Kindness and Generosity
- Categories: Asceticism and Heart Softening -
Kindness and Generosity;
Generosity is a characteristic of the Muslim, and kindness is his
disposition. The Muslim should not be miserly and stingy, for these
are two reprehensible traits whose presence spoils the soul and
darkens the heart. The Muslim's faith and righteous deeds purify
and radiate his heart, so being stingy and miserly negates the
purity of the soul, and the light of the heart. So a Muslim is not
miserly or stingy. Stinginess is a disease of the heart that no
human being is safe from except for the Muslim, with his faith and
righteous deeds, like Zakah and prayer, by which Allah will protect
him from the evil of this disease, preparing him for success in
this life and the Hereafter. Allah the Almighty says:
{ Verily, man was created very
impatient; (19) Irritable (discontented) when evil touches him;
(20) And niggardly when good touches him; (21) Except those devoted
to Salat (prayers) (22) Those who remain constant in their Salat
(prayers); (23) And those in whose wealth there is a known right,
(24) For the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his
property and wealth, (and his means of living has been
straitened);} [Al-Ma'aarij 70:19-25]
Transliteration:
Inna alinsana khuliqa
halooAAan (19) Itha massahu alshsharru jazooAAan (20) Waitha
massahu alkhayru manooAAan (21) Illa almusalleena (22) Allatheena
hum AAala salatihim daimoona (23) Waallatheena fee amwalihim haqqun
maAAloomun (24) Lilssaili waalmahroomi
Allah the Almighty
says:
{Take Sadaqah (alms) from
their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and
invoke Allah for them.} [At-Tawba 9:103]
Tranlsiteration:
Khuth min amwalihim sadaqatan
tutahhiruhum watuzakkeehim biha wasalli AAalayhim
Allah the Almighty
says:
{And whosoever is saved from
his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful.}
[Al-Hashr 59:9]
Transliteration:
waman yooqa shuhha nafsihi
faolaika humu almuflihoona
Since noble characteristics
are acquired through different types of exercise and training, so
the Muslim works to develop virtuous traits according to what the
wise Shari'ah encourages and warns against. Nurturing generosity in
his soul will keep his heart on the right track. Allah the Almighty
says:
{And spend (in charity) of
that with which We have provided you, before death comes to one of
you and he says: "My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a
little while (i.e. return to the worldly life), then I should give
Sadaqah (i.e. Zakat) of my wealth, and be among the righteous [i.e.
perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)].} [Al-Munaafiqoon
63:10]
Transliteration:
Waanfiqoo min ma razaqnakum
min qabli an yatiya ahadakumu almawtu fayaqoola rabbi lawla
akhkhartanee ila ajalin qareebin faassaddaqa waakun mina
alssaliheena
Allah the Almighty
says:
{As for him who gives (in
charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him, (5) And
believes in Al-Husna. (6) We will make smooth for him the path of
ease (goodness). (7) But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself
self-sufficient. (8) And gives the lie to Al-Husna (see Verse No: 6
footnote); (9) We will make smooth for him the path for evil; (10)
And what will his wealth benefit him when he goes down (in
destruction).} [Al-Lail 92:5-11]
Transliteration: Faamma man aAAta waittaqa (5)
Wasaddaqa bialhusna (6) Fasanuyassiruhu lilyusra (7) Waamma man
bakhila waistaghna (8) Wakaththaba bialhusna (9) Fasanuyassiruhu
lilAAusra (10) Wama yughnee AAanhu maluhu itha taradda
Allah the Almighty
says:
{And what is the matter with
you that you spend not in the Cause of Allah? And to Allah belongs
the heritage of the heavens and the earth.} [Al-Hadid
57:10]
Transliteration:
Wama lakum alla tunfiqoo fee
sabeeli Allahi walillahi meerathu alssamawati waalardi
Allah the Almighty
says:
{And whatever you spend in
good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be
wronged.} [Al-Baqara 2:272]
Transliteration:wamatunfiqoo min
khayrin yuwaffa ilaykum waantum latuthlamoon
a
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam) said:
"Verily Allah is Generous and
loves generosity. He loves noble character and He hates disgraceful
behavior." [Authenticated by Al-Albani]
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam) said:
"There should be no envy
except it the case of two: A man whom Allah gives wealth, so he is
able to spend it on the truth, and a man whom Allah gives wisdom so
he judges and teaches with it." [Al-Bukhari]
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam), said:
"Which of you loves the wealth
of his heir more than his own wealth" The Companions said: "O
Allah's Messenger! There is none of us but loves his own wealth
more." He (salla Allahu 'alihi wasallam) said: "His wealth is that
which he has sent forward, but that which he retains, belongs to
his heir" [Al-Bukhari]
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam) said:
"Protect yourself from
Hell-fire even with a piece of a date." [Al-Bukhari]
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam); said:
"There is no day that dawns
upon the servants but two angels descend during it. One of them
says, 'O Allah! Give to the person who gives (in charity)'; while
the other one says, 'O Allah'. Destroy the one who withholds
(charity, etc.)." [Al-Bukhari]
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam) said:
"Beware of stinginess! It was
being stingy that destroyed those before you. It incited them to
shed blood and make lawful what was prohibited for them."
[Muslim]
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam) slaughtered a sheep and distributed major
portions of its meat. Then he asked: "Is there anything left?"
'A'ishah replied, "Nothing, except the shank." Thereupon he (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam) said: "All of it is left except the shank."
[Reported by At-Tirmizi as authentic]
Allah's Messenger (salla
Allahu 'alihi wasallam); said:
"If a person gives in charity
the value of even a date out of his honest earnings - Allah accepts
only that which is pure - Allah accepts it with His Right Hand and
fosters it for him, as one of you fosters the colt, till it becomes
like a mountain." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Manifestations
of Generosity
1. A person giving charity should not
render it vain by reminders of his generosity or by
injury.
2. The giver should be cheerful when
asked and when giving.
3. He should spend without being stingy
or irresponsible.
4. Whether giving abundance from his
riches, or a small amount of one's meager means, one should give
with complete satisfaction, a cheerful face and nice
speech.
Examples of
Generosity
1. It is narrated that
'Abdullah bin 'Amir purchased a house from Khalid bin 'Uqbah bin
Mu'it in the market of Makkah for 70,000 dirhams. At night, he
heard weeping from the household of Khalid. When he inquired about
that, he learned that they were crying because of their house. He
called his servant and instructed him to convey to them the message
that both the house that they sold and the dirhams that he paid
were theirs.
2. It is narrated that Imam
Ash-Shafi'i became ill and rested in his deathbed. He had decreed
by will that so-and-so should bathe his body. When he died, they
called the person instructed to bathe him. When he arrived he
demanded some record of Imam Ash-Shafi'i. Upon going through its
contents, he found that Imam Ash-Shafi'i had a debt of 70,000
dirhams. The man decided that he himself would repay it on his
behalf He said, "This is what Imam Ash-Shafi'i meant by assigning
me to bathe him in his will." Then he left.
3. It is narrated that when
Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu 'alihi wasallam) prepared for the
battle against the Romans, the Muslims were facing hardships and
difficulties in terms of finance and arms for war. Even the army of
the Prophet (salla Allahu 'alihi wasallam) became known as "The
Army of Difficulty." Thereupon, 'Uthman bin 'Affan began donating
10,000 dinars, 300 camels, including their saddles and saddle
blankets, and 50 horses. From this charity, half of the army was
fully equipped.
Extracted from
"Minhaj al Muslim" published by Dar as Salam
With little modification