Be Generous — When You Have Little To Give:
Generosity as the willingness to give Freely — Islam encourages this concept of generosity so much so that it is embedded in one of the Five pillars of Islam, the obligatory charity known as Zakat.
In Arabic, the term Zakat literally means purification of the heart however; it is also the payment, From surplus money, of an obligatory charity designed by God to provide For all the needy members of the community. It is a Fixed calculable amount.
There is also another Form of generosity in Islam called Sadaqah (optional charity).Linguistically, Sadaqah means Truthfulness, and some scholars have described it as the heart being Truthful to its Creator.Anything given generously — Freely to others — with the intention of pleasing God is Sadaqah.
Sadaqah can be as simple as a smile, helping an elderly person with their groceries or removing objects From the road or path — Generosity can be viewed as a wise investment in the Future. Generosity or Sadaqah may pave the way to Paradise because with every generous act comes great reward From God.
However, being Generous does not only mean giving Freely From what you have in abundance. Generosity does not lie in giving away something that is no longer useful but in giving Freely From the things we love or need.
“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.
Those who spend their wealth in the Cause of Allah, and do not Follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no Fear, nor shall they grieve”.
(Al-Baqarah 2:261-262)
“O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced From the earth For you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend From it, (though) you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and tolerate therein. And know that Allah is Rich (Free of all needs), and Worthy of all praise”. (Al-Baqarah 2:267)
“Believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and spend of that whereof He has made you trustees. And such of you as believe and spend (in Allah’s way), theirs will be a great reward” (Al-Hadeed 57:7)
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Whoever gives charity equal to a date From good (halal) earnings – For Allah does not accept anything but that which is good – Allah will take it in His right hand and tend it For the one who gave it as any one of you tends his Foal, until it becomes like a mountain.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1344; Muslim, 1014)
It was narrated From Abu Hurayrah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Allah said: ‘Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.” (Al-Bukhari, 5073; Muslim, 993)
Allah(swt) says in the Quran that He will repay the Generosity of a Believer. “And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in Full, and you shall not be wronged.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 272)
So,the point is that — it is Allah(swt) who provides us with sustenance and expects us to spend Generously in His cause. We are encouraged to be Generous For the sake of Allah(swt) — It Increases the wealth and in this way by spending the Blessings of Allah(swt) in His way and according to His pleasure, the servant also gains closeness to his Creator.
May Allah(swt) make us spenders For His pleasure according to the Command of our Lord. (Ameen).
JazakAllah (May Allah Reward You [with] Goodness)For Reading.
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