The holy Prophet sometimes used to get angry, but he never crossed the limits of decency and the stage of pardon and forgiveness. How bright is this aspect of his character that he never took revenge for his own person, but he never hesitated in taking revenge from the man who violated the sanctity of Allah's laws.
Once when he was distributing the booty, one rough bedouin insulted him by saying: "Deal with justice," because in the distribution of this booty only Allah's pleasure was sought. The Prophet did not say anything more than this: "Fie on you. If I will not deal justly then who else will? If I did not do like this, then I failed, and I sustained a loss." With these words he gave an answer to his ignorance and also stopped his companions from killing the bedouin, which they otherwise would have done. Pardon and Forgiveness
Once at the time of Asr, (Middle prayer) in his speech to the people he said:
"Adam's sons have been created of different types. There are some who get angry late and very soon return to normal. Some people become wrathful soon and soon they return to normal, and some people become angry late and are also late in returning to normal, that is the return to normalcy is according to the speed of getting angry. Be careful. Some people get angry soon and they return to normal late. Listen, the best people among these are those who get angry late and immediately repent, and the worst among these are those who get angry soon, but are very late in coming to normal. Listen, among these there are some who repay the loan in a better way, and also demand in a good way. Some people are lazy in repaying, but good in demanding. Some demand in a bad way and repay in a good way, i.e. they have one good quality and one bad quality. Some people prove to be bad in demanding and in repaying too. Listen carefully, the best among these are those who are good in demanding and also good in repaying, and the worst are those who are bad in both the things.
"Keep in mind, anger becomes a spark in the heart of Adam's son. Do you not see that at the time of anger a man's eyes become red, and his , nostrils become enlarged. If anyone sees these signs in a man, he should be glued to the earth."
(Tirmizi)
That is, he should sit in his place, he should not move so that the mater may not get worsened.
Because the flames of anger and wrath burn all matters. Intelligence and consciousness disappear from It, and man is imprisoned in the magic of passions. Then these affairs do not improve.
The above quoted hodith explains the kinds of men and their achievements and value in greatness and morality. Wherever necessary, a faithful bends himself.
An angry man indulges into various kinds of foolishness. Sometimes he abuses the door if it does not open immediately for him. In his anger he breaks whatever machine or its part may be in his hand, and abuses the animal that is not brought under control.
A man's sheet was flown away by the wind and he cursed it. Allah's Messenger said:
"Do not curse it, because it is bound by the commands of God and it is under His control. He who curses a thing which did not deserve it then the curse returns on him."
(Tirmizi)
There are many evils of anger, and their results are more devastating. It is therefore said that to keep the self in control at the time of anger is the proof of the praise-worthy power of control and the noble strength of toleration.
Ibn Masood has narrated that Allah's Messenger had asked: "Whom do you call a sandow " People replied: "One who is not knocked down by anybody is called a sandow among us." He said: "No, sandow is one who controls his self in his anger."
(Muslim)
One man requested the Prophet:
"Give me some but not such a lengthy one that I may forget."
The Prophet said: "Do not be angry."
(Malik).
What reply could be better and shorter than this one?
Allah's Messenger always gave Importance to the temperament and the environment of the individuals and groups in giving them instructions and training. He used to lengthen or shorten his speech according to the demands of the occasion.
The efforts which were made to remove the jahiliya had two foundations:
One was ignorance against learning and the second against tolerance. The first ignorance he removed with the help of knowledge, understanding, sermons and advice, while the second was removed with the help of suppressing the rebellious desires and preventing mischief, etc. The Arabs of the pre-Islamic days were proud of their ignorance and wickedness. As an Arab Poet of the time says:
"Beware! None should show any ignorance and wickedness before us, else we would prove to be more ignorant and wicked than all"
When Islam came, it removed this intensity of feeling and emotionalism, and introduced the practice of pardon and forgiveness in the society. If one could not pardon, then one was given the command to act justly. This objective could be achieved only when anger and wrath could be kept under the control of the intellect. There are a number of sayings in which the Prophet has given directions to the Arabs leading them to this ideal, so much so that the manifestations of tyranny, aggression, anger and wrath have been declared out of the circle of Islam. The things which unite a group and do not allow it to be disturbed, abuse, etc., has been declared to be the agent which breaks this unity :-
"Abusing by a Muslim is wickedness, and his quarrelling and fighting is infidelity."
