Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)

28. “And know that your wealth and your children are a (means of) trial, and that Allah - with Him is a great reward.”

Intensive love for wealth and children is the pivot of a lot of evil actions. It is the origin of many unlawful transactions, lies, monopolies, short weights, lack of payment of the alms- tax, to avoid giving Khoms (one fifth levy) and poor-rates, greeds, hindering others’ affairs, false oaths, wasting the people’s rights, and the like of them.

The love of children may cause a person to escape from the battle-field and not to tolerate a short separation from the family.

Then, these are the factors of trial, as explained in the previous verse. This kind of love drew ‘Abul-Babah into committing wrong and, in order to protect his wealth and children, he assisted the enemy of Islam.

Therefore, regarding the occasion of revelation of the previous verse, excessive love to wealth and children causes man to fall into sin and treachery. The verse under discussion says:

“And know that your wealth and your children are a (means of) trial...”

Also, wealth and children can be two fascinating traps on the way of human beings to which the Qur’an has repeatedly warned in different ways. For example, Surah Al-Munafiqun,No. 63 ,verse 9 says:

“...let not your wealth, or your children, divert you from the remembrance of Allah...”

Being attentive to the great reward of Allah causes us to leave the love of the world and also to abandon treachery. The verse says:

“...and that Allah - with Him is a great reward.”