The Owners of the Garden: A Lesson in Generosity

admin Dr. Khaled Al-Houli Lectures (Arabic)

The Owners of the Garden A Lesson in Gratitude and Generosity

Lecture by Dr. Khaled Al Houli translated and structured with Arabic text followed by English translation for Quran verses and Hadith

Praise and Testimony

الحمد لله الذي خلق السماوات والارض وجعل الظلمات والنور ثم الذين كفروا بربهم يعدلون
All praise is due to Allah the One who created the heavens and the earth who made darkness and light yet those who disbelieve equate others with their Lord.
الحمد لله الذي له ما في السماوات وما في الارض وله الحمد في الاخره وهو الحكيم الخبير
All praise is due to Allah to whom belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. To Him belongs all praise in the Hereafter and He is the All Wise the All Knowing.
وقل الحمد لله الذي لم يتخذ ولدا ولم يكن له شريك في الملك ولم يكن له ولي من الذل وكبره تكبيرا
And say All praise is due to Allah who has not taken a son who has no partner in sovereignty and who needs no protector from weakness. And magnify Him with great exaltation.

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone without partner and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger His chosen one and intimate friend the one mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel whose chest Allah expanded whose burden He removed and whose name He raised. May peace and blessings be upon him his family and companions until the Day of Judgment.

A Reminder to Fear Allah

وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned and they will not be wronged. سورة البقرة 281
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
O you who believe fear Allah and let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow and fear Allah. Indeed Allah is fully aware of what you do. سورة الحشر 18

We are journeying to our Lord will stand before Him and will be questioned about our deeds. Prepare sound answers for that day.

The Story of the Owners of the Garden

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ
Indeed We have tested them as We tested the owners of the garden when they swore that they would surely harvest it in the morning and made no exception. So a visitation from your Lord came upon it while they were asleep and it became as though reaped. سورة القلم 17 الى 20
  1. 1

    A righteous man in Yemen owned rich gardens and fed the poor from his harvest. After his death his heirs planned to harvest very early and give nothing to the needy forgetting that blessing lies in charity.

  2. 2

    They swore without saying Insha Allah. During the night a calamity struck and the gardens were left barren and blackened.

  3. 3

    At dawn they called each other to the fields whispering to bar the poor from entry.

  4. 4

    When they saw the ruins they first thought they had lost the way then realized the truth and admitted that they had been deprived due to their own wrongdoing.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
When they saw it they said We are surely lost. Rather we have been deprived. سورة القلم 26 الى 27
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ
The most just among them said Did I not tell you to glorify Allah. They said Glory be to our Lord indeed we were wrongdoers. سورة القلم 28 الى 29

They blamed one another and resolved to return to Allah in hope and repentance.

قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ
They said Woe to us indeed we were transgressors. Perhaps our Lord will replace it with something better. Indeed we turn in longing to our Lord. سورة القلم 31 الى 32

Core lesson Wealth is protected by gratitude and generosity. True security comes when we share with the poor and fulfill the right of Allah in our wealth.

كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
Such is the punishment and the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if only they knew. سورة القلم 33

Lessons and Applications

How does this warn the people of Quraysh

Allah granted Quraysh safety and provision yet many denied the Messenger. Their situation mirrors the owners of the garden. Removal of blessing in this life is a warning and the Hereafter is greater in consequence.

What preserves blessing in wealth

Recognition that wealth belongs to Allah and fulfilling its due by aiding the poor. We are only trustees over what we have been given.

What is the believer’s response after a loss

Glorify Allah admit wrong return to Him and hope for better in place of what was lost while maintaining charity and justice.

Supplication

We ask Allah to make the Quran the spring of our hearts the light of our chests the remover of our sorrows and the dispeller of our worries and to make it a proof for us on the Day we meet Him.

أقول ما تسمعون وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرحيم
I say these words and seek forgiveness from Allah for myself for you and for all Muslims from every sin. Seek His forgiveness for He is the Forgiving the Merciful.
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