(Bukhari)
"When two Muslims meet, a curtain from Allah is hung between them. When one of the two says obscene things to the other he tears this curtain of Allah."
(Baihaqui) One Arab came to the Prophet to learn the teachings of Islam. Before this he had neither seen the Prophet nor did he know about his message. His name was Jabir bin Salim. He narrates:
"I saw a man whose opinions are being copied by the people. If he says anything, people convey it to others. I asked them who this man was. They said that he is Allah's Messenger. I said to him: 'On you be peace (Alaik- as-Salam) O Messenger of Allah!' He said: 'Do not salute like this. This is the salute of the dead; but say Peace be on you (As-Salamu Alaik)'."
That Arab says: "I asked: 'Are you Allah's Messenger?' He replied: 'I am the messenger of that Being whom you call in adversities, and he removes your adversities, and if famine catches you and you call Him. He grows grass for you; and if you lose your mount in the arid ground, then you call Him and He causes your mount to be returned to you."
He says that I told him: "Advise me.” The Prophet said: "Do not abuse anybody." Accordingly, thereafter I did not abuse any free man, slave, camel, goat. Then he said: 'Do not consider any virtue as mean, even if it is your brother's talking to you with a smile. This is also a virtuous act.' Then he said: 'If somebody reproaches you and makes you feel ashamed on any of your defects, do not make him feel ashamed on any of his defects, because this act of his will prove troublesome for him."
Rebuking and Reproaching is a Sign of Meanness
There are also some people whose anger does not cool down. They are always in a turmoil, and this wrathfulness imprints a stamp of stone-heartedness and harshness on their face. If anybody clashes with them they spit fire like an oven. Anger, wrath, squeezing of the nostrils and reddening of the eyes, and then there starts a series of abusing and cursing. Islam is innocent of all these dirty qualities.
Allah's Messenger has said:
“A Momin does not taunt, does not curse and reproach, does not indulge in obscene talking and obscene acts."
(Tirmizi)
Cursing and reproaching are the signs of meanness, and it is a quality of lowliness. Those who curse others for ordinary things, they put themselves to great ruin. It is the duty of a man that he should avoid this unseemly act, even if he is harmed considerably by his opponent. As faith will be nourished in the heart, along with it will grow generosity, broad- mindedness, tolerance and forbearance, and there will grow hatred of anger for the usurpers of our rights and dislike for the desire for their destruction.
The Prophet was requested to invoke God's wrath against the polytheists and to curse them. He said:
"I have been sent as a blessing (Rehmat). I have not been sent as a rebuker and reproacher ."
(Muslim) A Muslim however much he would control his self, however much he would control his anger, would pardon others' errors, and however much would sympathies with others on their mistakes, in the same proportion his rank will be raised before Allah.
For this reason, the Prophet disapproved of Hazrat Abu Bakr when he cursed his slave, and said:
"How can it be proper for a truthful man that he should rebuke and reproach."
(Muslim)
In another tradition it is mentioned that the Prophet has said:
"It is not possible that you indulge in rebuking and reproaching and at the same time remain siddique (truthful) and straight."
(Hakim)
Hazrat Abu Bakr, to atone for his error, freed his slave and went to the Prophet for apologizing and said that he would not. do such a thing again.
The reason for this is that rebuking and reproaching is such an evil as is more expressive of one's blind rage than the idea of punishing others. It is not at all proper to insult others by yelling at them.
Allah's Messenger has said:
"When a man curses somebody, then that curse rises up to the sky, but finds the gates of the sky shut. Then it turns to the earth. Here also the gates are found shut. Therefore it wanders to the right and to the left, and if it does not find a proper place it goes to the man who was cursed. If he deserved it, well and good, otherwise it returns to the man who cursed."
Islam has declared cursing and abusing, exchange of vulgar and obscene words and acts as haram (forbidden).
Many clashes occur in which people's honor is attacked and a series of exchange of accusations and fault-finding ensues. The reputation of the relatives, and the female folk of the household is damaged and attempts are made to rake up the dust of centuries. There is only one cause of all this dirty sinning, and that is man is overcome by anger and he washes his hands off all decency and good manners.
