—

This post was written by Trent Carl, a senior at DePaul finishing his major in Islamic World Studies. Trent is an active member of both UMMA (United Muslims Moving ahead) and SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine).

—

The  Merriam-Webster dictionary defines consumerism as:  “the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable; also: a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods”[1]. I would like to add another definition to the mix: “affluenza, n. a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more”[2].

Affluenza is a play on the two words affluence and influenza. It symbolizes the concept of “keeping up with the Joneses”—matching (or exceeding) the same level of material wealth (affluence) and status as your neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc.—but frames it as an illness, a virus. It is the title of both a television documentary and a book that challenge our materialistically-inclined society. In fact, it can be said that we spend (sometimes until we are in massive debt) to feel a quick, fleeting happiness in purchasing a new item.

This condition crosses lines of status, race and religion. The religious perspective, however, is what I am interested in exploring further. More particularly, how does Islam view this conception of life?

The authors of Affluenza describe one of the symptoms of affluenza as such: “You might be well off materially, but continually stressed out or feeling like your life lacks purpose or meaning”[3]. While this is not a sociological study on how often this occurs, I think it is obvious that this sort of feeling is not an anomaly. We see the most prosperous celebrities strung out on drugs, fresh university grads questioning the meaning of life shortly after landing a well-paying job, and disharmony in marital relations because one spouse or the other spends too much time at work. We can also look at mass-media television and see this perspective reflected in programs like Desperate Housewives.

Felicity?

That leads me to question whether or not material wealth is sufficient for human happiness. Should Muslims fall under the spell of consumerism? Should anyone?

The final prophet of Islam, Muhammad b. ‘Abdullah (p.), is reported to have said, “That which is little yet sufficient is better than that which is much and diverts man from his goal as a result”[4].  This hadith (narrated tradition) states that having a little, yet sufficient, amount of wealth is better than having a large amount of wealth if that wealth diverts man from his goal.

What goal?

The Islamic understanding of mankind’s goal is essentially purification through submission to the Divine. In the 91^st chapter of the Qur’an, it is stated, “…by the soul and Him who fashioned it, and inspired it with [discernment between] its virtues and vices: one who purifies it is felicitous, and one who betrays it fails.”[5] (emphasis added) In other words, one finds happiness and satisfaction through the purification of one’s soul.

Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi has commented on this verse, stating, “’salvation’ depends upon preserving the soul in its original purity against…getting soiled, polluted and clouded from  carnal desires, by submitting it to the will and the pleasure of the Lord. This is the main, right goal in the life of every human individual…”[6] (emphasis in original)

Islamic teachings warn us of becoming distracted from our ultimate goal, purification and closeness to God, and further states that material wealth can be one of these sources of distraction. To sum up: happiness lies in spiritual purification while material abundance can surprisingly become a hindrance to human happiness. This is radically different from what corporations, mass media, and our culture in general tells us.

Further Exploration

As of now, we have established that Islamic teachings in regards to consumerism are counter-cultural. This raises a few questions that should be explored: (1) Does Islam give practical tips to help us avoid affluenza? (2) Does Islam have an antidote if we are already immersed in consumerism? (3) Are there other, more specific problems that arise as a result of (or even as a precursor toward) a consumer-driven society? (4) If so, does Islam have any principles that relate to these issues? These are all issues and discussions missing from the general Muslim community’s discourse (aside from a few specialized groups) yet they are incredibly important and have been taken up by other faith communities. We should consider their perspectives as we begin to join the discourse.