Barakah Removers
Listen to Today's Lesson
The Concept
Just as there are Barakah Magnets, there are **Barakah Removers**. These are holes in your bucket. No matter how much you pour in (hustle, work, time), if you have these holes, it will all leak out. The biggest Barakah Removers are: 1. **Haram Income:** Interest (Riba), theft, deceit, selling haram items. This poisons the entire well. 2. **Lying and Cheating:** Especially in trade/business. 'The two parties have the option [to cancel]... if they speak the truth and clarify, they will be blessed in their sale. If they conceal and lie, the blessing of their sale will be erased.' 3. **Stinginess:** Refusing to give Zakat or charity. 4. **Ingratitude:** Constant complaining. 5. **Sleeping through Fajr:** Missing the distribution of Rizq. You cannot build a Barakah life while committing Barakah crimes.
The Withering Garden
In Surah Al-Qalam (68:17-33), Allah tells the story of the owners of a garden. Their father was righteous and always gave charity from the harvest. But when he died, the sons said, 'We will not give anything to the poor. We will harvest it all for ourselves.' They had 'Hustle.' They swore to wake up early in the morning to harvest before the poor people woke up. They had a plan. They had determination. But they had a bad intention (Stinginess). While they slept, a fire from Allah circulated around the garden and burned it to ash. When they arrived in the morning, they thought they were lost. 'This isn't our garden!' Then they realized: 'No, we are deprived.' Their scarcity mindset caused them to lose everything. They wanted to keep 100%, so they ended up with 0%. Barakah is sensitive to sin.
Today's Action
Do a 'Leak Audit' of your life. Look at your finances and your habits with brutal honesty. - Is there any Riba (interest) in my accounts? - Is there any deceit in my business dealings? - Am I withholding Zakat? - Am I habitually missing Fajr? Make a plan to plug ONE leak this week. Even a small step (like closing an interest-bearing account or setting a second alarm for Fajr) can stop the drainage.
Journaling Reflection
"Am I working hard to fill a bucket that has holes in it? What is the point of hustling if the Barakah is leaking out?"