The entire responsibility for committing this low and mean type of sin goes to the head of the man who first put the spark to the combustible material. It is written in the hadith : "The entire sin for mutual abusing and cursing will be on the man who first started it, except when the oppressed crosses the limit."
(Muslim)
There is only one way of escaping these intense passions, and that is that tolerance and forbearance may be allowed to have an upper hand over anger and rage, and pardon and forgiveness may be allowed to rule over the passion of taking revenge.
There is no doubt that when a man's own personality or that of his relative or friends is attacked and when he is made to suffer, and he has the means and resources for taking revenge, then he wants to avenge himself immediately and does not rest till he satisfies his passion for revenge.
But in such cases another policy can be adopted which is much nobler and is liked by Allah, which shows a man's greatness and his regard for relationship and that is that he should control his anger, and should not indulge in abusing and cursing. He should restrain himself and should not be bent on taking revenge. He should consider the overlooking of the errors of the wrongdoers as a kind of gratitude to Allah, who has given him such a position that whenever he may want he may take back his right.
Ibn Abbas narrates that when Ainia bin Hasn came, he stayed in the house of his nephew Hur bin Qais, who was greatly respected by Hazrat Umar, because the readers of the Quran were the members of the Consultative Committee of Hazrat Umar, whether they were old or young.
The uncle asked the nephew to take him to the Amir-ul-Mumineen, Umar bill A1-Khattab. Accordingly permission was sought, and when both of them went in the presence of Umar, he very harshly said to the Khalifa :
“ A pity on you, O son of Khattab ! because you neither give us gifts nor do you deal with us justly." Hazrat Umar was enraged on this and wanted to punish him.
The nephew, Hur, immediately intervened and said: “ Amirul Mumineeen ! Allah says to his Prophet: I Adopt the method of softness and forgiveness, advise for doing righteous deeds and do not clash with uneducated. This man is uneducated, he may be forgiven.'
Accordingly, the Amir of the Faithful forgave him and did not deviate slightly from the teachings of those verses when it were recited before him and he was the true follower of the Book of Allah."
(Bukhari)
Hazrat Umar was enraged because that Arab had come merely to provoke him. The idea of punishing him came to his mind because he bad not gone there with the intention of giving right advice or reform. The only purpose of his going there was to rebuke the Amirul Mumineen and to receive rich gifts without working for them. But when he was told that the man was uneducated, be controlled his anger and allowed him to go free. It is written in a hadith :
"He who controls his anger though he had the power to act on it, Allah will call him first of all on the Day of Judgment and will give him the authority to select whatever Hourie he likes."
Ibada bin Samit says that the Prophet has said:
"May I not tell you those qualities for which Allah will give you tall buildings in the Paradise and He may raise your rank ?" The people said: "Certainly, tell us O Messenger of Allah !" He said: "He who behaves with you in the manner of an uneducated person, you behave with him with tolerance, forgive the oppressors, and give to those who deprive you, and he who cuts away from you, try to join him. "
(Tibrani)
Quran has declared these decent habits and qualities as the path of welfare by which a man can enter the Paradise.
"Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous,-those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men ;for Allah loves those who do good."
(AI-i-Imran.. 133-134)
The way in which the Prophet ignored Abdullah bin Ubai, the leniency which he showed him, and the manner in which he overlooked his crimes, are instances whose example cannot be found in the entire human history. Abdullah bin Ubai was the worst enemy of the Muslims. He used to be always in search for finding out ways of inflicting injuries and damages to Muslims and he was in league with the devil against the Muslims. He never let slip any opportunity of harming Muslims, of defeating them and spreading a network of conspiracies against them. He cast aspersions on the chastity of the Mother of the Faithful, Hazrat Ayesha, and he incited some people to indulge in the whispering campaign against her and thus weaken the foundation of the Islamic society, as from the ancient times the eastern traditions had given a very high position of decency and nobility to women.
For this reason the Messenger of Allah and his dear companions were terribly distressed and were in great mental anguish. They were in a great dilemma on account of this blatant false accusation, till at last the verses of Surah Noor were revealed which refuted the charges of the hypocrites, vouchsafed the chastity and purity of Hazrat Ayesha and exposed the machinations of the enemies:
"Those who brought forward the lie are a body among yourselves ,. think it not to be an evil to you " on the contrary it is good for you.. to every man among them (will/ come the punishment) of the sin that he earned and to him who took on himself the lead among them, will be penalty grievous."
