Great Recession?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

With all the talks about the Great Recession and the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, which aftershocks, they say, will be felt long after President Hillary Clinton leaves the White House in 2024, are you concerned about how long you can hold on to your job or business, or wonder about where you can invest your money--should I buy gold, should I buy euros, should I buy land, how can I hold on to my money when the value is shifting up and down?

We should not be worried at all. Nor should we waste our time everyday watching the news or reading articles about the state of the economic and global affairs at the expense of investing our states with Allah.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدَٲفِعُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ۬ كَفُورٍ (٣٨

Verily, Allah defends (from ill) those who believe. Verily, Allah loves not any that is a traitor to faith or shows ingratitude. (Qur'an Al-Hajj 22:38).

We seek help from the Lord and we put our trust in the Lord. We should not depend upon or be attached to anyone or anything other than Him in all our affairs, no matter how small they may be.

وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ‌ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦ‌ۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدۡرً۬ا

"And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him"
(Qur'an At-Talaq 65:3)

On the authority of Abu 'Abbas 'Abdillah bin 'Abbas, Allah be pleased with father and son, who said: One day I was behind the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) [riding on the same mount] and he said:

O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be Mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be Mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, then ask Allah [alone]; and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah [alone]. And know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The Pens have been lifted and the Pages have dried.
(related by at-Tirmidhi)

So according to the degree by which a person relies upon other than Allah in his desires and by his heart, or in his hopes, then proportionately he has turned away from the Lord to those who cannot hurt him nor benefit him.

Another narration, other than that of Tirmidhi, reads:

Be Mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. Recognize and Acknowledge Allah in times of ease and prosperity, and He will Remember you in times of adversity. And know that what has passed you by [and you have failed to attain] was not going to befall you, and what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that Victory comes with Patience, Relief with Affliction, and Hardship with Ease.

Man in this World will be presented with trials and misfortunes, especially the pious. Allah says,

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٥٥) ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ (١٥٦) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ (١٥٧)

155 And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Saabireen (the patient ones) 156. Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return."
157 They are those on whom are the Salawaat (blessings) from their Lord, and (they
are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.

(Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:155-157)

and Allah says,

قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ‌ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٌ۬‌ۗ وَأَرۡضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٲسِعَةٌ‌ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجۡرَهُم بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ۬

Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning.
(Qur'an Az-Zumar 39:10)

May Allah have mercy on us and grant us sabr. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam