Two cents worth

"In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate"

Last night, Hubtobe and I were sitting at the dam, talking... it has been so long since we sat and talked like that. We're both busy with work and school, among other things.

So while we were talking, he brought up a subject about money. He asked me why is it some people find it so hard to part with their savings even though it's to help someone in their family or a close friend in need. I knew that he wanted to share with me something but he couldn't because he made a promise not to tell anyone. Hubtobe holds true to his amanah sometimes that I wonder if he's actually plagued by so much worries about other people. =(

So anyway, he was saying that we shouldn't hoard money even if we have legitimate reasons for saving up i.e. to buy a house or pay for rental etc. But the truth is, that money doesn't belong to us... we are merely 'borrowing' it in a sense. It stunned me really... at how true that was... and it made me cry a little.

Everything in this world is lent to us by Allah... It is Him to which everything came from and to which everything returns to. Nothing belongs to us... including our bodies and all our things... that's why we should take care of them carefully.

He then narrated a story to me about P.Ramlee, a legendary Malay actor, who, upon seeing a beggar asking for $2, gave $10 in his pocket to the beggar, although that was all the money he had with him. When his colleague saw what he did, he asked P.Ramlee why he did that and P. Ramlee replied that the money is not his but belongs to Allah. That made me tear up also.

So when I came home from the dam, I was a bit upset when I found out that my mom had bought an expensive designer bag from the Duty Free Shop. Although it was on discount and she paid only $300, I was still upset... because she already bought a Braun Buffel bag at the same price. Actually, my mom rarely buys anything for herself... and this was the first time she spent so much money on bags for herself.

But what saddens me the most is that she went to DFS with my cousin- and got exposed to all the luxury goods. I don't want my mom having high tastes for things because then you get trapped in a vicious cycle where you wanna buy and buy and buy.

What also saddens me is that I cannot afford to buy her such things, yet...

But, I do not want to come to a stage where I could afford to buy things worth thousands but could not bear to part with some money to help someone close in trouble. Insyaallah.