At a glance
- Region
- Global / Diaspora
- Review
Ethics and characterAfterlife and eschatology
Summary
In an episode of his series "Al Fawzu Al Moubeen", Sheikh Omar Abdelkafy takes up the meaning of a believer giving his self and his wealth in the way of God. He presents it as a contract of sale in which God is the buyer and Paradise is the price. 1 He explains the pillars of a sale, holds that the thing sold in this contract already belongs to the buyer, and advises the Muslim to renew this contract every day. 2 3 4
The verse and the image of the bargain
The Sheikh recites a verse about giving self and wealth in the way of God in return for Paradise, and says he wishes to live with this verse in this episode. Qur'an 9:111 1
The pillars of a sale, and God as the buyer
The Sheikh explains the pillars of a sale: seller, buyer and price. He notes that God is the buyer in this contract, and that the verb is in the past tense to show that the contract is complete. 2
The thing sold belongs to the buyer
The Sheikh says that the thing sold in this contract is stranger than imagination, because the buyer already owns it. He describes this as a divine kindness and God's tenderness towards His servants. 3
The example of the car that stays with the seller
The Sheikh gives the example of buying a car that the buyer leaves with the seller after the contract. It is meant to bring closer the idea that God took ownership of self and wealth through the contract, then left them with His servant to use. 5
A question about breach of the contract
A member of the audience asks about a contract that lasts for life: what happens if breach occurs after years, or many times? The Sheikh answers by speaking of faith and submission. 6
Renewing the contract every day
The Sheikh advises the Muslim to renew the contract every day, saying that he has sold his self and his wealth to his Lord, and he prays for the people of the house and the children to be righteous. 4
People and things also explored
Loss and gain in time (al-khusr)· The transience of the world (fana al-dunya)· Hamm (resolve or intention of the heart, and its legal effect)· Shafa'a (intercession: good and bad, in the hereafter, for prescribed penalties, and the gift it may bring)· Shahid (martyr: the rank of martyrs, the kinds of martyr, washing and prayer over the dead, the shroud and burial)· Ada' al-dayn (paying a debt: its ruling, the manner of payment, insolvency and the debts of the dead)· Ada' al-shahada (performing testimony: the duty on request, the excused witness, and the wording)· Manners of the Qur'an bearer
Sources
- Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Al Fawzu Al Moubeen, episode 10, at 00:01:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
- Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Al Fawzu Al Moubeen, episode 10, at 00:01:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
- Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Al Fawzu Al Moubeen, episode 10, at 00:03:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
- Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Al Fawzu Al Moubeen, episode 10, at 00:47:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
- Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Al Fawzu Al Moubeen, episode 10, at 00:04:30 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
- Assabile archive of Omar Abdelkafy's lectures (audio and video) , Al Fawzu Al Moubeen, episode 10, at 00:34:00 · Listen at the archive (opens the audio at this time)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Selling self and wealth to God (bay al-nafs wal-mal ila Allah)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/bay-al-nafs-wal-mal-ila-allah/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-25.