The Owner of Two Gardens (Surah Al Kahf)

The second story in the Surah is a person who was the owner of two gardens and was wealthy and rich in every regard. However, his wealth lead him astray and he started doubting his faith, as a result of which Allah Almighty deprived him of all the worldly artifice and bounties, which made him realize the transients nature of the things of this world but by then it was too late for him.

Surah Al Kahf : 32 – 46

And present to them an example of two men: We granted to one of them two gardens of grapevines, and We bordered them with palm trees and placed between them [fields of] crops.

Each of the two gardens produced its fruit and did not fall short thereof in anything. And We caused to gush forth within them a river.

And he had fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, “I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in [numbers of] men.”

And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said, “I do not think that this will perish – ever.

And I do not think the Hour will occur. And even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return.”

His companion said to him while he was conversing with him, “Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportioned you [as] a man?

But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not associate with my Lord anyone.

And why did you, when you entered your garden, not say, ‘What Allah willed ; there is no power except in Allah ‘? Although you see me less than you in wealth and children,

It may be that my Lord will give me [something] better than your garden and will send upon it a calamity from the sky, and it will become a smooth, dusty ground,

Or its water will become sunken [into the earth], so you would never be able to seek it.”

And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, “Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone.”

And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor could he defend himself.

There the authority is [completely] for Allah, the Truth. He is best in reward and best in outcome.

And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability.

Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope.

FITNAH OF WEALTH: THE WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS IS MENTIONED HERE:

Wealth and children are the adornment of this worldly life, but the everlasting good deeds are far better with your Lord in reward and in hope. (Surah al-Kahf: 46)

So the way to deal with fitnah of wealth is to realize the reality of this wordly life. It is temporary, while the hereafter is everlasting.

Lesson – From this story also a Muslim can learn two lessons. The first lesson is that all the wealth is also a test from Allah Almighty. Therefore, to those whom He grants, He is actually testing them whether they will be grateful to Him or not. Secondly, a Muslim must also learn the lesson that the things of this world are all temporary and transient, therefore, when they are available one must thank Allah and spend on the ones who don’t have these worldly pleasures available to them. In Quran, Allah Almighty perfectly explains the condition of the worldly things:

“And present to them the example of the life of this world, like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability.” (18:45)

Source : Islamic Reminder – islamicpreacher – quranreading