Surah Al-Humazah is not a condemnation of wealth. We earn, save and invest because wealth provides real, though limited, security. The danger begins when net worth becomes the measure of self-worth: wealth starts defining who I am and, eventually, how I value others. Security then becomes an illusion of control and permanence—“He thinks that his wealth will make him last forever.” Then comes the Qur’an’s decisive Kallā—No! Al-Hutamah reaches the fu’ād, the innermost heart. The wealth with which a person built security around himself cannot protect the very centre of his being. Wealth can provide security; it cannot provide permanence, nor can it determine the worth of a human being.
