Renunciation of Wealth

And when the Prayer is finished, then disperse in the land and seek of Allah’s grace, and remember Allah much, that you may prosper. But when they see some merchandise or some amusement, they break up for it, and leave thee standing. Say, ‘That which is with Allah is better than amusement and merchandise, and Allah is the Best Provider.’

Islam, The Holy Qur’an, 62:11-12

By Allah, I am not afraid that you will become poor, but I am afraid that worldly wealth will be given to you in abundance as it was given to those (nations) before you and you will start competing with each other for it, and then it will divert you (from good) as it diverted them.

Islam, The Holy Prophet (sa), Hadith of Sahih Bukhari

What a blessed time this is! No one is asked to lay down his life. This is not the time for offering the ultimate sacrifice; rather it is the time to spend out of one’s possessions, according to one’s means.

Islam, The Promised Messiah (as), Al-Hakam Qadian, July 10, 1903.

This is the way of Torah: A morsel with salt shall you eat and water by measure shall you drink; and you shall lie upon the earth, and you shall live a life of hardship, and labor in the Torah. If you do this, happy shall you be and it shall be well with you.

Judaism, Mishnah, Avot 6:4

The impulse ‘I want’ and the impulse ‘I’ll have’ – lose them! That is where most people get stuck; without those, you can use your eyes to guide you through this suffering state.

Buddhism, Sutta Nipata 706

Seek refuge in the attitude of detachment and you will amass the wealth of spiritual awareness. Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do. When consciousness is unified, however, all vain anxiety is left behind. There is no cause for worry, whether things go well or ill.

Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita, 2:47-50