What Examples Can I Give to Show How Allah Removes Barakah From Dishonest Earnings? 

Parenting Perspective 

It is a common struggle for children to understand why they should reject seemingly easy or abundant income if it comes through dishonest means. The most effective way to address this is by explaining the concept of Barakah—the divine blessing that determines the true value of wealth. You must clarify for your child that Barakah is not measured by the quantity of money but by the impact it has: it is the quality that ensures sufficiency, makes small earnings go a long way, and, crucially, brings peace and security to the heart. When Allah Almighty removes Barakah from income gained through cheating, fraud, or exploitation, the money, however plentiful its initial amount, becomes a source of anxiety, instability, and misfortune. 

The Dynamics of Unblessed Wealth 

To illustrate this invisible process, you can use practical and observable analogies that highlight the hidden defects of unlawful earnings. The key is to show that a large amount of money without Barakah is functionally worthless, much like a faulty tool or a leaky bucket. 

You can refer to the phenomenon known as The Financial Leak. Share stories, which can be fictionalised or drawn from general observation, of people who earned significant amounts through corrupt means such as gambling or fraud. Narrate how they found their wealth quickly dissipated through unexpected and unavoidable expenses. This might include a sudden severe illness that requires costly medical care, chronic issues with their property or vehicles, mounting legal fees, or simply an overwhelming urge to spend recklessly. The money entered their hand swiftly, but it did not stay, nor did it truly benefit them. It proved to be a corrosive burden, not a genuine boon. This demonstrates the powerful truth that ill-gotten gains are inherently unstable and designed by a Divine Decree to self-destruct. 

By providing these tangible examples, you help them understand that they are not sacrificing a benefit by avoiding haram (unlawful) earnings; they are preserving their inner peace and their financial stability. They are choosing quality over empty quantity. 

Spiritual Insight 

The Islamic spiritual tradition makes it unequivocally clear that true prosperity is intrinsically and inseparably linked to the purity and sincerity of one’s earnings. The absence of Barakah in unlawful wealth is not arbitrary; it is a manifestation of Allah’s perfect justice and wisdom, ensuring that corruption can never be the foundation for lasting good. This spiritual understanding serves as a powerful deterrent, guiding the believer towards integrity out of love for Allah and hope for the eternal reward. 

The noble Quran provides a striking image to explain how good intentions and pure sources multiply blessings in ways that human effort alone cannot achieve. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Baqarah (2), Verse 261: 

‘The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like that of a seed of grain which produces seven ears, in each ear there are a hundred grains. Allah multiplies it for whom He wills…’ 

This verse beautifully illustrates the concept of multiplied blessing. It shows that spending with sincerity, from a pure and lawful source, results in exponential, unimaginable spiritual growth—this is the true essence of Barakah. It teaches that every lawful penny is a seed that, when invested ethically, yields a hundredfold return in terms of spiritual peace, physical health, and worldly sufficiency.  

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explicitly confirmed that this divine mechanism works decisively to strip unlawful wealth of its beneficial power, regardless of how much of it is amassed. This teaching provides the ultimate warning against being deceived by outward appearances. 

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2581, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The one who earns unlawfully will find no blessing in his wealth, even if it appears plentiful The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.’ 

This hadith delivers the clear and decisive statement that the plentiful appearance of haram wealth is entirely deceptive. Even if the quantity seems large and impressive to others, it is utterly devoid of Barakah. This divine removal of blessing removes the true, lasting benefit of the money, leaving the wealth unstable, prone to loss, and fundamentally incapable of bringing genuine happiness, health, or lasting security to the person or their family.