Have you ever seen someone with billions in wealth, a fleet of cars, and a huge house, yet… it seems like they’re never satisfied? There’s always something missing, always wanting more. Ultimately, they tire of their lives, chasing endless desires.
But there are also people whose lifestyles are ordinary, simple, and uncomplicated. Strangely, they actually seem calmer. Why? Because they feel content. And what’s amazing is that because they feel content, they easily divert their wealth for good: charity, endowments, helping others. Wealth isn’t a burden, but a source of reward.
Well, therein lies the secret: the simple life doesn’t mean being poor or resigned to circumstances. In fact, with simplicity, we can manage our wealth more wisely, use it more widely, and even become wealthy… not just in this world, but also in the afterlife.
Being Rich is About Feeling Enough
Honestly, if you think about it, our basic needs aren’t really that many. Three meals a day are enough, a comfortable home brings peace of mind, and simple clothing is enough. What’s left? Usually, it’s about pride.
The problem is, pride is never-ending. Today you want a new motorbike, tomorrow a car, the day after that a bigger house, next week a vacation abroad. And once you get it? Oh, you want even more. It’s so tiring living like this.
That’s why Rasulullah ﷺ once warned that humans will never be satisfied with wealth, no matter how much .
He ﷺ said:
لَوْ كَانَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَادِيَانِ، وَلَنْ يَمْلَأَ فَاهُ إِلَّا التُّرَابُ، وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ تَاب َ
“If the son of Adam had one valley of gold, he would definitely want two valleys. And nothing can fulfill (satisfy) his mouth except the land (of death). And Allah accepts the repentance of whoever repents.” (Hadith History of Bukhari & Muslim)
This adage is really poignant, isn’t it? It means that no matter how much gold we have, if our hearts never have enough, we’ll still feel like we’re lacking. In fact, contentment is the key to true wealth. Once our hearts are simple, we can enjoy life peacefully, and we can use our wealth for things that bring goodness.
Also read: The Importance of Having Multiple Sources of Income
Simple is the Way to Riches
Sometimes people think, “If you live simply, you’re resigned, poor, and have no aspirations.” But the opposite is true. In fact, people who are accustomed to simplicity are more likely to become wealthy. Why? Because they don’t waste their money chasing prestige.
For example, someone earns 20 million rupiah, but spends it every month on mortgage payments for a luxury house, a new car, hanging out at expensive cafes, and luxury vacations. Ultimately, they have zero savings and no investments. Their life looks great on the outside, but it’s fragile on the inside.
Compare that to someone who earns the same salary but the simple life. They have a decent house, a decent car, and moderate food consumption. Because they aren’t caught up in pride, they can save, invest, or even give away the remaining money. The result? Their wealth will slowly grow, and they’ll find peace of mind.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
لَيْسَ الْغِنَى عَنْ كَثْرَةِ الْعَرَضِ، وَلَكِنَّ الْغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ
“Wealth is not the abundance of material possessions, but true wealth is the wealth of the soul (feeling sufficient).” (Hadith from Bukhari and Muslim)
Now, this is the key point. Simplicity makes it easier to feel “enough.” And once we have enough, the world becomes lighter. Money can grow into savings, investments, or the rewards of charity. From there, true wealth grows, both in this world and in the afterlife.
Also read: How to Avoid FOMO Spending
The Simple Life Is True Victory
If you think about it, you only live once. It’s a shame to waste our energy pursuing a lifestyle that doesn’t actually bring peace of mind. After all, the secret to true wealth isn’t how much luxury they own, but how peaceful they are when managing their wealth.
Being simple doesn’t mean you can’t be successful. In fact, by being simple, we can focus on making money work for us, instead of being slaves to it. That’s where wealth can grow healthily, not wealth that appears fragile.
Allah has reminded us in the Qur’an that all the glitter of this world is temporary, while the good deeds that we plant are eternal:
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
“Wealth and children are the adornments of worldly life, but eternal righteous deeds have better rewards with your Lord and are better as hope.”
(Quran Surah Al-Kahf verse 46)
So, if you want to be truly rich, start not by upgrading your lifestyle, but by lowering your ego. Learn to live simply, learn to be content. From there, your money can grow, your heart will be more at peace, and your afterlife won’t be wasted.
Also read: FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) in Islamic Values
Conclusion
In essence, wealth isn’t about the numbers in your bank account, but about a sense of contentment in your heart. Even if you have mountains of wealth, if you’re never satisfied, you’ll still feel poor. On the contrary, living simply makes it easier to feel at peace, your money becomes more useful, and your investments for this life and the hereafter can go hand in hand.
If you want true wealth, don’t focus on what others see, but build what God sees. We gain this world, and we don’t lose the afterlife either. Because ultimately, it’s not about how much we have, but how we manage our blessings.
Also read: Having the Right Intention in Work According to Islam
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Reference
Al-Qur’an al-Karim. Accessed from: https://tafsirweb.com/
Al-Bukhari, Muhammad bin Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/bukhari
Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. Sahih Muslim. Retrieved from: https://sunnah.com/muslim
