“Rich people win because of their money.”
Sounds familiar, right? We hear this all the time. The idea is simple: if you’ve got lots of wealth, you can basically do anything. Give huge amounts to charity, build mosques, support orphanages, go for Umrah and Hajj over and over again. Meanwhile, those without money? They just sit back and sigh.
But here’s the thing it’s not always like that. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once shared that there’s a powerful weapon that can let the poor “overtake” the rich or even a property owner. What is it? Dhikr. Yep, daily dhikr can be that secret weapon, more valuable than gold and silver. And the amazing part? If a wealthy person or property owner also keeps up with dhikr, they become truly unrivaled.
Dhikr is a Secret Weapon
Dhikr is not just oral reading, but a booster for our hearts and practices. The Prophet ﷺ once said:
سَبَقَ الْمُفَرِّدُون َ
“Those who are alone have gone ahead.”
The friends were curious, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He answered:
الذَّاكِرُونَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَات ُ
“People who recite a lot of dhikr of Allah.” ( Hadith History of At-Tirmidhi )
Just imagine, with dhikr, a person can “get ahead” of others in terms of rewards. So, it’s not wealth that makes one superior, but a heart busy remembering Allah.
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When the Poor Overtake the Rich Property Owner
There’s an interesting story from the companions. Some poor companions envied their wealthy companions. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, rich people can pray like us, fast like us, but they can also give charity with their wealth, perform the Hajj, and perform jihad. We can’t do that.”
Then Rasulullah ﷺ taught them special dhikr:
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
read 33 times after prayer.He said, with this dhikr they can pursue the rewards of rich people. ( Hadith from Bukhari & Muslim).
What does this mean? Even though they have no money, poor friends are given the weapon of dhikr (remembrance of God) to “overtake” the virtues possessed by wealthy people. This shows that dhikr can “level the playing field” between the poor and the rich property owner.
But what if rich people property owner also do dhikr?
Now, here’s the twist. When the poor began to diligently recite dhikr, their wealthy companions didn’t want to be left behind. They also began reciting the dhikr. Eventually, the poor companions returned to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to “protest.”
Rasulullah ﷺ just smiled and said:
ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ
of Allah which He gives to whom He wills.” (Quran Surah Al-Jumu’ah verse 4)
So, it’s clear that if wealthy people already have wealth and add daily dhikr to their repertoire, they become even stronger and unmatched. Their wealth becomes a source of rewards through charity, while dhikr acts as a booster, keeping their hearts connected to God.
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Relevance for Us Now
Imagine our lives today. There are office workers who are busy working from morning until evening. If they are diligent in dhikr, every step they take to the office can be considered an act of worship. There are small traders who are honest with their weights, and dhikr while they sell their wares, which Allah records as a great reward. There are successful entrepreneurs who are already wealthy, but they don’t forget to dhikr morning and evening, plus they are diligent in giving alms—well, these are truly “unmatched.”
Dhikr isn’t just a ritual performed in the mosque or after prayers. It can fuel your spiritual well-being, keep your business blessed, and increase your wealth.
Allah also promises in the Qur’an that dhikr makes the heart calm:
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ
“will your heart be at peace.” ( Quran Surah Ar-Ra’d verse 28)
This verse is very clear, that the power of dhikr is not only to increase rewards, but also makes the heart cool, calm, and strong in facing the competition of life.
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Conclusion: Unrivaled Weapon
So, in conclusion, dhikr is an extraordinary weapon. For the poor, dhikr can be a way to overtake the rich. But if the rich also practice dhikr diligently, they become even more unrivaled, because they have two assets: wealth and dhikr.
Wealth without dhikr is fragile. Dhikr without wealth can still be powerful. But wealth plus dhikr is the most powerful combination.
From now on, don’t underestimate daily dhikr. No matter how busy we are, make time to remember Allah. Because with dhikr, worldly tasks won’t just tire us out, but will also provide us with provisions for the afterlife.
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References
Al-Qur’an, Al-Karim
Al-Bukhari, Muhammad bin Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari . Hadith on Tasbih after Salah: Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar 33x (HR. Bukhari) Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:843
At-Tirmidhi, Sunan at-Tirmidhi , no. 3376. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:3376