Chapter: Charity
Preferring Others Over Oneself
① Sayyiduna Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he heard from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she was fasting when a poor person asked her for something and there was only one piece of bread in the house. She instructed her servant to give it to him. He said: There is nothing left for your Iftar. She said: You give it to him. He (the servant) narrates, I did just that (i.e., gave the bread to him). Then when evening came, cooked goat meat arrived from a house. Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) called the servant and said: This is better than your bread.
Charity for a Travel Companion
① Sayyiduna Abu Saeed رضي الله عنه narrates, we were once traveling when a man came on his mount. He looked around to the right and left. Then the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
من كان معه فضل ظهر فليعد به على من لا ظهر له ، و من كان له فضل زاد فليعد به على من لا زاد له
”Whoever has an extra mount should give it to one who has none, and whoever has some extra provisions for the journey should give it to one who has none.“
The narrator states, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned many types of wealth, so much so that we thought that whoever among us has some extra wealth, no right is upon it.
Instructions Regarding Sadaqah
① Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
ما تصدق أحد بصدقة من طيب ولا يقبل الله إلا الطيب إلا أخذها الرحمن بيمينه و إن كانت تمرة فتربو فى كف الرحمن حتى تكون أعظم من الجبل كما يربي أحدكم فلوه أو فصيله
“The person who gives charity from something pure, and Allah only accepts that which is pure, then the Most Merciful takes it in His right hand. If it is a date, then it continues to grow in the hand of the Most Merciful until it becomes larger than a mountain. (And the Most Merciful nurtures it) just as one of you nurtures the foal of his horse or his weaned child.”
② Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه also narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
من تصدق بعدل تمرة من كسب طيب ولا تصعد إلى الله إلا الطيب فإن الله يتقبلها بيمينه ثم يربيها لصاحبها كما يربي أحدكم فلوه حتى تكون مثل الجبل
“The person who gives charity equal to a date from pure wealth, pure things rise to Allah, so Allah accepts it in His right hand and then increases it for the spender just as one of you nurtures the foal of his horse until it becomes as large as a mountain.”
③ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه also narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
سبق درهم مائة ألف درهم
“One dirham has surpassed one hundred thousand dirhams.”
The Companions رضي الله عنهم asked: How is that? The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
كان لرجل درهمان فتصدق بأحدهما و انطلق رجل إلى عرض ماله فأخذ منه مائة ألف درهم فتصدق بها
“A man had two dirhams, so he gave one in charity, while another man came with his wealth and gave one hundred thousand dirhams in charity.”
④ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
الصدقة تطفئ غضب الرب وتدفع ميتة السوء
“Charity cools the anger of the Lord and removes a bad death.”
⑤ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم one day commanded to give charity, so a man said: O Messenger of Allah! I have one dirham. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
تصدق به على نفسك “Spend it on yourself.”
He said: I have another. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
تصدق به على ولدك “Spend it on your children.”
He said: I have another. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
تصدق به على زوجك “Spend it on your wife.”
He said: I have another. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
تصدق به على خادمك “Spend it on your servant.”
He said: I have another. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
أنت أبصر “You know best!”
⑥ Sayyiduna ‘Adi bin Hatim رضي الله عنه narrates, I heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say:
من استطاع منكم أن يستتر من النار ولو بشق تمرة فليعد
“Whoever among you has the ability to save himself from Hellfire, then let him do so even if it is by giving a part of a date.”
⑦ Sayyiduna Salman bin ‘Amir رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
الصدقة على المسكين صدقة ، و على ذي الرحم اثنتان صدقة وصلة
“Giving charity to a poor person is just charity, while giving charity to a relative is double reward: charity and maintaining kinship ties.”
⑧ Imam Malik رحمه الله states, I was informed that a poor person asked Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyidah Aisha رضي الله عنها for food, and at that time she had grapes. She told the boy: Take one grape and give it to him. So he started looking at her and was amazed. Sayyidah Aisha رضي الله عنها said: Are you amazed at this single grape?
⑨ Sayyidah Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا تصدقت المرأة من طعام بيتها غير مفسدة فلها أجرها بما تصدقت و للزوج بما كسب وللخازن مثل ذلك لا ينقص بعضهم من أجر بعض
“When a woman gives charity from the provisions of her husband’s house without any corruption, then she, her husband for earning it, and the treasurer all receive equal reward. And their rewards do not decrease because of each other.”
⑩ The freed slave of Abu al-Lahm, Sayyiduna Umair رضي الله عنه narrates, I was a servant, so I asked the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, can I give charity from the wealth of my masters? The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
نعم و الأجر بينكما نصفان
“Yes! And you will get half of the reward.”
