Maktaba al-Ashrafia
Virtues Of Charity In Islam
By
Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi
Rahmatullah Alaihi
The Virtues of Charity
1. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that generosity is a great attribute of Allah Ta'ala. In other words, Allah
Ta'ala is extremely generous.
2. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that the servant of Allah gives a small piece of bread as charity. In the sight
of Allah Ta'ala that small piece increases to such an extent that it equals the
size of Mt. Uhud. In other words, Allah Ta'ala increases the reward that
one would have received for the small piece of bread to such an extent that he
receives the reward equal to Mt. Uhud. We should therefore not concern
ourselves with how much we give. Instead, we should give in charity whatever we
are capable of giving.
3. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that you should save yourself from hell even if it means giving a few dry dates
in charity. That is, even if you have very little, give it in charity. Do not be
under the misconception that how will such a meagre amount be of any benefit.
This meagre amount will also be a means of deliverance from hell.
4. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that you should seek sustenance from Allah Ta'ala by spending in His path. In
other words, by your giving charity, Allah Ta'ala will grant you barakah
in your sustenance.
5. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that charitable deeds save one from calamities, discreet and undisclosed charity
cools the anger of Allah Ta'ala, and having good relations with one's relatives
and family members increases one's lifespan.
If a person feels that by doing
good deeds openly and publicly, others will also be prompted to do the same,
then in such a case it will be preferable for him to do such deeds publicly. But
if this is not the case, then it will be preferable for him to do them secretly.
In both cases, the pre-condition is that there must be no other reason for
carrying them out publicly or privately.
6. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that the beggar has a right over the person whom he asks even if he comes
begging on a horse. In other words, if a beggar comes begging on a horse, even
then he should be given something because it is apparent that he is most
probably in some dire need for him to come begging. In such circumstances one
should not think that how can this beggar be really in need if he can afford to
come on a horse. However, if it has been established through some means that
this person is not in need and that he has made begging his occupation, then it
will be haraam to give anything to such a person. It is also haraam
for such a person to go around begging. Understand this well.
7. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that Allah Ta'ala is noble and He loves nobility. He loves good character and
good manners, and dislikes evil character and evil mannerisms. In other words,
He loves the person who shows lofty character in doing good deeds (such as
spending in charity, saving himself from degradation, enduring difficulties on
account of others, etc.) and He dislikes despicable ethics and habits (such as
lack of vigour and courage in matters of the Deen.)
8. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that charity cools the heat of the grave and that the person who gives in
charity will be granted shade on the day of judgement. In other words, through
the barakah of charity, the heat of the grave will become cool and the
person will be granted some shade on the day of judgement.
9. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that Allah Ta'ala has chosen special servants of His in order to fulfil the
needs of other people. People are dependent on such special servants for the
fulfilment of their needs. In other words, these people are in such dire need,
that they are forced to go to these special servants and Allah Ta'ala has chosen
them for this purpose. These special servants who fulfil the needs of poor
people will be saved from the punishment of Allah Ta'ala.
10. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam addressed Hadrat Bilaal radiallahu
anhu saying : "Spend O Bilal, and don't ever have any fear of any
decrease from the Master (Owner) of the arsh." That is, spend freely on
appropriate occasions and do not fear poverty from Allah Ta'ala. In the above
Hadith, the arsh is attributed to the ownership of Allah despite His
being the sole owner of everything else as well. The arsh has been
specifically mentioned because it is one of the great creations of Allah Ta'ala
and to illustrate to us that if such a great creation is under His control, we
should not fear poverty and difficulty from Him. Can anyone ever imagine that
such a powerful king as He will deny us even two pieces of bread? Such type of
thinking is preposterous.
The above Hadith in no way means
that a person should spend so lavishly that he is left bankrupt and in financial
problems. The focus of this Hadith is that those who are strong-hearted and have
the strength to exercise patience should spend as much as they wish in noble
deeds. Such people are not troubled by difficulties. They understand very well
that they will receive whatever has been written down for them. By their
spending in charity they will not experience any decrease, instead they will
experience barakah in their sustenance. Persons who are endowed with such
fervour and zeal are permitted to spend as much as they wish in charity and
other noble deeds on condition that they do not usurp the rights of anyone in
doing so. However, those who are weak-hearted and do not have the strength to
exercise patience and fear problems in the future and feel that their intention
will be corrupted, such people should only spend on necessary occasions such as
zakaat, sadaqatul fitr, and on humanitarian grounds.
Once Hadrat Abu Bakr radiallahu
anhu presented his entire wealth to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam so
that it could be utilised in the path of Allah. Upon seeing all this wealth
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked him if he left anything behind at
home or not. Hadrat Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu replied that he left behind Allah
and His Rasul sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and nothing else. Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam accepted all this wealth because he knew that Hadrat
Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu was strong-hearted, full of fervour, and extremely
desirous of spending in the path of Allah Ta'ala. He did not fear any evil
consequences. On the other hand, Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam refused
to accept a small amount of gold that was brought by another Sahabi radiallahu
anhu because he knew that the latter was not as strong-hearted as Hadrat Abu
Bakr radiallahu anhu.
11. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that a beggar came begging to a woman. At that moment the woman only had a
morsel of food which was already in her mouth. She took that morsel out of her
mouth and gave it to the beggar. After some time, a child was born to this
woman. When the child grew a little older, a wolf came and snatched the child
away. The woman came out of her house running behind the wolf and at the same
time shouting for help. Allah Ta'ala sent an angel and ordered him to free the
child from the wolf's mouth. Allah Ta'ala added : "Also convey My
salaams to that woman and inform her that I did this in return for the morsel of
food which she had given to that beggar."
This is the barakah of
charity that the child's life was saved and the woman was also rewarded. We
should give charity abundantly so that we may live in this world and in the
hereafter in peace and comfort.
12. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that the person who directs someone towards a good deed will also receive the
same reward as the person who carries out that good deed. In other words, if a
person cannot be of assistance himself, but directs the needy person towards
someone who could be of some help to him, then this person will also receive the
same reward as those who helped that poor person.
13. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that there were three persons. One of them had 10 dinars out of which he
gave one dinar in charity. The second person had 10 awqiyahs out
of which he gave one awqiyah in charity. The third person had 100
awqiyahs out of which he gave 10 awqiyahs in charity. All three will
receive the same reward because each one of them gave 10% of whatever he
possessed. In other words, although some of them apparently gave more than the
others, Allah Ta'ala will reward them according to their intentions. Since each
one of them gave 10% of his wealth, they will all be rewarded equally.
14. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that the reward for giving one dirham has exceeded the reward for giving
100 000 dirhams. An explanation of this is that a person had two
dirhams out of which he gave one dirham in charity. On the other
hand, there was another person who had a lot of wealth. From all this wealth of
his, he gave 100 000 dirhams. The difference in reward between these two
persons is that despite the first person possessing only two dirhams, he
gave half of all his wealth in charity, i.e. one dirham. As for the
second person, despite his giving 100 000 dirhams in charity, he received
a lesser reward because this 100 000 dirhams which he gave were less than
half his entire wealth. How merciful Allah Ta'ala is! We should value this mercy
of His at all times. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam never ever refused a
beggar. When he had anything to give, he would give it without hesitation. If he
did not have anything, he promised the person that he will give him when he
receives something. He and his family never ate bread made of wheat for two days
consecutively. How merciless we are that despite having the means we do not help
our fellow Muslim brothers. Instead, we are prepared to horde for ourselves.
15. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that a beggar at the door of a Mumin (believer) is actually a gift from
Allah Ta'ala. It is obvious that a gift has to be gladly accepted especially if
that gift is from Allah Ta'ala. Therefore, we should help the beggar as much as
we can.
16. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that you should give in charity and cure your sick through charity because
charity repels sicknesses and diseases and it increases your life and your good
deeds.
17. It is mentioned in a Hadith
that no wali (close friend) of Allah Ta'ala was born except through
generosity and good habits. In other words, generosity and good habits are most
definitely found in the auliyaa', i.e. the close friends of Allah Ta'ala.
Glossary
Explanation of Islamic Terms
Arsh : The throne of Allah
Ta'ala.
Banu Isra'eel : Literally
means the children of Isra'eel. It refers to the progeny of Hadrat Ya'qub
alayhis salaam.
Barakah : Literally means
"blessings". It refers to the experiencing of abundance in things which are
apparently insignificant or little, both in value and amount.
Burqah : A head covering
worn by women.
Dua : Invocation to Allah,
supplication, prayer, request, plea.
Durood : The sending of
salutations upon Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Eid ul-Ad'haa : The 10th
of Zil Hijjah. Literally means "the festival of sacrifice". It is referred to as
ad'haa because it is on this day that animals are sacrificed in the name of
Allah and for His pleasure alone.
Eid ul-Fitr : The first
day of Shawwaal. Literally means "feast of breaking the Ramadaan fast". It is
referred to as fitr because it is on this day that the month-long Ramadaan fast
comes to an end.
Fard : Literally means
"compulsory". In Islam it refers to those acts and things which are compulsory
on a Muslim. Abandoning or abstaining from a fard act is a major sin. Rejecting
a fard act amounts to kufr.
Ghayr mahram : Refers to
all those people with whom marriage is permissible. Based on this, it is also
incumbent to observe purdah with all ghayr mahrams.
Haid : Monthly periods or
menstruation experienced by a woman.
Hoor : Large-eyed women of
paradise promised to the believers.
Ibaadah : Literally means
"worship". In Islam it refers to all those acts with which one renders worship
to Allah Ta'ala.
Iddah : In Islamic law it
refers to the period of waiting during which a woman may not remarry after being
widowed or divorced.
Iftaar : The time of
opening one's fast. This time commences immediately after sunset.
Ihraam : Two pieces of
unstitched cloth which are donned by the person performing hajj or umrah.
Jumu'ah musjid : Refers to
the musjid in which jumu'ah salaat is offered. It is also referred to as a jaame
musjid. It is generally the main musjid in a town or city.
Kaafir : Literally means a
"disbeliever". In Islam it refers to one who rejects Allah and does not believe
in Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as the final messenger of Allah.
Kaffarah : Literally means
"penance, atonement, expiation". In Islamic law it refers to redemption from the
omission of certain religious duties by a material donation or a ritual act.
Kalaam-e-majeed : Refers
to the Holy Quran.
Kalimah : Refers to the
basic tenet of Islam, i.e. bearing witness that there is none worthy of worship
except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Kuffaar : Plural of kaafir.
Kufr : Refers to the state
of disbelief.
Kurta : An Urdu word
meaning "shirt". However, due to constant usage, it refers to the long flowing
robe worn by Muslim men and which has come to be regarded as an Islamic dress.
Lungi : A loin cloth worn
by men especially in eastern countries. A lungi is wrapped around the waist and
extends up to the ankles.
Mahram : Refers to the
person with whom marriage is not permissible and with whom strict purdah is not
incumbent.
Makruh : That which is
disliked or detestable but not forbidden.
Meelad : Literally means
"birth, birthday". In this context it refers to the birthday celebrations held
in respect for Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. In most cases these
celebrations are innovations which are accompanied by many other evils.
Miswaak : A thin stick or
twig which is used to clean the teeth.
Mt. Uhud : Name of a
mountain outside Madinah.
Muharram : The first month
of the Islamic calendar.
Mustahab : That which is
preferable or desirable.
Nafl : That which is
optional.
Nifaas : Refers to the
flowing of blood after child-birth.
Purdah : An Urdu word
meaning "seclusion". It is an equivalent of the Arabic word "hijaab". Refers to
the seclusion of women from strangers. There are different stages of purdah, the
highest of which is that the woman should not come out of her home except for a
valid Islamic reason.
Qada : Literally means
"carrying out or fulfilling". In Islamic jurisprudence it refers to fulfilling
or completing those duties that one may have missed due to some reason or the
other.
Qiblah : The direction in
which one faces when offering salaat.
Qiyaamah : The day of
resurrection.
Qurbaani : Literally means
"sacrifice". In Islam it refers to the sacrificing of animals solely for the
pleasure of Allah Ta'ala on the day of eid ul-ad'haa and the two days following
it.
Rajab : The seventh month
of the Islamic calendar.
Rakaat : Literally means
"bending of the torso from an upright position". In kitaabus salaat it refers to
one unit of salaat which comprises of the standing, bowing, and prostrating
postures.
Ramadaan : The ninth month
of the Islamic calendar.
Sadaqah : Literally means
"charity". This word is also used as an equivalent of zakaat.
Sadaqatul fitr : Refers to
the charity that is given on or prior to the day of eid ul-fitr. For further
details, refer to the chapter on sadaqatul fitr.
Sajdah : The act of
prostrating.
Salaam : Literally means
"peace". In salaat it refers to the saying of "as salaamu alaykum wa
rahmatullah" which denotes the end of the salaat. It is also a way of
greeting among Muslims.
Satr : An Urdu word
derived from the Arabic "sitr", which means "cover, shield". In the Urdu context
it refers to that area of the body which has to be covered. It is also referred
to as the "aurah".
Sehri : Refers to the meal
partaken before dawn by the person who intends fasting. For further details
refer to the chapter on sehri and iftaar.
Sha'baan : The tenth month
of the Islamic calendar.
Shirk : Polytheism or
ascribing partners to Allah Ta'ala.
Subah saadiq : Literally
means "true dawn". It refers to the time when whiteness (brightness) can be
noticed on the breadth of the horizon. It is at this time that the time of fajr
salaat commences.
Sub'haanallah : Means
"glory to Allah".
Sufis : A term used to
refer to mystics or saints. Such persons are also known as the auliyaa of Allah,
i.e. the close friends of Allah. These are the persons who have dedicated their
entire lives in the ibaadah of Allah Ta'ala.
Surmah : Antimony. A black
powdery substance that is applied to the eyes. It is sunnah to apply surmah.
Tasbeeh : Saying "sub'haanallah".
A rosary that is used to glorify Allah Ta'ala is also called a tasbeeh.
Umrah : Commonly referred
to as the lesser pilgrimage. It is similar to hajj with the exception that many
of the rites of hajj are left out and that it could be performed throughout the
year.
Wajib : Literally means
"obligatory'. In Islamic jurisprudence it refers to that act which has not been
established by an absolute proof. Leaving out a wajib without any valid reason
makes one a faasiq and entails punishment.
Zikr : The remembrance of
Allah Ta'ala.
Zil Hijjah : The last
month of the Islamic calendar.
Zil Qa'dah : The eleventh
month of the Islamic calendar.
