In the Name of Almighty Allah
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
Alhamdu Lillaahi Rabbil 'Aalameen was Salaatu was
Salaamu 'alaa Ashrafil Ambiyaa'e wal Mursaleen.
Wa Ba'd:
A true Muh'min cares for others. He or she cares for their spiritual wellbeing
as well as for their material welfare. Care for their individual needs as well
as for their collective or social good. In fact, helping others is a basic rule
of conduct in Islamic living for this is how a Muslim is characterized
throughout various chapters in the Most Noble and Glorious Qur'an:"And the believers, men and women, are
protecting friends (awliya) of one another; they enjoin that which is
good and forbid the wrong." [Verse 71 Surah At-Taubah And in
verse 19 of Surah Az-Zariyat Almighty Allah Rabbul Ala'meen declares:"And (would assign) in all that they possessed a
due share unto such as might ask (for help) and such as might suffer
privation." And in verse 38 of Surah Ar-Rum Almighty Allah
commands us: "So give the kinsman his
due, and to the needy and to the wayfarer. That is for those who seek Allah's
countenance. And such are successful."
Likewise, our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam also
emphasized the helping nature of Muslims: "Believers are to one another
like a building whose parts support one another." He then interlaced his
fingers. (Al-Bukhari). "I am witness to the fact that all servants (of
Allah) are brethren to one another." [Abu Dawud]. He also said: "Most
liked by Almighty Allah is the one who is most beneficent to the people in
general. And the most liked act is that of pleasing a Muslim or relieving
him/her of some grief, or paying off a debt incurred, or saving one from
hunger." [Al-Tabarani, 1311H., p. 179]. He also once said: "Charity
is obligatory on every Muslim." Asked what if one has nothing to give in
charity? He replied: "You should work with your hands, then enjoy the
fruits of your labour and give [something out of it] in charity." Asked
what if it was not possible for one to work, or if one does not work? He
replied: "Helping a needy person in distress." Asked again what if
this was not possible? He replied: "Refrain from doing harm to others for
even this is a form of charity." [al-Bulkhari].
O
Ummatul Muslimeen! It is very clear in the light of the above
verses from the Most Glorious Qur'an and traditions from our Beloved Nabee
Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam that the helping behaviour required of Muslim
individuals covers material support as well as moral guidance, both by way of
promoting goodness and preventing what is harmful. In fact, prevention of
wrongdoing is specifically declared to be a duty of every Muslim: "Whoever
sees evil should strive to eradicate it. If you can do so by force, then
use force. If that is not possible speak out against it. If that is not
possible then at least abhor it in your heart, and that is the least that faith
demands. [Abu Dawud].
One must also add to the above the religious motivation, i.e. seeking the
Pleasure of Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala and reward in the Aghirah [Hereafter]. As we have seen,
Islam has extolled helping behaviour, giving it a central place in its scheme
of living. Moreover, it gives it a universal orientation and secure foundation
by rooting it in a Muslim's pursuit of the Pleasure of the Most Exalted Creator
and Sustainer. A voluntary action is one proceeding from one's own choice or
consent. The voluntary sector includes charitable activities whether obligatory
or recommended. The value of an act of beneficence lies in its results. Of
course, the more universal or enduring are these results, the more beneficial
is the act. It is certain that the needy, the destitute and underprivileged in
any society have a right to help, and that is the responsibility of the
well-off to extend that help; they cannot shirk this duty. The Holy Law of
Islam likewise urges that this right be observed, holding the well-off
responsible for aiding the indigent.
Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala refers to Himself as the Beneficent, the
Bountiful, the Most Merciful and the Forgiving and urges His servants to
assimilate these qualities, to the point that He informs us in verse 194 of
Surah Al-Baqara: "Allah is with the
beneficent." and in verse 272 of Surah Al-Baqara: "Whatever they expend, it reverts to
yourselves." and finally in verse 29 of Surah Fatir: "Those who spend from what He has provided for
them may hope for a business that will never slacken." When we
carefully consider the social situation and the benefits of charity, the
nobility these verses express becomes clear. In truth, all the productive
forces of a society are meant to benefit everyone, but, in a society where some
are too indigent to work, the production of wealth declines in direct
proportion. The undesirable effects reach everyone; things may reach a point
where the formerly well-off are worse off than anyone.
If the well-off extend their beneficence and generosity to aid the indigent,
however, they realize wonderful benefits including others' affection, a
tremendous amount of respect, for little capital outlay, popular support and
freedom from the danger that the rage of the dispossessed will someday become a
wildfire engulfing everything. There are innumerable Qur'anic verses and
traditions urging charity and extolling the virtues of kindness. One must not
suppose that the Holy Faith of Islam asks our beneficence only through
sacrifice of wealth. Rather, to come to the aid of the needy, even if money is
not what they need, is what the Din of Haqq, as well as the human conscience is
seeking.
A kind word is an act of charity. To teach someone illiterate, to take the hand
of someone blind, to guide someone who is lost, to aid one who has fallen - all
are manifestations of generosity and beneficence, just as they all manifest the
cooperation that we have assented to and relied upon since the advent of Islam.
There is no need to explain the part property has in regulating life. It can
assume such importance that many people regard it as the be-all and end-all of
life and can conceive of no other attainment for man that the accumulation and
possession of material wealth and devote all their energies to amassing money.
Being so greedy and enamoured of wealth makes them stingy and unwilling to part
with any of it for anyone. They may go a step further and become misers who
refuse to spend anything for their own benefit, so that neither do they eat nor
do they feed anyone else. Making money and chasing after name and fame becomes
their religion and their only source of pleasure. What a great pity!
The Most Noble and Holy Qur'an includes many verses condemning the vice of
stinginess and conversely praising the virtue of generosity, charity in Allah's
Way, and aid to the needy. Almighty Allah Rabbul Ala'meen promises that wealth
given in charity will be returned to the giver ten, seventy, or seven hundred
times over. Experience likewise shows that those who open-handedly and nobly
aid the poor or work for social progress steadily grow wealthier. If they
should someday meet with hard times, they enjoy people's affection and the help
they once extended to others all comes back to them. What goes around comes
around. Apart from the fact that they ease their consciences by acting well and
nobly, the generous are responding to the Divine Summons both to fulfill
incumbent duties and to carry out commendable actions. They have given
_expression_ to human feelings of kindness, sympathy, and humanitarianism and
have gained the unalloyed affection and respect of the public. Finally, they
have attained Almighty Allah's Pleasure and eternal happiness at little cost.
May Almighty Allah Jalla Wa'ala Most Merciful grant us the good fortune to
revive the true concept of charity and kindness and to honour our Islamic
values and to cherish them; to bend only before Him, and to fear no one besides
Him, and to be loyal to His Glorious Din of Haqq, and proud of His Message. We
beseech Him from the depths of our hearts to confer this wealth upon the entire
Muslim Ummah. Let us, therefore, take our guidance from the message of Islam,
build our character as true, sincere, dedicated and confirmed Muslims and
quicken our pace of spiritual progress until we attain our rightful place as
the Khalifah's of Almighty Allah Jallah Wa'ala on this Doonya. All that is in
the heavens and the earth glorifies Almighty Allah Azza Wajjal. Is there any
better way of describing the Most Exalted Creator and Sustainer and the aspects
of His Sacred Essence than verse 3 of Surah Al-Hadid?
"Almighty Allah is the First and the
Last, the Outward
and the Inward, and Allah is the Knower of all things."
Baarak Allaahu Feekum wa-Sal Allaahu wa-Sallam 'alaa
Nabiyyinaa Muhammad Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam.
Was Salaamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.
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I S L A M I C S U R F G R
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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