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It was said to a wise man: Why do you always hold a stick even though you are not old or sick? He replied: So as to remember that I am on a journey.
I hold the stick not due to weakness
or old age.
But I obliged myself to hold it to remind myself
that the resident is in fact traveling.
Travelers are notified that they have no permanent stay in this life, hence, they should not feel settled therein. Allah Almighty says: {It is We Who will inherit the earth and all those who are on it, and to Us they will be returned.} [Surat Maryam: 40]
In fact, Allah is the Inheritor - Exalted be He.
We pause here with Allah’s name “Al-Wārith”. This is a reminder for ourselves; hopefully Allah will show mercy to us.
Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, it is We Who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritors [of all things].} [Surat al-Hijr: 23]
Our Lord, Exalted be He, will remain after all creatures perish, and He will inherit everything after all those in the heavens and the earth will cease to exist.
Our Lord is the Inheritor Who has no testator and the Ever-Lasting Lord Whose kingdom has no bounds. {It is We Who will inherit the earth and all those who are on it, and to Us they will be returned.} [Surat Maryam: 40]
Allah Almighty is the original possessor of all things, and He bequeathes whatever He wills to whomever He wills. In the Qur’an, He says: {The earth belongs to Allah; He gives it as an inheritance to whom He wills of His slaves, but the outcome is for those who fear Allah.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 128]
The Almighty Lord will bequeath to the believers the dwellings of the disbelievers in this world and in the Hereafter.
Regarding their dwellings in worldly life, Allah Almighty says: {He also made you inherit their land, their homes and their wealth, and a land on which you have not yet set foot...} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 27] And regarding their dwellings in the Hereafter, He says: {Such is the Paradise which We will give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who feared Allah.} [Surat Maryam: 63] He also says: {We will remove all ill feelings from their hearts and rivers will flow beneath them. They will say, “All praise be to Allah Who has guided us to this, for We would not have been guided to this if Allah had not guided us. The messengers of our Lord came with the truth.” They will be called, “This is Paradise that you are made to inherit for what you used to do.”} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 43]
Moreover, the Qur’an is a book of guidance, honor, and success, which Allah gives as inheritance to those whom He chooses. He says: {Then We made to inherit the Book those whom We have chosen from among Our slaves. But among them are some who wrong themselves, some follow a middle course, and some are foremost in good deeds with Allah’s permission. That is the great bounty.} [Surat Fātir: 32]
As the believers are made successors on earth and they will ultimately return to their Lord, Allah, out of His bounty, commands them to spend out of what He has bestowed upon them, though all entirely belongs to Him, and He promises to give them abundant rewards for that. Allah Almighty says: {Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and spend [in Allah’s cause] out of what He has entrusted you with. For those among you who believe and spend, there will be a great reward.} [Surat al-Hadīd: 7] He also says: {Why is it that you do not spend in the cause of Allah, when Allah alone will inherit the heavens and earth?...} [Surat al-Hadīd: 10] So, the real ownership is what one keeps in store for the Day of Judgment.
Mutarrif reported that his father ‘Abdullah ibn al-Shikhkhīr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) as he was reciting: {Competition for worldly gains distracts you [from Allah]} [Surat at-Takāthur: 1] Thereupon, he said: ‘The son of Adam says: “My wealth, my wealth.” O son of Adam, do you own of your wealth other than what you eat and consume, or what you wear and wear out, or what you give in charity and send forward?’” [Narrated by Muslim]
The believer knows that what he possesses is only a trust given to him, and Allah Almighty looks to see how he will act.
The wealth and family are nothing but a trust;
and trusts will surely be returned one day.
You should know that invoking Allah Almighty by this name falls under the general meaning of the verse that says: {Allah has the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them...} [Surat al-A‘rāf:180] This is specially so when we are keen to use the name suitable for the situation and the object of invocation. An example is the supplication by Zakariyya (Zachariah) (peace be upon him): {And [remember] Zachariah, when he cried out to his Lord, “My Lord, do not leave me childless, for You are the Best of Inheritors.”} [Surat al-Anbiyā’: 89] Another verse reads: {And I fear my kinsmen after me, and my wife is barren; so grant me from Yourself an heir, who will inherit [prophethood] from me and from the house of Jacob, and make him, O Lord, well pleasing to You.} [Surat Maryam: 5-6]
The inheritance referred to in the verses is that of knowledge, prophethood, and the call to Allah. It is not an inheritance of wealth. Another example of such blessed inheritance occurs in the verse that says: {And Solomon inherited David...} [Surat an-Naml: 16]
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said in supplication: “Allāhumma amti‘ni bisam‘i wa basari waj‘alhuma al-wāritha minni (O Allah, make me enjoy my hearing and my sight and leave them to inherit me).” [Narrated by Al-Hākim in Al-Mustadrak; Sahīh (authentic)]
In connection with this name, scholars noted that a person should fear Allah Almighty with regard to the rights of inheritance and refrain from being unjust to any rightful heir.
O Allah, we implore You by Your name “Al-Wārith” to maintain our hearing and sight and keep them sound till we die.