Ramadan Reflections: Unveiling Financial Wisdom Found in Surah Baqara

One of my Ramadan goals for this year is to read the translation of the surahs in the Quran to deepen my understanding and improve my Akhlaq (morality). Surah Baqarah (The Cow) is the 2nd chapter of the holy Quran and as I finally sat down to read the translation, I found so many gems within it.

I don't know why it came as a surprise that Baqarah talks about finances and the Islamic ways to deal with money. Some of the topics that stood out to me included dealing with finances in divorce, with orphans, wills, and wealth building and sharing.

In my scramble to prepare for Ramadan, I purchased the books that Mufti Menk has been promoting with Quwa Co. There is a book dedicated to Baqarah that contains the English translation of the Surah and includes images and graphics that help elevate the essence of the message the ayats are portraying. I personally thought it was an amazing way to keep me engaged as I read, as opposed to the block print dictionary-style translation books I have tried reading before.

No, I am not sponsored by Quwa Co. or affiliated in any way. I just want to give you the context of what I am reading and why.

Disclaimer: I am not a scholar nor do I pretend to be one! These are just my reactions to what I have read and my appreciation of the words of Allah.

"Those who give away their wealth by night and day, secretly and openly, will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and know no sorrow." (2:274)

This quote reminds me of the importance of charity. For most, we go about obtaining wealth and making something for ourselves to live the life we want to live. For me, I know that one of my biggest goals is financial stability because I know what it means to be financially unstable.

At the same time, the verse reminds me of the important concept of "to give is it to get" and what I can give, even if it is not necessarily monetary, is a way for me to get something in return.

Please know that I am not saying we should only give with the expectation of receiving!

Instead, we should give what we can with the hopes of making a difference or the change we want to see. A nice cherry on top is that Allah will ensure that this is returned to you either in this world or the Akhira AND there is the feeling of tranquility that comes with giving to causes you care for.

What a beautiful concept to think about!

"Shaytan promises you poverty and commands you to avarice. Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and abundance. Allah is All-Encompassing. All-Knowing" (2: 268)

The way I had to read this twice and almost snapped my fingers in appreciation as if this were poetry. I had to contain myself and act dignified of course, but you get the point.

There is this concept of "abundance mindset" which acts as the foil to the "scarcity mindset". Though these two concepts can be applied outside of the world of finance, in this context, they refer to our relationship with money or wealth based on how we perceive it.

Allah is literally telling us that the scarcity mindset is the ploy of Shaytan. If we believe that we can't make more, we can't grow more, or we can't have more, then we fall into the trap of our enemy and forget about the mercy of Allah.

Allah has many attributes and among those include:

ٱلْكَرِيمُ (The Most Generous)

ٱلْمُغْنِيُّ (The Enricher)

(The giver of gifts) لْوَهَّابُ

We have to remember these facets especially when things seem impossible. As many of you are aware, we live in a high inflationary environment where people feel job insecurity and recent college grads aren't able to find the jobs they were promised they would if they obtained higher education.... But I digress.

Allah wants us to know that he promises abundance, we just have to not lose sight of this message.

"The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring the pleasure of Allah and firmness for themselves, is that of a garden on a hillside. When heavy rain falls on it, it doubles its produce and if heavy rain does not fall, there is dew. Allah sees what you do." (2:265)

"The metaphor of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah is that of a grain which produces seven ears; in every ear there are a hundred grains. Allah gives such multiplied increase to whomever He wills. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing." (2:261)

For my literary folks, this is for you!

These two quotes had me really stretch my imagination and try to understand the metaphors that were being presented. I understand that spending our wealth in the way of Allah can mean spending it on family or loved ones, the poor and needy, to build things that will benefit the ummah, etc.

What I am also understanding from these two quotes is that spending in the way of Allah feeds into continuous abundance in ways that we may not even realize at first.

Your $50 donation, for example, can potentially feed a family of 4 for a whole month in a country where the dollar goes a long way. So no amount is too small, nor is any amount without value.

I speak to my struggling students or anyone who sometimes feel like they can't always give monetarily to causes that they feel strongly about. No amount is too small! Even your time (which is the MOST valuable resource in my humble opinion) or your physical presence at an event to volunteer is truly worth more than you know.

I shall pause here for now because I acknowledge that I have a tendency to ramble at times.

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May Allah guide us all on the straight path and make our educational journey fruitful and as easy as possible. I know that the more I learn about Islam, the easier it is to fall in love with this way of life. I am here to drag you along with me in this pursuit of knowledge, especially in the realm of financial well-being and personal finance management.

If this sounds like something you are ready for and you aren't tired of my ramblings, then please subscribe to the mailing list and follow @myfinancesis on Instagram!

I have one-on-one office hours open for booking here if you have any follow-up questions or concerns that you want to talk with me about. You can also always reach me at asmyfinancesis@gmail.com.

Ramadan Kareem!