“Money can vanish overnight, but soft skills? That’s the real cheat code that’ll keep you bouncing back no matter how hard life trolls you.”
Many people believe that the key to a good life is money. “If you have money, everything is possible,” they often think. But the truth is, money is incredibly fragile. It’s here today, but it can be gone tomorrow. It can be mismanaged, it can be defrauded, or it can simply be used up for daily needs.
Just imagine, there are people working abroad for ten years. Returning home with quite large savings. He tried to open a shop, but didn’t understand how to trade. The location is not right, the price of the goods is wrong, there are few customers. Make a loss.
Then I tried a culinary business, but it turned out I couldn’t manage my cash flow. I ran out of capital and closed the business. Finally, I tried investing in a business that promised “guaranteed profits,” but I ended up getting scammed.
Finally, the money that had been collected for years just disappeared.
Allah ﷻ has given a picture in the Qur’an of a rich man who lost all his gardens, to the point of regretting it while turning his hands over because the wealth he was once proud of disappeared in an instant:
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَىٰ مَا أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا
“Then all the produce of his garden perished, so that he turned over with both hands (regretting) what he had spent, even though the garden collapsed along with its supports…” (Quran Surah Al-Kahf verse 42)
In essence, wealth can disappear in an instant. But if you have skills, whether soft skill or hard , you can start over. Skills (soft skill or hard) are like a tree; money is just the fruit. If the tree is there, the fruit will continue to grow each season.
Waiting for Ideal Conditions, When They Will Never Exist
Another common mistake is procrastination. Some people say, “I’ll study when I get home.” Others think, “Once I have enough savings, I’ll start a business.” Or, “Once the economy is good, I’ll take the plunge.”
The problem is, those ideal conditions almost never come. The economy is always fluctuating, government regulations can change, and household needs continue to fluctuate. If you keep waiting for everything to be perfect, you’ll never get started.
Rasulullah ﷺ gave a very simple parable. He said:
لَوْ أَنَّكُمْ تَتَوَكَّلُونَ عَلَى اللهِ حَقَّ تَوَكُّلِهِ، لَرُزِقْتُمْ كَمَا تُرْزَقُ الطَّيْرُ، تَغْدُو خِمَاصًا، وَتَرُوحُ بِطَانًا
“If you put your trust in Allah with true trust, you will surely be given sustenance as the bird is given sustenance; it goes in the morning with an empty stomach, and comes home in the afternoon with a full stomach.” (Hadith narrated by Tirmidhi)
Birds don’t wait for ideal conditions. They don’t wait for the weather to cool down or for the trees to bear fruit. They still fly early in the morning, searching for food. Because they move, God provides sustenance. So do we. If we just wait, we won’t get anywhere.
Also read: The Attitude of Muslims Amid Chaos
Skills (Soft Skill or Hard Skill) Make You Independent, Not Dependent
Skills aren’t just technical, but also mental. People with both soft skill and hard skills tend to be more confident, independent, and less dependent on others. With skills, someone can say, “I can stand on my own two feet.”
On the other hand, if you rely solely on savings, inheritance, or the help of others, once those resources are removed, your livelihood will falter. This is why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said:
الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى
“The upper hand is better than the lower hand.” (Hadith narrated by Bukhari & Muslim)
This means that giving is more noble than receiving. But to be able to give, we must first be independent. Independence comes from skill, not just money.
So, if you’re still working abroad, don’t just focus on saving. While you’re working, cultivate your skills too. You could learn to trade small, take a course, or find a mentor. When you return home, it’s those skills that will help you survive, not just the money in your savings.
Also read: How to Adjust Take Profit and Risk Management in Investment
Abdurrahman bin Auf – From Zero to Rich Again
The most striking example of this is that of the Prophet’s companion , Abdurrahman ibn Auf. He was originally a successful merchant in Mecca, but when he migrated to Medina, he left behind all his possessions. He went from being wealthy to arriving in a new city with nothing.
In Medina, the Prophet ﷺ united the Muhajirin with the Ansar. Abdurrahman was related to Sa’ad bin Rabi’, a wealthy Ansar. Sa’ad sincerely offered half of his wealth, even one of his wives, to marry Abdurrahman.
But Abdurrahman answered humbly:
بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِي أَهْلِكَ وَمَالِكَ، دُلَّنِي عَلَى السُّوقِ
“May Allah bless your family and your wealth. Just show me where the market is.”
This answer demonstrates an extraordinary mentality. He refused to depend on others, even if offered half his fortune. He was confident that with his trading skills, he could rise again from nothing.
And indeed, he started small, selling cheese and butter at the market. With honesty, diligence, and integrity, his business grew. Gradually, he became a major supplier. From nothing, he became one of the wealthiest friends.
The difference is, his wealth didn’t make him arrogant. He was generous, funded wars, helped the poor, and always supported the Prophet’s mission . His wealth was truly a blessing, not just a number on the scale.
Also read: How to Build a Resilient Business in Hard Times
Closing
Life has provided many examples. There are workers who toiled abroad, but their savings were depleted due to a lack of skills. There’s also the story of Abdurrahman bin Auf, who, despite losing all his wealth, was able to rise again thanks to his trading skills.
Money may run out, but skills remain. Waiting for ideal conditions will never last, so it’s better to start with what you have. Skills make us independent, not dependent. And if those skills are used with good intentions, the results will not only bring wealth but also bring blessings.
If the world can take your wealth, don’t worry. The world won’t be able to steal your skills, mentality, or integrity. And with that, God willing, we too can rise again like Abdurrahman bin Auf.
Also read: How to Prioritize The Productivity Tools
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Reference
Al-Qur’an al-Karim. Accessed from: https://quran.com/
At-Tirmidhi, Muhammad bin Isa. Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Book of Zuhd, Hadith no. 2344. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:2344
Al-Bukhari, Muhammad bin Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari. Buku al-Zakah, Hadith no. 1427. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1427
Muslim bin al-Hajjaj. Sahih Muslim. Kitab al-Zakah, Hadith No. 1033. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/muslim:1033
Ibn Kathir, Ismail bin Umar. Al-Bidāyah wa an-Nihāyah. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1985.