(Hoor.. 11) In this tragedy, those who had openly accused the Ummul Mumineen were punished, but the germ which bad spread this disease was not touched, so that he might further go on with his nefarious activities of harming Muslims.
Allah blesses His Prophet and his armies with victory and glory. Islam refined the disorderly government of the centuries and reformed the corrupt society. The enemies of Islam were then found within the limits of the Islamic society, Abdullah bin Ubai was pining within himself till he fell ill and died, after leaving the bad and deadly odour of disruption behind him. His sons went to Prophet seeking his pardon for their father. He forgave him. Then the son requested for the Prophet's shirt for the shroud of his father. He gave it to them. Then they requested him to lead his funeral prayer and to pray for their father. The gracious Prophet did not refuse even this request of theirs. He stood up to pray for the salvation of the person who in the past had attacked his honor and reputation.
But Allah denied to grant all these concessions, and this verse was revealed:
"Whether you ask for their forgiveness or not, (their sin is unforgivable).. if you ask seventy times for their forgiveness, Allah will not forgive them.. because they have rejected Allah and His Prophet.. and Allah guides not those who are perversely rebellious."
(Tauba.. 80)
In this tragic event of false accusation was also involved a near relative of Hazrat Abu Bakr, who was living on his help, This man did not hesitate to falsely accuse the pure and chaste lady, whose father was giving him help and was sustaining him. He forgot the right of Islam, and did not care for the relationship, and tore to pieces the old custom, Hazrat Abu Bakr was deeply stirred and he swore that he would not give anything to this near relative of his and would not show any kindness to him as in the past. Thereupon the following command from Allah was revealed:
"Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those who have left their homes in Allah's cause; let them forgive and overlook; do you not wish that Allah should Forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(Noor: 22)
Accordingly, Abu Bakr restarted helping his relative saying: "I like that Allah may pardon me," CHAPTER 15 PHILANTHROPY AND BENEVOLENCE
Islam is a religion whose foundation has been kept on charity, generosity, and philanthropy. Narrow mindedness, greed and miserliness are evils that shake its edifice. Therefore Islam likes that its followers should be generous and charitable. It has advised them to treat others kindly, to act righteously, to help their kinsmen and to do all kinds of good and virtuous deeds. It has stressed on its followers to make righteous living a permanent policy:
"Those who spend (in charity) their wealth by night and by day; in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord " there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
It is the responsibility of every Muslim that in meeting his needs he should act in a balanced way, so that he may not spend all his wealth on his personal needs only, but that it is his duty that he should let others also partake of the blessings which Allah has bestowed on him, and that he should allot a part of his wealth for the help and assistance of the poor and needy persons. Allah's Messenger has said:
"O Adam's son ! Spend your wealth, it is good for you. And do not block it, it is bad for you, and the wealth according to the need cannot be reproached. Spend first for your family and dependents, and the raised hand is better than the lowered hand."
(Muslim)
Quran has very clearly hinted at this subject when it has commanded the Muslims to spend for their kinsmen and the needy persons and prevented wasteful spending. A spendthrift wastes his wealth and indulges in foolishness. He spends his excess wealth for his personal pleasures, then what can remain with him for payment of the rights of others and the necessary assistance to the needy persons?
Allah has commanded:
"And render to the kindred their due rights, as ( also) to those in want. and to the wayfarer.. but squander not (your wealth) in the ,manner of a spendthrift. Verily, spendthrifts are the brothers of Satans, and the Satan is to his Lord ungrateful."
(Bani Israil: 26, 27)
And after this, advice is given to be mindful of the sentiments of the needy and the people in want, and their feelings should not be hurt. If there is nothing that can be given to them, they should be refused softly and in a decent way: "And even if you have to turn away from them in pursuit of the Mercy of your Lord which you do expect, speak to them a word of easy kindness."
Islam's call to its followers to spend in the cause of Allah and for charity is famous and well known. Similarly its war against miserliness, greed and narrow-mindedness is as clear as the day.
