"Whatever you do will never satisfy everyone”, so says my mother, especially when people are not very pleased with me or my work. We, human beings, are always demanding for more or for something different. There is certainly no harm in striving for more. However, the problem starts when you are not satisfied with your needs and your comforts, and you desire luxuries to make your life ‘perfect’.

This is called greed.

Greed can be of two kinds:

. Greed for wealth includes our dissatisfaction with our basic or even comforting necessities, such as our comfy bed, good clothes, old cellphone, old car, etc. We demand not the least but the BEST.

. Greed for status includes coveting fame. I’m sure every teen knows about this one. An example can be that of a school girl who wants to become ‘famous’ in the school and wants to be known as the ‘cutest girl’ among the school guys. For this, she is ready to adopt any false means, without bothering about its consequences. This can be anything bad or unlawful, which can get people talking about her and hence make her ‘famous’.

Allah the Exalted says in Surah Layl (The Night):

“But he who is greedy, miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. And belies Al-Husna (The Best). We will make smooth for him the path of evil. And what will wealth benefit him when he goes down (in destruction).”

Greed in worldly matters is highly disliked in Islam because it has many disadvantages. Greed for both wealth and status leads to the destruction of good manners of a person and makes him stingy, arrogant and depressed. It may even lead to compromise in religion. He lives only for himself, and would not concern himself with the welfare of his family or friends. As he keeps running after the charms of the world, he forgets the hereafter, which results in the loss of both this world and the hereafter.

Today the Muslim Ummah too has adopted the same means. We have forgotten our purpose of life; we have forgotten that we will be held accountable for our actions. Today, we Muslims work hard only to gain the luxuries of this world, not of the hereafter. The responsibility of the Ummah is to guide the misguided people and remind them about the hereafter. However, we have forgotten our own purpose of life because we are distracted by our desire and greed for worldly things. Indeed, we live as though Allah SWT has granted us this life to enjoy the comforts of luxuries.

Ibn Abbas and Anas Ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “If a son of Adam were to own a valley full of gold, he would desire to have two valleys. Nothing can fill his mouth except the earth (of the grave). Allah turns with mercy to him who turns to Him in repentance." (Al-Bukhari) This Hadith deals with man's greed and his lust for material wealth. Only the person who has a perfect Faith can save himself from it.

Is it permissible for a person to be greedy when it comes to doing good?

Of course, yes. There is definitely no harm for a person to be greedy when it comes to doing good, such as, greed for earning the reward of the Nafeel prayer after performing the obligatory and sunnah prayers, or wanting to fast on Mondays and Thursdays of all weeks in addition to fasting the whole month of Ramadan. This ensures extra reward Insha’Allah.

What good deeds can I do?

o Make dua.

o Recite the Qur’an and ponder over its meanings.

o Make a habit of doing at least one good deed in a day and try increasing it so much so that you do a good deed every hour.

o Pray the voluntary prayers and do lots of dhikr, tasbeeh, etc.

But, very importantly, leave greed.