Zoha Kazim
Money plays an important role in our lives. It can also be a cause for major problems in our lives, misfortune in many ways, thereby affecting relationships and friendships. It can make or break relationships. An essential element to survive in this world, without it we can’t imagine our survival. We all know that we need money to fulfill basic needs, also need to realize, money isn’t everything which can make our lives full of happiness. We often hear from our parents and elders, those who have more money also have more worries, their money can’t give peace in their lives. Money make our lives as well as destroy. It make our lives when it’s fulfilling our every basic need. For example, a person who works hard and gets a good job, enjoy all facilities such as good pay, medical treatment, etc. which fulfills his/her basic needs. It destroy our lives when it’s given more priority, especially in relationships. This is the main thing in this article we’ve need to realize, but mostly people don’t realize, just concerned about money, how to increase more. They don’t care about relationships, even forget blood relations, act like don’t know. Money can affect relationships in the matters of borrowing or lending money. Often, in need of money, people look up to their friends or family for help. At first, their rich relatives show arrogance, then lend money to poor relatives out of pity. But, sometimes, money that is borrowed, not returned on time, this is the point when rifts start surfacing in the relationships. If poor relative couldn’t return money (due to some financial problems) on time, the rich relative dishonors him in front of people. If rich relative has a big business, take a lot of money from other people, it doesn’t matter for him if he doesn’t get on time, but if poor relative’s financial situation isn’t good and asks for some respite, rich relative says him to borrow money from someone else and pay his money back. The poor relative becomes so helpless, doesn’t find any way what should he do in this situation. Why doesn’t fear of Allah arise in the heart of rich relative? When he is living life comfortably, his household isn’t affecting due to this debt, if it’s not paid on time, then why does he exploit from the poor’s miserable condition? The poor relative will somehow return money back, but the humiliation which he would’ve faced, never forget it. Until the poor relative doesn’t pay debt, rich relative doesn’t talk to him, reacts like he has no relationship with him, even he doesn’t like to invite him in his happiness such as marriage ceremony or any other event, etc. But when the poor relative pay his debt, rich relative reacts like “nothing was happened,” restore relationship with him, forgets very easily how he humiliated him in front of people. Even Allah has said in the Holy Quran to give some respite to the debtor, if he is in distress, let there be postponement until he is at ease. It’s too easy for rich to establish or break relationships. Relationships have no value to them, they only value money.In this world, everyone isn’t rich, poor are also here. We, humans, made distinction between poor and rich, but in the sight of Allah, there’s no distinction between poor and rich, all are equal. Yes, it’s true that Allah has given more to the rich but it doesn’t mean, they start considering poor as inferior and ourselves as superior, have everything and can do anything what want. If Allah can give to rich, he can also give to poor. Time can turn, rich may become poor and poor may become rich, doesn’t always remains same. If poor comes to them for help, they should help them. So, have fear from Allah and don’t consider yourself superior. Some people establish relationships, then end without any reason. Why do they do that? For the greed of money, although they’re rich, want to become more and establish relationships with those who meet their standard, break relation with poor due to their low status. For example, a girl who is married with her cousin, gets divorced because of middle class background. These people have no fear in their hearts, it can happen to their own daughters. This thing doesn’t come in their minds, their main concern is money, not to save relationships, even blood relations.What has happened to these people? Why do they forget about their blood relationships and become blind in greed of money. There is no such thing, as humanity, left in them, even fear of Allah doesn’t remain in their hearts. They end relationships regardless of fact how close it is, so proud of their money, talk about it(their business), wherever they go. They don’t realize money they have in this world, or wish for more, will not help on the doomsday to escape from Allah’s punishment. If they realize it, they’d never treat poor this way, but the problem, they’re so engrossed in this world, don’t want to understand anything. Relationships are established, not bought. Things are bought but relationships can’t. When money is given more priority, especially in establishing relationships, relationships are at stake and begin to break.
