On one occasion, Juha, also known as Mulla Nasruddeen, borrowed a large pot from one of his neighbours. A few days later, when Juha returned the pot, the neighbour was surprised to find that there was another smaller pot within the original pot!
The neighbour asked where the small pot had come from, to which Juha answered that the big pot had given birth to it. (Since the neighbour was receiving an extra pot, he did not question the foolishness of Juha’s answer.)
Sometime later, Juha again borrowed the pot from the neighbour. However, this time, he did not return the pot. Finally, when a lengthy period of time had passed, the neighbour approached Juha and asked him where his pot was, to which Juha casually replied that the pot had died!
The neighbour was perplexed and asked Juha, “Since when are pots able to live and die?”
Juha spontaneously responded, “How did you believe (and accept) that the pot could give birth, but you do not believe that the pot died?”
(Nawaadiru Juha Al-Kubra pg. 18)
Among the most despicable of qualities in a person is the quality of greed. When a person’s heart is overcome by greed, then even though he may be regarded as an intelligent person, he will behave in the most foolish manner if he hopes to secure some material gain. Ultimately, the end result of such greed will be that a person will lose out in this world and the next.
Often, during our lives, we are presented with opportunities to acquire some material benefit of the world. In our heart of hearts, we know that these opportunities are not completely above board, but overcome by greed, we turn a blind eye or use some feeble justification to appease ourselves. Ultimately, if these opportunities do not result in us losing out and suffering in this world, then we will lose out and suffer in the next.
May Allah Ta‘ala save us all from greed and guide us to conduct ourselves intelligently, aameen.