Sunday, May 8, 2011

The Virtues of Spending in Allah’s Cause




Allah encourages His slaves to spend in the Way of Allah by giving the similitude of how money increases when spent in His Way. Allah says,

‘The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain; it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grain. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creature’s needs, All-Knower.’ [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 261]

Imam Ibn Qayyim (rahimahullah) writes in the Tafseer of this verse, ‘Allah compared the charity that someone gives for His Sake whether on striving in the Way of Allah or other goodly causes, to that of someone, who sows seeds of grains. Each seed grows seven ears of grains, each of them containing a hundred grains. This is how Allah multiplies the good deeds, and much more than that, according to the amount of charity and faith, sincerity and excellence in Islam of the giver of that charity.

This charity perfects its usefulness when one gives it to the right person in the right circumstances. The reward of charity varies according to the faith and sincerity of the giver and the amount of goodness and firmness he feels in his heart at the time of giving money.

When his heart feels at ease and his chest opens for giving the charity, allowing the charity to leave his heart before his hand, he will be feeling firmness and will not hesitate or fear giving it. He will not allow his lust to follow his charity (in grief) so to avoid having his hand and heart feel shaky in this case.’ [At-Tafseer al-Qayyim, by Ibn al-Qayyim, p.150]

It is from the characteristics of the hypocrites that they are penny-pinching while spending in the Way of Allah, Allah says about them,

‘The hypocrite men and women are from amongst each other. They enjoin evil and forbid what is good and they close their hands from spending in the Way of Allah. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them.’ [Soorah Tawbah (9): 67]

‘nor overextend it (like a spendthrift) so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty.’ meaning, nor be extravagant in spending and giving more than you can afford, or paying more than you can earn, lest you become blameworthy and find yourself in severe poverty.

If you are a miser, people will blame you and condemn you, and no longer rely on you. (And) When you spend more than you can afford, you will find yourself without anything to spend, so you will be worn out, like an animal that cannot walk, so it becomes weak and incapable. It is described as worn out, which is similar in meaning to being exhausted.

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