The seventh rank is that of those who favour others over themselves,
spend in charity and benefit people with their wealth and other
resources. They are those about whom the Prophetsaid, as in the
narration of Ibn Mas'ood:"None except two )types of( people may be
envied: A manwhom Allaah giveswealth and who disposes of it
rightfullyin a good cause, and a man to whom Allaah has given wisdom
)i.e., knowledge( by which he judges between people and )with which(
he teaches others."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
Note that 'envy' in this narration refers to the Arabic word
'Ghibtah', the equivalent of whichdoes not exist in the English
language, and its meaning is to wish to enjoy things that others
possess without wishing that they should be deprived of them for one's
exclusive benefit. These people are worthy of being looked up to and
richly deserve that others wish to have the qualities they do, because
they have fine qualities and great deeds, and also provide great
benefit to others.
The virtue of spending in the wayof Allaah:
These people who spend in charity are those about whom Allaah Says
what means:"Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allaah and then
do not follow up what they have spent with remainders ]of it[ or
]other[ injury will have their reward withtheir Lord, and their will
be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve."]Quran 2: 262[
Allaah described the way they spend saying what means:"Those who spend
their wealth ]in Allaah's way[ by night and by day, secretly and
publicly…"]Quran 2: 274[
They do not like people to know what they do, and thus they spend
secretly; but when they have to do it openly in order to set a good
example for others and encourage them, they do so, such as the example
of the Companion who once brought a bag full of dates when the
Prophethad requested people to spend in charity, which encouraged
others to do likewiseafter having seen this, which is a praiseworthy
action.
Allaah encourages people to spend in charity saying what means:"Who is
it that would loan Allaah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him
many times over? And it is Allaah who withholds and grants
abundance,and to Him you will be returned."]Quran 2: 245[
When a person asks to borrow money from one while the lenderknows he
is rich, it would be easier for him to lend, as opposed to the case if
he was poor, because one would feel secure that his money would be
paid back. Also, if one knows thata man is kind and trustworthy, and
that if he lends him money, he would invest it and make it grow in
multiples, then the desire for lending will increase. Moreover, if one
knows that he will also give one gift in addition to the loan and the
return on the investment, then would his desire to lend not be even
greater? This is exactly how Allaah deals with those who spend in
charity.
Note that the verse stated that the 'borrower' is Allaah.
Certainly,Allaah is the All-Rich and He is free of any need to borrow
money, but the term is used as a way of honouring those who spend in
charity. This type of loanis the type that brings benefit only to the
lender, because ultimately he is the only one whowill gain from the
deal, despite him being the one spending, because Allaah is beyond
need, but He tests people - and those who spend will be honoured by
Him.
Allaah informs us that there are two types of lenders: one who spends
from good wealth, and the other who spends from ill-gotten money, and
it is only the first type for whom Allaah will multiply the wealth.
Ill-gotten money is not accepted by Allaah; for example, Allaah
willnot accept charity from money obtained through Ribaa )i.e., usury
or interest(, stolen money and so on.
The type of charity which enablesa person to attain righteousness:
Additionally, Allaah will not reward those who spend their most
inferior type of wealth, like those who give worn-out clothes or old
furniture, in the same way he rewards those who spend from their
finest type of wealth or from wealth that they themselves are in need
of. This is why Allaah Says what means:"Never will you attain the good
]reward[ until you spend ]in the way of Allaah[ from that which you
love…"]Quran 3: 92[
Since people do not usually like old and worn out things, and liketo
keep the best of everything forthemselves, Allaah made reaching the
rank of righteousness subject to them spending from the best of their
wealth. What is the result of spending from one's dearest wealth?
Allaah informs in the following verse which means:"The example of
those who spend their wealth in the way of Allaah is like a seed ]of
grain[ which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains.
Allaah multiplies ]His reward[ for whom He wills…"]Quran 2: 261[ This
means more than the seven hundred multiples mentioned in the beginning
of the verse.
Dispraising those who follow their charity with reminders:
Moreover, Allaah does not like that his slaves follow their
charitywith reminders to those whom they gave the charity to, because
some people may very well spendfrom the best of their wealth, butalso
have the psychological sickness of continuously reminding those whom
they gavecharity to; whenever they see them, they will say: "Did I not
give you such and such? Do you not remember that I gave you this and
that?" Or they will say: "How is such and such thing that I gave you?"
This type of people continues to make such statements until they
deprive themselves from the reward of what they spent.
'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Ziyaadsaid: "My father used to tell me, `If you
give someone something in charity and you notice that greeting him
reminds him of it and embarrasses him, then do not greet him.`" This
is said because some people may not remind the person openly, but
would greet him in a way which makes the poor person feel that the
lender is trying to remind him of his favour.
One of the Salaf )predecessors(said: "When you do others a favour,
forget it; but when others do you a favour, never forget it." One
should forget it and keep its reward with Allaah, but when one is the
person for whom the favour was done, thenhe should never forget the
kindness of the person who did itfor him, because noble and
good-hearted people never forget the kindness and favours of others.
Theconditions of a goodly loan:
Therefore, a goodly loan for which Allaah multiplies the reward is
that which is firstly spent from the best type of wealth one
possesses, and secondly is not followed by reminder or harm to the
beneficiary. A third description of it is that it is continuously done
day and night; whenever a chance appears in the horizon, one should
spend and should try to do so as secretly as possible, unless the need
arises for doing it openly.
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