One hadith has it :
“ A giver of charity is near to Allah, is near to humans, and is near to Paradise and away from hell. And a miser is away from Allah, is away from humans, away from the Paradise and is near to hell. An uneducated giver of charity is liked more by Allah than a miserly worshipper."
(Tirmizi)
There does not exist any system in this world, and there is also no possibility of its existence, in which all the people may be indifferent to and not in need of mutual co-operation. As long as there are power and weakness, wealth and poverty side by side in the human society, it is necessary for achieving peace and satisfaction and for ensuring the success and security of the society that the strong should be kind to the weak, and that wealthy should favor the poor and needy with gifts and donations.
If wealth and property are amassed as a result of the capabilities and striving of the people, then some people amass lot of riches and some people get only the bare necessities. And this cannot be objected to. The question regarding misfortune and ungratefulness arise when these people live a life away from the society, when they are concerned only with meeting their own personal needs and for providing for their own pleasures and luxuries, when Allah has caused the people to live together, and has declared this togetherness of theirs, instead of differences in their circumstances, a severe trial for them. This provides a test for their faith and an opportunity for proving their worth.
“ We have made some of you as trials for others. Will you have patience? For Allah is One Who see" (all things)."
(Furqan .. 20)
A community can be successful in this field of life only when the relationship among its individuals is strong and firm. No individual of the community should be so deprived that he may be facing a life of starvation and no wealthy man of the community should be so greedy that he may be spending his wealth only for his own personal pleasures and luxuries.
To achieve this high objectives Islam has framed very strong laws. Peoples' hearts have been prepared to indulge in righteous and virtuous deeds, and they have been tempted to co-operate with each other, help each other and act righteously. It explained to them that the benefit of spending in the cause of Allah is not only derived by the poor and needy persons but the givers of charity also achieve the invaluable riches of peace and satisfaction; their hearts are protected from the earthquakes of rancor and jealousy, and they are saved from the adverse consequences of selfishness and narrow- mindedness : “ Behold, you are those invited to spend in the way of Allah.. but among you are some that are niggardly. But any who are niggardly are so at the expense of their own souls. But Allah is free of all wants, and it is you that are needy."
(Muhammed: 38)
Poverty and want is a condition which causes a lot of trouble for men. It throws him down from the position which Allah had given him, and there is always a lurking fear that it may deprive him from that nobleness for which Allah has declared him the best of all the creatures.
Human nature does not like to see any person in dirty, torn and tattered clothes, that would expose a man's defects; there should be no footwear to cover his feet, or his heels and fingers are dragging on the road, or he is hungry for a number of days; he may be looking greedily at tasty and luscious food and be unable to taste it.
Those who see such sad and sorrowful scenes and are not moved by them at alt, they are not humans; they are not Muslims. To feel disturbed and sorry by seeing the plight of the unhappy men is common human nature. One who is bereft of this basic quality is not a human; he is a stone. As an Urdu poet says:
"Man was created for sympathy (by Allah), Otherwise there was no dearth of angles for worshipping Him."
The question before faith is that it should frighten men from their Lord in relation to the condition of such helpless and poor people.
Once the Prophet of Islam saw such a scene. The tears rolled out from his eyes, and he was very much perturbed. He gathered all the Muslims and delivered a very effective speech. He reminded them of the rights of men on men and their duties. He warned them of the punishment from Allah and the consequences in the Hereafter. His speech was so effective that the people who were present there, freely donated whatever they could, with the result that so much money was collected that the man whose condition had so moved the Prophet became a wealthy man from this spontaneous help from the companions of the Prophet, and all his defects were covered. '
Jarir has narrated: "We were in the company of the Prophet in the morning. Some people came in his presence. They were ill-clad. Their sheets were torn from various places. Many of them belonged to the tribe of Bani Madhar. When the Prophet saw their starving condition. his face changed color. He went into his house and then came out and asked Bilal to give Azan. He called the faithful to prayer and the Prophet led the prayer. Then he delivered a speech, and said:
"O People! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate; and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women ; fear Allah through Whom you demand your (rights) of one another, and to towards the womb (that bore you). Verily, Allah ever watches over you."
(An-Nisa: 1)
"O People who believe! fear Allah, and every person should see what he has prepared for his future." (Hashr: 18)
Then the Prophet said:
"Everyone should give in charity dinar, dirham, cloth, dates, wheat, etc." He went on till he urged: "Give, even' if it is a stone of a date."
The narrator says that after this a man from Ansar brought a bag so full that it was slipping from his hand and it fell to the ground before he reached the Prophet. Other people also brought things to be given in charity, till there were two big heaps of eatable goods and clothes. At that time I saw that the face of the Prophet glowed with joy as if it was gold. Then he said:
"Anybody who inducted a good Sunnah in Islam, he will get its reward (sawab) and then also the reward of others acting on it, without there being any reduction in the reward of these who act on that Sunnah.
And anybody who inducted a bad system in Islam, he will get the punishment for it and also the punishment of all those who will act on it, without there being any reduction in the punishment of those who act on it."
(Muslim)
These eloquent words invite us to compete in matters of righteousness and we should try to vie with each other in performing virtuous deeds, e.g. social welfare work during inclement weather, or relief work after natural calamities, etc., etc.
On the other hand these words warn those who introduce bad practices in the society, and by this they increase the problems and complications of the society, and they leave their successors to face the ill consequences of their acts.
Charity A Guarantee for the Success in the World and Salvation in the Hereafter
It is human nature to love wealth and to be greedy to get it. For this a man travels long. distances and bears various kinds of troubles. The disease of selfishness and a tendency of giving preference to his own benefits over all other things are there in a man from the first day. He thinks about himself more and cares little for others.
If he is given the entire wealth of the earth, nay, even if he gets the treasures of the blessings of his Lord, he will not be prepared to spend from it willingly, and different kinds of diseases of selfishness will tie his hands.
"Say (O Prophet !) If you get the treasures of my Lord in your possession, you would have blocked it from fear of its being spent. Verily, man is narrow- minded."
Islam has considered this kind of thinking and mentality as very cheap and mean, and it is to be resisted vehemently. It is to be counted with alertness and cleverness. Islam has very clearly stated that only that man can be successful in achieving the rewards in this and the next world who removes the motivations of narrow- mindedness and niggardliness and nourishes charity and generosity: "So fear Allah as much as you can.. listen and obey.. and spend in charity for the benefit of your own souls.. and those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,-they are the ones that achieve prosperity."
(Taghabun: 16)
Heaps of silver and gold from which the rights of poor and needy persons are not met become the causes of their owner's punishment and disgrace in this world and in the next. Such wealth is like the snakes which are hiding in their holes and arc waiting to bite men. Islam has clarified that this wealth will be turned into living snakes on the Doomsday, and this snake will be chasing for attacking and biting its owner.
"The wealthy man who has not paid the rights of others from his wealth, his treasure will become a snake on the Doomsday, which will chase him with open mouth, then a voice will be heard: 'Catch hold of your wealth which you had concealed, and I am unconcerned with this. When he will see that there is no escape, he will put his hand in its mouth, and it will bite him as a bull eats the grass."
(Bukhari)
Islam explains to the man that his love for wealth leads him near destruction, and that if he ponders over the reality of wealth and its consequences he will realize that charity is better than selfishness and that gift is nobler than miserliness.
"Man will say : my wealth, my wealth, although his wealth was of three kinds: whatever he ate, drank and finished it; or had spent un clothes and they were torn; or he gave to others and stored for the Hereafter, and what was other than this has been finished or has been left for the people."
(Muslim)
It is strange that what a man leaves for others, he expresses harshness in that. If he will not use his wealth for bettering his own economic condition and for the welfare in the Hereafter, then from what else will he try to derive benefit?
The holy Prophet disclosed this reality, when he said:
"Who is there among you that likes the wealth of his inheritor more than his own wealth ?" The Companions replied: "O Messenger of Allah! We like our own wealth." The Prophet then said: "The wealth of each one of you is what he has sent to God, and the wealth of the inheritor is what each one of you leaves behind." .
(Bukhan)
In spite of this when the Prophet declared that he would collect the Zakat, he treated leniently and with softness the greed of men to hoard money and tackled them with great dexterity. He said:
"Soon to you will come the collectors of Zakat. When they come, welcome them. Give them full liberty to collect whatever they want. If they act justly, they will do good to themselves. And if they are unjust, its evil will be on them. Keep them pleased, for the payment of your zakat will be completed by their pleasure, and they should pray in your favor."
(Abu Daud) If a man is successful in removing the obstructions that miserliness and narrow-mindedness place in the path of righteous feelings, then it is a perfect achievement in the eyes of Islam. Ordinarily a man is hopeful about life, and his relationship with it is strong and firm, provided he is healthy and energetic and courageous about future. At such a time man spends his money moderately and he is always thinking of increasing his wealth, so that he may be reassured about his future and that of his children. If in these circumstance~ a man controls all the factors, and keeps his hands open, spends his money open-heartedly and generously, he neither worries about poverty or want, nor is he afraid about his ruin, then such a man performs the act of great good. One man went to the Prophet and asked him:
"O Messenger of Allah! What charity is the best reward-winning ?" The Prophet said: "That you give in charity, although you may be healthy and in need of money; you may be afraid of getting poor so also you may be hopeful of getting wealth and being free from want. Let it not happen that you should go on postponing to give in charity, till your last breath, then you start making a will to give this much in charity to this man and that much to that man."
(Bukhari)
“If you give charity openly even so it is good, but if you give it secretly to the needy, it is much better for you, and He will/ remove some of your ill- deeds. And Allah is well aware of what you do."
( Baqarah : 271)
"If you loan to Allah a beautiful loan , He will double it to your (credit), and He will grant forgiveness ; for Allah is most Ready to appreciate (service), Most Forbearing,-Knower of what is hidden and what is open, Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom."
(Taghabun : 17, 18)
When a man commits a sin and he realizes that there has arisen distance between him and his Lord, then the thing that brings back cleanness, light and gets him a shelter under the benevolence and pleasure of his Lord is spending his most loved wealth and property in the cause of Allah, and he should gladden the hearts of the poor and the needy with its help, and should try to achieve rank before the Most Gracious Being. Hazrat Abu Zar has narrated that the Prophet has said:
“There was a worshipper in the Bani Israil, who had worshipped Allah in a monastery for sixty years. One day there was rainfall and the whole area became green. When he saw from his hillside-monastery he felt-would it that he went down in the valley and recited Allah's praises and collected more virtue. Then he went down from the monastery. He had one or two loaves. In the meanwhile he met a woman, and talked to her and the woman also enjoyed, and suddenly he covered the woman and then slumber overtook him.
Then he came for taking a bath to a lake, and a beggar asked him for alms. The monk then gave him both the loaves, and then he suddenly died. ! His sixty years' worshipping was weighed against the act of illegal sex, then the scale of the sin was heavier. Then in the scale of his virtue the two loaves were put, then the scale of the virtue became heavier, and he achieved salvation."
(Ibn Habban) The effect of and the role that charity and generosity play in salvation and deliverance can be found in the best example that Allah taught to His Prophet so that he may convey it to his followers:
"I command you to give charity. Its example is like that of a man who has been held by his enemies, his hands have been tied to his neck, and he has been drawn near with the intention of being beheaded; suddenly he inquires of the possibility of saving his life by giving money. Then he began giving whatever valuable things-of little or more value- that he had,till he was able to get himself free."
(Hakim)
Zakat, charity and other generous acts are of great importance in this life and in the Hereafter. On its basis alone a Muslim's relationship with his religion either becomes strong or weak!. There is nothing more depriving than miserliness in paying others' dues and nursing misgivings against God. And there is nothing more helpful for success and glory than confidence in Allah's favors and a man's charity and generosity.
Allah's Messenger has said:
"The acts of righteousness and virtue save a man from the adverse consequences of the wicked acts. The charity that is given unobtrusively cools down Allah's anger, and kindness to kinsmen increases a man's age."
(Tibrani)
Another tradition has it :
"Arrange for the cleanness by taking zakat out of your wealth. Arrange for the treatment of your sick by giving in charity, and fight the waves of adversity by praying to God meekly and humbly."
The heaviest blow to Satan, the most successful method to counter his tricks and the greatest shield against his distrusts is that man should give his wealth in charity, and spend his money in the cause of Allah. For this reason the devil inspires man to be weak and narrow-minded so that he may be prevented from giving generously and be involved in the entanglements of the material world:
"The devil threatens you with poverty and bids you to lewd conduct. Al/ah promises you His forgive- ness and bounties. And Allah is AI/-Embracing, AI/. Knowing."
(Baqarah.. 268)
It is mentioned in the hadith :
"When a man decides to give something in charity, a group of seventy devils clings to him and tries to put him off it."
(Ahmed) When a man distributes his salary or allots it to different items of expenditure, be allots its major portion to such items as are perishable. He thinks of them as if they are the dues from which there is no escape. Islam has informed that a man may consider the expenditure on his food and medicine as on perishable items, but the wealth which he spends in the cause of Allah is such that never perishes.
Hazrat Ayesha narrates that they slaughtered a goat, and the Prophet asked:
"How much of its flesh has remained ?" They replied: "Nothing remained except the shoulder piece." The Prophet said: "Everything has remained except the shoulder piece."
(Tirmizi)
This hadith is in accord with these words of Allah: "Whatever is with you is perishable, and whatever is with Allah is permanent."
(Nahl.. 96)
In a hadith-Qudsi it is written:
"O son of Adam! Spend your treasure in the cause of Allah. With me there is no fear of its getting burnt, drowned or stolen. In its place whatever you would need, I will give it to you."
(Baihaqui) Philanthropy-means to Increase wealth
Sometimes a thought enters the mind that charity reduces the wealth, and brings a man nearer to poverty, and takes away from him that peace and re-assurance that is available to him under the shadow of wealth.
Such a thought is generated by Satan, who puts it into the minds of the hoarders of low and mean nature.
The fact is that charity is the means of nourishment and development. Donation of wealth is a long and wide road. A man who spends the gifts of Allah generously with his two hands, his hands are always full with the gifts of Allah. He is always surrounded by the! favors and blessings of Allah.
In a hadilh it is mentioned:
"There are three men about whom I can take an oath. No man's wealth can be reduced by charity. Any man who shows patience in the face of oppression, Allah honors him. And a man who opens the door to begging, Allah opens on him the door of poverty and want."
(Ibn Majah) Man should display charity and generosity and should try to fill up the gaps found in society. Those poor and needy persons who may come to him for succors should not be returned by him disappointed, but instead he should satisfy them and should deal with them in such a way that he himself reaps rich benefits for the next world.
If today a little is spent in charity, tomorrow or day-after-tomorrow great advantages will accrue from that.
Allah has termed this generosity or donation as "excellent loan,' which will be repaid in increased quantities, not two or three times-but many more times. He has encouraged His slaves to spend money in His cause and has very clearly informed them that this spending in the cause of Allah enables them to deservingly get limitless favors and blessings of Allah, which are everlasting.
It is mentioned in a hadith Qudsi:
"O My slave! spend, spend, it is your duty to spend. Allah's hand is full. The charity of the day and night cannot reduce it. What do you think, how much has He spent since He created the earth and the heavens ? He never closed His hands, when His throne was on the water, in His hands was the balance which went down and went up."
(Bukhari)
Allah says:
"And whatever you spend (for good) He replaces it. And He is the Best of Providers."
(Saba: 39)
Spenders in the cause of Allah remain in his sight and in his shelter in both the states of plenty and adversity. The angel sent Darud on them, and wish for increase in their wealth. As regards those who hoard money very miserly, they wish their loss and ruin. And will they remain with their wealth or will the wealth remain with them for all time ? The wealth has come to us from others, and will again go to others. Then why this pride and conceit about it? And for this reason, why should one forget his position and manners?
The things with which man is attached in this world, will be left by him for the real inheritor of those things, and he will appear before his Lord in such a condition that he would have no wealth nor would he enjoy any rank or position. He will be totally empty-handed, as he had first come to the world. The wealth and property about which he had acted miserly will become a load in his neck on the Day of Judgment. And it is not surprising because Allah will take revenge on such persons who forgot these realities and lived in this world unmindful of their duties. The only thought that troubled them was that whether a thing was beneficial for them or not. They were thoroughly self-centered and in their selfishness they forgot what was really good for them.
Allah's Messenger says:
"Every morning two angels come down to earth. One of them says: 'O Allah! Give full recompense to the spender (for good cause).' The other one says: 'O Allah! Ruin and destroy the miser', "
(Muslim) Remove Poverty Movement