Don’t Talk About Your Riches — In Front Of Poor:
Believers! Do not nullify your acts of charity by stressing your benevolence and causing hurt as does he who spends his wealth only to be seen by men and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day.
The example of his spending is that of a rock with a thin coating of earth upon it: when a heavy rain smites it, the earth is washed away, leaving the rock bare; such people derive no gain from their acts of charity. Allah does not set the deniers of the Truth on the right way. (2:262 - 264)
Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah and do not Follow up their spending by stressing their benevolence and causing hurt — will find their reward secure with their Lord. They have no cause for Fear and Grief.
To speak a kind word and to Forgive people's Faults is better than charity Followed by hurt.
“Give to the near of kin his due, and also to the needy and the wayfarers. Do not squander your wealth wastefully; for those who squander wastefully are Satan's brothers, and Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord”. (17:26 - 27)
Islam holistically addresses the Spiritual and Economic needs of individuals and societies. Amongst the Foremost objectives of Islamic law is the preservation and development of the wealth of society. Additionally, the obligation of zakah as an Economic pillar of worship highlights how wealth and worship cannot be separated.
“You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah). Allah knows whatever you spend.” (3:92)
A Believer should not save and hoard great sums of money and wealth but best to share and distribute them to those who are in need of it.
“Whoever opts for the immediate (benefits from) life herein, We give him, right here in this life, as much as We will, to whomever We intend. Then We assign Jahannam for him where he shall enter condemned, discarded.” [Al-Isrā’: 18]
Therefore — the ayah is explaining that Allah does what He wills. He may give someone who is ungrateful to his Lord in this life some good and comfort and also He may withhold good from someone else who disbelieves in Him. That is why we see many non-believers who are constrained in this life in their health and wealth.
These are those whom — Allāh mentions: “He has lost this life and the hereafter, that is a clear loss.” (22:11)
Furthermore — Numerous aḥadiīh and verses of the Qur’an address how wealth should be acquired, spent, and invested. Regarding the acquisition of wealth — Prophet Muhammad (saw) was reported to have said, “Seeking lawful [wealth] is an Obligation upon every Muslim.”
He also prophesized that “A time will come when one will not care how one gains one's money, lawfully or unlawfully.”
The obligation of zakah as an Economic pillar of worship — gives others a right over a portion of our wealth and withholding charity is considered blameworthy and a cause of our destruction negates the compatibility between Islam and economic individualism.
Allah says in Surat al-Baqarah, “And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining from giving]. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.”
Regarding investing wealth, ʿUmar ibn Khaṭṭāb advised, “Invest the wealth of orphans so that it will not be eaten away by zakah."
Regarding spending one’s wealth, the Prophet (saw) said, “Allah does not like for you to waste wealth, nor ask many unnecessary questions, nor spread gossip."
If we were to accept that maximizing pleasure is the ultimate goal driving Economic activity — then we must redefine pleasure as being that which is pleasing to Allah (swt) — Second, the Islamic notion of ownership of the self is completely different, as Allah owns our souls and by extension our wealth.
Allah says in Sūrat al-Tawbah, “Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for Paradise.
On the authority of Abu Dharr — “Once I went out at night and found the Messenger of Allāh (ṣaw), walking all alone accompanied by no human being. I thought that perhaps he disliked that someone should accompany him. So, I walked in the shadow, under the shadow of the moon but the Messenger of Allāh (ṣaw) looked behind, saw me, and said: ‘Who is that?’ I replied: ‘Abu Dharr, let Allah get me sacrificed for you.’ He (ṣaw) said, ‘O Abu Dharr come here.’
So I accompanied him for a while and then he [the Prophet] said: ‘The rich are in fact poor [in reward] on the Day of Judgment, except him whom Allāh gives wealth which he spends in charity to his right, left, front, back and performs good deeds with it.’ I walked with him a little longer. Then he said to me, ‘Sit down here.’ So he made me sit in an open space surrounded by rocks and said to me, ‘Sit here until I return to you.’
He went towards Ḥira’ [cave] till I could not see him and he stayed away for a long period, and then I heard him saying while he was coming, ‘Even if he had committed theft or even if he had committed illegal sexual intercourse.’ When he came, I was not able to remain patient and asked him, ‘O Allah’s Prophet, let Allāh get me sacrificed for you, whom were you speaking to by the side of Ḥirā’? I did not hear anyone responding to you!’
He (saw) said, ‘It was Jibrīl. He appeared to me beside Ḥirā’ and said, “Give glad tidings to your nation that whosoever dies without joining others with Allāh will enter Paradise.”
I said, “O Jibrīl even if he had committed theft or zina?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Even if he had committed theft or zina?” He said, “Yes.” I said, “Even if he had committed theft or zina?” He said, “Yes.”’”(In some copies of al Bukhāri, it also mentions even if he had drunk alcoholic liquor).
Qays ibn Khabtar reported: Abdullah ibn Mas’ud(May Allah be pleased with him) said, “Accept two things you dislike: death and poverty. By Allah, there is nothing but richness and poverty, and I do not care with which of them I am put to trial, for the right of Allah in each of them must be fulfilled. If it is richness, then in it is appreciation. If it is poverty, then in it is patience.” (Source: al-Zuhd wal-Raqā’iq 566).
May Allah (swt) grant us the ability to spend His blessings in His way — Forgive our sins and accept our Good deeds.(Ameen).
JazakAllah (May Allah reward you [with] goodness)for reading.
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