Talking about money and acquiring wealth always seems taboo. Maybe you can relate, my parents always told me “don’t talk about money” and I would always ask why. 

You don’t want any attention, people get jealous, they may wish for your fall, it’s not socially acceptable. These are just the typical answers.

I get how talking about becoming rich or how much money you have can make others feel insecure, especially if they’re doing worse off since it’s hard not to compare. But don’t let where your at define you as an individual, when you take it personally is where the trouble begins. 

Instead take talking to others and sharing ideas as motivation and inspiration. Sometimes all you need is a little spark to get you going and to take immediate action. Asking a successful person the disciplines that they had to acquire in order to achieve their level wealth gives you a blueprint of the expectations you should place on yourself to increase the likelihood of your own success.

Work On Your Personal Philosophy

I really never understood when people would say things like wealth “is all mental” or it’s an “inner game” it seemed abstract and magical hocus pocus stuff. But it definitely makes a difference when I realized that those who say they can and those who say they can’t are both normally right.

Where your at can be blamed on circumstance and environment in your life (or these can be rationalization to protect your ego) but part of where you are has to be with the personal philosophy you have adopted. Everything stems from your philosophy and the way you think, it trickles down from there. Here’s the breakdown:

thoughts and beliefs -> the actions you take -> the results -> which can reinforce the negative thoughts and beliefs you already hold.

thought, belief and action

Example, I am not skilled enough to make money in business. You then subconsciously take small steps and are not fully committed to doing your best work (self-sabotage). Leads to bad results or failing which then reinforces your initial belief that you’re bad or that the world is evil and unfair.

You May Also Be Interested in Dua For Success

Let’s breakdown some of the bad beliefs or mental barriers preventing you from achieving:

  • Only once you have money can you save. This is not true, the earlier you start the better you are off. The best time to have started saving was 10 years ago, the next best time is today. Out of every pay cheque put aside a set percentage, 2%, 5%, 10% the general rule the bigger the percentage the better. Once you’ve paid yourself first then use the rest toward expenses and living. A typical response, “I can’t afford to do that” and rebuttal is simple “you can’t afford to not do that”. 
  • Wanting more money is evil and doesn’t feel right. As Khabib Nurmagomedov, Muslim UFC lightweight champion said “money in your hands is good. Money on your mind is bad”. There are many hadees and verses in the Quran that discusses the good you can do with money. To spend your wealth in the name of Allah is good. To give sadaqah is good. It is undeniable that having more you can contribute more. I do recognize money is not the only way you can contribute but it is one of the ways.
  • I am unlucky and can’t catch a break. Yes it would be undeniable there’s some luck involved. Right place, right time but luck seems to intersect those who take massive action and expose themselves to more opportunities.
  • I don’t have any good ideas. It’s true you do need an idea to act upon but not having any ideas is a lie you tell yourself. Show me the 10, 20, 30, 40 bad ideas you have thought of and written down. Thinking and searching for ideas is a process and not every one you’ll have is great. You should have a lot more bad ones, but all you need is a few good ones to change things around.

Allah has predetermined how much I will make:

Yes, how much income we will generate Allah knows. But we don’t. I see some using this as an excuse to doing less work or to not push themselves further. This is not my interpretation. 

I see it being used by people trying to accept what they have when they are not happy. Don’t get me wrong, we should always be grateful for what we have and what we make. Happiness is the number one priority and your wealth shouldn’t be the root of it as it can be easily taken away. Once your basic needs have been fulfilled your happiness comes internally. 

We can learn to say alhamdulillah for everything and still push for more. These don’t have two be mutually exclusive. Practice challenging yourself, getting out of your comfort zone, and try and reach your potential. 

Allah in Surah Ar-Ra’d ayat 11 says “For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah . Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron.”

The ownness is at the individual level. Take personal accountability for everything and you’ll find freedom. Mix action with reciting the following duas asking Allah for help. The dua will cover will be to increase income 

Dua For Wealth

dua for wealth

Narrated Anas: My mother said, O Allah’s Apostle! Please invoke Allah on behalf of your servant. He said, O Allah! Increase his wealth and children, and bestow Your Blessing on whatever You give him. a time of distress. (Sahih Al Bukhari 1: Chapter 81, Hadith 6344)

Dua For Income & Sustenance 

Here are two duas from the Quran you can recite to ask Allah for sustenance and ‘what is good’ in this world. This would include increase in income but extends to be more than that.  

dua for income

Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil akhirati hasanatan waqina adhaban-nar

Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire.
Surah Baqarah Ayat 201.

dua for income

Transliteration: warzuqnaa wa anta khayrur-raaziqeen
 And provide for us sustenance,and You are the Best of sustainers.
Surah Al-Maidah ayat 114

Dua For Provision

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا , وَ رِزْقًا طَيَّبًا , وَ عَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً

Allahumma inni as’aluka Ilman naafian, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa amalan mutaqabbalan

O Allah! I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision and deeds that will be accepted.
[Ibn Majah and others]

Conclusion

Understand there are somethings that take time. Building wealth and a financial moat around you and your family can be a never ending journey.

Most people get burned trying these get rich quick schemes as these appeal to our need of wanting money immediately. But some things takes patience and discipline and taking shortcuts will set you back. You can have a baby in a month by getting 9 women pregnant, it’s just not how things work.

People get rewarded for what they practice for years in private.

This why the concept of Sabr (i.e. paitence, endurance and perseverance) in Islam is so important.