Salaam alaikum everyone,

So the long wedding discussion has ended. Lets take our minds to something else that we deal with on a personal level. And to make it all interesting, I've decided to start a teeny tiny activity. But that I will mention later. Lets see whats on our menu for the day shall we?

Shopping! Yes! I said it, it's whats constantly on our mind, it' whats become the purpose of life, purchasing something. I will now share an experience:

My monthly grocery shopping list was ready, And I couldn't wait to get on the go with it. It was one of my first few grocery buys since the wedding. I'm still in the learning and adapting stage. And college work, plus husband, and family takes up allot of my time, grocery shopping is a savior!

But this time I tried to put a twist to it, I cut 1/4th of my budget off. Why? Just to see if I was actually overspending, and prioritize better. There were times I stood with a product in hand and kept it back, because I didn't need it as much as I thought I did, then there were times, I made sure I checked out the prices of every other product to get the one that satisfied my budget (keep in in mind the quality desired). It took allot of time, but in the end I was more than satisfied spiritually than anything else.

It made me feel, I could conquer anything, I guess before my marriage I was an evil person in this regard, I bought whatever I wanted, even if I had to spend ALL of my allowance. But I now I've learned even the littlest of what you have is allot. And to some one your "nothing" is everything!.

Okay so now you must be thinking, grocery is different from that black shirt at Zara! I understand, but if you actually sit and think before you buy, and understand the concept of need and want, everything becomes so simple. And you might reach home with lesser shopping bags, but allot more money saved, and a great deal of pride.

So lets go further and analyse the problem, I've pondered over this more than a zillion times.
The question is; How/Why do we develop the want for something we don't need?
My school mate back in the day had explained this concept. We were all new into our selected streams, I had taken Humanities and she on the other hand, chose commerce. One of her subjects was entrepreneurship. And she was explaining the concept of "creating a need" in the market to sell a product. That conversation made me realize so many things, my brain started to hurt. It all came together for me, It's not like we don't know this concept, it's just easier to understand when put into simple words.

We all know we don't need 3 pairs of shoes. We don't require an outfit for everyday. We don't require 10 lipsticks of similar shades! etc. We just don't need them. There always comes a point in everyones life, where they have to think twice before buying something because of it's cost. No matter how rich, or how poor you are, there's always something you can't afford, which drives you to work harder and earn more to spend on these wants.

These wants are mostly worldly, How many times have we sacrificed a shopping trip to help a poor kid get education?, or buying a family a weeks food?. In Ramadan? Or when you want to take out sadaqah? Is that all the humanity left in us?.
Now think why did our prophet and the imams live with the least of things? What was their aim? do You think they did that for time pass? NO! They showed us that for survival with happiness you don't need "things", Every time you think you cant live without anything, or compare your or your hubbys or dads bank balance with that of others,realize you're creating a problem for yourself a worldly one! which is highly dangerous and dissatisfying. You can be more than happy and die with iman, you don't need these things!. The purpose of life is not to collect as many things as you can, but to grow as a Muslim and work for a good akhira.

lecturer Hajj Hassanain Rajabali mentions in a lecture to fantasize; fantasize about the heaven, fantasize about the life of beauty, suddenly you'll feel you everyday wants are petty. You'd feel like walking in rags, you'll feel like eating bread instead of a full meal. And unfortunately soon you may also get over this feeling, but work to stick to it. It's this feeling that'll humble us in our hearts and souls, which will make us stop judging and pressurizing people to do worldly things. Lets make an effort to live a life of constant remembrance of what's important. Whats worth the hard earned money and whats not. Whats a need and whats a want.

We are answerable to our expenditure. The concept of the satanic world is to get you busy with, wanting, then feeling you need it, then earning (no matter how, halal or haraam), then buying, then liking something else, becoming arrogant with your worldly gains, and then wanting more, leaving you no time to actually derive full pleasure out of your purchase. It's a cycle of nothingness. If you force yourself to enjoy what you have, you'll be deriving pleasure that are sacred, this will make you thank the one who blessed you with it, instead of getting busy trying to pursue another worldly buy.

I hope I've made my idea clear, And I have a little activity for you:
I want all of you to make list of your latest purchases, and select minimum 5 items you could've gone without. And send me the list, with an estimate on the total expenditure (in whatever currency). I'll be sharing all the lists with everyone (as examples) in the coming editions and bring some points into perspective. This will be good fun, and very personal to everyone, so that all of you can relate to it. And what my brainy brain will conclude will make you feel and think positive, Inshallah. (I am also joining in on this fun activity!).

Now, what are you waiting for work those memory cells and scribble down a list and send it. And I will not be sending another mail till I get at least 5 lists. You can ask your friends and have their lists sent too. No ones name will be revealed.

Blog readers can leave their list in the comments or just e-mail.

Waiting for some interesting replies.

Take care everyone, and be wise, don't get fooled by the satanic world! I know you're all smarter than that.

Fatima

PS: reply with lists to: syeda715@hotmail.com
__________________________________

Written by Syeda