Alexander the Great stands as one of history's most formidable figures, a military genius who never lost a battle, conquered territories spanning from Greece to India, and forever altered the course of civilization.

Tutored by Aristotle himself, Alexander possessed that rare combination of intellectual brilliance and warrior spirit that allowed him to build an empire of unprecedented size by the age of 32.

Yet for all his conquests and accumulated treasures, Alexander's final chapter reveals a profound transformation.

While returning home after years of conquest, the seemingly invincible king was struck by illness at the prime of his life.

Despite summoning the finest physicians and offering his vast wealth for a cure, they could offer no help.

The mighty conqueror who had bent the world to his will now found himself bedridden and broken.

His legendary ambition faded into melancholy as he grappled with the futility of his lifes work.

For weeks, he languished in despair, until a remarkable transformation came over him.

Suddenly at peace, Alexander summoned his generals as he prepared to share three final wishes that would reveal what his lifetime of conquest had truly taught him.

First, he requested that only his physicians carry his coffin.

Second, he asked that the path to his burial be strewn with all his gold, silver, and treasures.

Finally, he instructed that both his hands be left dangling outside his coffin for all to see.

When questioned about these strange requests, Alexander revealed his wisdom.

"I want my physicians to carry my body alone," he explained, "so people understand that no doctor, regardless of skill, can save us from death."

His second wish, to have his path to burial covered with his treasures, carried an equally powerful message:

"Not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent my whole life chasing power and wealth, yet whatever is earned on earth remains here."

Modern psychology confirms what Alexander learned the hard way: that material pursuits provide diminishing returns on happiness after our basic needs are met.

We're wired for connection and meaning, not acquisition.

But it's Alexander's third wish that perhaps speaks most directly to the truth.

"I want both my hands to keep dangling out of my coffin because I want people to know that we come empty-handed into this world and we will go empty-handed no matter who we are."

Here lies a truth we intellectually acknowledge but emotionally resist: we own nothing permanently.

Our possessions, achievements, and even our physical bodies are temporary.

This realization mirrors what we know as believers, that true wealth isn't measured by what we have but by what we give, by who we become, and by the legacy of goodness we leave behind.

The Prophet ﷺ taught us, "The richest of people are those with the most taqwa (God-consciousness)."

Real abundance flows from gratitude, generosity, and good character, qualities that, unlike material wealth, we carry beyond this life.

Alexander's deathbed epiphany reminds us of something we already know but often forget in our daily hustle: we are travelers here, not residents.