintily and snobbishly selecting only its choicest dishes and drinks for consumption, boarding only in its most exclusive and select automobiles. Such excessiveness and opulence lends itself to corrupted mannerisms and behaviours in a person that occlude him from wholehearted, expeditious submission to the commands of Allāh, or responding to the message of His callers.

Just as this state causes complete fundamental rejection of the religion itself, it similarly results in a stunted degree of adoption for its legislations and branches. For how many people have refused acts of worship in relation to the state of opulence they occupied?! How many opportunities to gain closeness to Allāh were squandered because of such states?! How many have fallen into that which is prohibited because of it?! For indeed, opulence, luxury, and showing extravagant excessiveness all impart a degree of resemblance to lowly livestock who desire nought but to satisfy their basest urges of food and drink. Such excessiveness leads to the bloating and fattening of one’s body, inevitably resulting in an inextricable laziness, a sluggish unwillingness to engage in acts of obedience, while the heart of such a person is constantly preoccupied with the base gratification of his soul. For how many have allowed this gratification to galvanise the justification of his unlawful attainment of wealth?! Granting himself free reign over the various avenues that lead to the amassing of wealth, showing exuberant insolence, pride, vanity, displaying and showing off his wealth to others, while showing disdain, conceit, and haughtiness over them, surrounding oneself and associating with people who mirror his wicked disposition.

In general, the immense harm caused by the wanton amassing of wealth, and showing excessive opulence and luxury is a multitude of degrees greater than what has been mentioned here. The true servant of Allāh must be economical in his food and drink, his clothing and his choice of domicile, and in the rest of his needs. He must not allow his heart to attach itself in devotion except to that which he requires from these things, without exceeding the limits to partake in that which he possesses no actual need. Let him practice showing this economy, such that he becomes fully accustomed to it, facilitating the cultivation of exemplary behaviours and manners, granting himself absolution from many of the illnesses, maladies and vices inexorably linked to opulence and excessiveness. It was for this reason that—when the riches and wealth of this worldly life were finally granted to the Muslims during the conquests that occurred when ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) was the khalīfah—he (رضي الله عنه) used to forbid the Muslims with severity and harshness from ever displaying the types of opulence shown by the vanquished nations. He (رضي الله عنه) used to command them to continue to show toughness, to persist in the rough, harsh, crude lives they had always led, and to be economical when fulfilling the requirements of life, all of which would ultimately lead to an exemplary outcome—both in this life and the hereafter. And with Allāh belongs true guidance.

Source: Al-Mawāhib al-Rabbāniyyah: 36-9
Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī