Generosity

A Lesson of Ramadaan

As we move beyond Ramadaan, one of the lessons that we need to carry forward is the quality of generosity. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam was described as, “the most generous of people, and he would be at his most generous in the month of Ramadaan.” (Muslim) Perhaps the ease with which we could do our acts of worship in Ramadaan, and the blessings we experienced, could have been in some way due to our generosity and charity.

When a person faces a climate of fear, insecurity, and financial instability, it can lead to paranoia and irrational decisions, as he tries to secure his wealth, property and sources of income with increasing desperation. One of the first good qualities that tends to fall by the wayside in such a climate is spending in charity. The opposite is actually true: charity helps bring calm, serenity and economic stability. In this article, we explore some of the benefits of charity and generosity and examine why we should make them indispensable parts of our lives.

Humanity across the spectrum acknowledges the benefits of charity:

1. “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another.” (Charles Dickens)
2. Charity benefits the giver first: 40% of an individual’s happiness stems from actions we choose to do. Bob Holmes states that money can buy a degree of happiness, but once you can afford to feed, clothe, and house yourself, each extra rand makes less and less of a difference. In the past half a century, the average income has skyrocketed in industrialised countries, yet happiness levels have remained static. Once your basic needs are met, money rarely seems to boost happiness. Yet, there is a way money can buy happiness, he says. Once you spend money on helping others, this has a positive effect on your own happiness.
3. In a study on charitable giving, it was found that when people donated to a worthy cause, the midbrain region lit up. This is the part of the brain responsible for pleasure rewards. This illustrates the link between charitable giving and experiencing pleasure.
4. “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you don’t expect to sit.” (Nelson Henderson)

One of the secrets to gaining complete benefit from charity is to consider it of more value to the one spending than the one receiving.

1. Al Shabi rahimahullah says, “Someone who gives in charity should see himself as more in need of Allah Ta’ala’s rewards than the poor person is in need of the charity.”
2. Imam Ghazali rahimahullah observes, “A person who understands the reality of charity will stop seeing himself as benefitting anyone but himself as he spends his wealth to show his love for Allah Ta’ala, to purify his soul and to give thanks for the wealth he enjoys. There can be no dealings between himself and a poor person unless he sees himself as the one deriving benefit.”
3. Ibn al Qayyim rahimahullah mentions, “If the one giving charity knew that his charity falls in the Hand of Allah Ta’ala before the hand of the poor, the delight of the one giving would be more than the one taking.”

Tough times force a person to look for a means of security and giving in charity has that quality of securing a person.

1. “A person’s needs are fulfilled by Allah Ta’ala as long as he fulfils the needs of his brother.” (Mujam al Kabir)
2. Ibn al Qayyim rahimahullah mentions something amazing, “Charity has a remarkable effect. It can ward off difficulties from the sinful, the unjust and even the disbeliever.”

The divine system of this world is that no one lives and survives in isolation. We live as interdependent beings, leaning on some for assistance, and lending support to others.

1. There are people whom Allah Ta’ala has created for the sole purpose of fulfilling people’s needs and helping them in difficulties. They will have no worries on the Day of Judgement, nor will they have anything to fear.
2. The hadith of Tabrani tells us that nothing distresses the poor when they are hungry or in need of clothes more than the indifference and neglect of the rich who do not pay what is due from them. They will be taken to task for the neglect of their obligations to help. Charity in the form of Zakaat is compulsory, which if paid in full, should see to the basic needs of the community to ensure that no one starves.
3. Besides Zakaat, there are other calls upon our wealth as outlined by Ibn Umar radhiallahu anhuma. Ibn Hazam rahimahullah says that if Zakaat is not enough to meet the needs of the community, the Muslim government can enforce an added cost on the rich to provide food and clothing to the poor.
4. Another Hadith informs us that if there are people in need, the ones who have excess should share with those in need. (Fiqh al Sunnah)
5. Morally it does not behove a Muslim to be living in ease when people close by are starving. Abdul Qadir Jailani rahimahullah said, “You claim that you have faith, yet you go to sleep while your neighbour is starving, and you have a lot to spare yet you give him nothing!”
6. “A man is not a perfect believer who fills his stomach while his neighbour is hungry.” (Al Adab al Mufrad)

Wealth is a bridge that rescues us from destruction. It would be foolish to spend an entire lifetime strengthening the bridge itself while ignoring its actual purpose. Wealth, if spent on helping others, will reap benefits for us in this world and the next. Ibn Masud radhiallahu anhu narrates, “People will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement naked, and as hungry, thirsty and tired as they ever were. Whoever gave someone something to wear for the sake of Allah Ta’ala will get clothes. Whoever fed someone will get food, whoever gave someone a drink, will get to drink, and whoever worked hard for the sake of Allah Ta’ala will be given comfort.”

Abdul Qadir Jailani rahimahullah outlines the true thanks for wealth, “Merely offering verbal thanks is not sufficient. Real thanks is to comfort the poor by giving of what you have. The Muslim knows that the beggar was sent by Allah Ta’ala so that the giver can gain from the favours of Allah Ta’ala.”

Among the benefits of charity is the protection of one’s wealth.

The survival instinct in man is to protect his wealth and income. Logic would seem to dictate that we stop spending in charity to ensure this, but the Divine system decrees otherwise.

1. Ibn Hajr rahimahullah says, “When wealth is hoarded, it brings ruin. Those who spend in charity gain increase.”
2. The Hadith teaches us to give charity when there is an eclipse which causes alarm and unease, and to turn to Salaah. Ibn Mulaqqin rahimahullah says that from this we see the proof of giving in charity especially at the time of fear to repel difficulties.
3. Whoever gives much in charity. Allah Ta’ala Himself looks after his property after his death. (Ihya Uloom al Deen)
4. “Protect your possessions by paying Zakaat, treat your sick by giving charity, and face the advancing waves of calamities with Dua and crying to Allah Ta’ala in humility.” (Abu Dawood)
5. “Treat your anxieties and sorrows with charity. Through this, Allah Ta’ala will mend your damages and help you against your enemies.” (Kanz)
6. “Withholding Zakaat causes famine to follow.” (Tabrani)

Charity has another unique quality of drawing a person closer to Allah Ta’ala and enveloping him with piety.

1. Abdul Aziz ibn Umair rahimahullah said, “Prayer takes you halfway down the path to the Court of Allah Ta’ala, fasting takes you to the entrance, and charity allows you to enter into the Court.”
2. Those who did deeds of kindness to others will be gathered on the Day of Judgement and told, “All your sins are forgiven. You were sources of good to people in the world, so gift acts of goodness to whoever you wish today.” (Istina al Maroof)
3. People will be drawn up in rows to enter the fire of Hell. A person among them will see a man in the rows of Paradise and will say to him, “Do you remember the good turn I did to you in the world?” The man of Paradise will acknowledge this, take him by the hand and say, “Oh Allah, this man did an act of goodness to me in the world.” It will be said to him, “You take him by the hand and enter him into Paradise.” (Istina al Maroof)
4. If you bring joy to a Muslim, an Angel is created who worships Allah Ta’ala. In the grave, the Angel comes to him and says, “I am the joy you brought to someone. I will remove your anxieties, keep you steadfast on faith, bear witness for you on the Day of Judgement, intercede with Allah Ta’ala on your behalf, and show you your place in Paradise.”
5. Imam Nawawi rahimahullah says that charity is a proof of faith for the one giving it out.
6. “Whoever pays Zakaat on his wealth willingly every year, will taste the sweetness of faith.” (Hadith)
7. Shaqiq Balkhi rahimahullah said that he searched for a way to easily cross the Bridge of Sirat on the Day of Judgement and discovered it in fasting and charity.

One of the lessons we need to take from Ramadaan and bring into our daily lives is that of generosity and charity. Ibn al Jawzi rahimahullah laments the man who only wants to give charity on his deathbed. He asks, “What does he expect from this in reality?”