Another benefit is that a sin committed by someone who has neither urge nor need for it is far more blameworthy. Thus adultery by an old man is more repugnant than when it is committed by a youth (1); arrogance in a pauper is uglier than in a rich man; and theft by one who is not in want is worse than theft by the needy. For this reason Shuʿayb said to his people, “Indeed, I see you in prosperity” (Hud 84)—that is, surrounded by many blessings—so what could have driven you to covet what others possess through unlawful means?

Another benefit is found in his words, “Whatever remains with Allah is better for you” (Hud 86). The verse urges contentment with what Allah has granted, sufficiency with the lawful rather than the unlawful, and fixing one’s gaze on what is already in hand without yearning for what belongs to others.

A further lesson is that prayer is a means to performing good deeds, abandoning wrongdoing, and offering sincere counsel to Allah’s servants. Even the disbelievers understood this when they said to Shuʿayb, “Does your prayer command you that we should abandon what our fathers worshipped, or that we should not do with our wealth as we please? You are indeed the forbearing, the rightly guided” (Hud 87). Allah the Exalted says, “Surely prayer restrains from shameful and evil deeds” (al-ʿAnkabut 45). From this you perceive Allah’s wisdom and mercy in prescribing the prayers, repeated day and night, because of their tremendous impact, great benefit, and beautiful effects. To Allah belongs the most perfect praise.

Another point: in the movements of his body and in his financial dealings a servant is under the guardianship of the sacred law. Whatever it permits he may do, and whatever it forbids he must abandon. Anyone who claims to be “free” with his wealth—able to engage in whatever transactions, wholesome or corrupt, he pleases—is like someone who thinks the same about his bodily actions, seeing no difference between disbelief and faith, truth and falsehood, or good and evil; everything would then be permissible!