In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The complete fulfillment of the rights of Allah, the perfect good and excellence in doing good can be achieved only when a person spends something out of his dearest belongings in the way of Allah.
Allah Almighty says,
لَن تَنَالُوا۟ ٱلْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِن شَىْءٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٩٢[Qur'an AleImran 3:92]
Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it. (92)
The noble Companions (radhiAllahu anhum) who were the first addressees of the Qur'anic injunctions really loved to carry out the injunctions of the Qur'an in letter and spirit. When this verse was revealed, each of them surveyed as to what they loved most of what they had. Consequently, requests started coming from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam, that these be spent in the way of Allah.
Abu Talhah (radhiAllahu anhu) was the richest among the Ansar (the helping residents) of Madinah. He was the owner of a fruit farm located right across the Prophet's Mosque. It had a well call Bi'r Ha. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam used to visit this farm once in a while and drink water drawn from Bi'r Ha. He liked the water from this well. This farm belonging to Talhah was very precious, fertile, and the dearest of all that he owned. After the revelation of this verse, he presented himself before the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam, and said: 'I hold Bi'r Ha, the dearest of all that I own. I wish to 'spend' it in the way of Allah. I request you to use it for whatever purpose you like.' He said: 'That farm is a high-yield property. I think it is appropriate that you distribute it among your kith and kin.' Abu Talhah, accepting the suggestion made by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam, distributed it among his relatives and cousins. [related Bukhari and Muslim] This hadith also tells us that charity is not restricted to spending on the poor and the needy, but it is equally charitable and meritorious to give it to one's own family and relatives.
Zayd ibn Haritha (radhiAllahu anhu) came with a horse and said that he loved it more than anything else he owned and that he wanted to 'spend' it in the way of Allah. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam accepted it. But, after having taken it from him, he gave it to his son Usamah ibn Zayd (radhiAllahu anhu). Zayd ibn Haritha was somewhat disappointed about that thinking that his charity has found its way back into his own home. But, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam comforted him by saying: 'Allah Almighty has accepted this charity of yours'. (Tafsir Mazhari vide Ibn Jarir, and others)
'Umar (radhiAllahu anhu) had a bond-maid he liked most. He freed her for the sake of Allah. Similarly, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (radhiAllahu anhu) had a bond-maid he loved. He freed her for the sake of Allah.
Something liked and loved means that the thing is working for you and that you need it, not that it be spare and useless.
وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا ﴿٨﴾ إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ ٱللَّـهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَآءً وَلَا شُكُورًا ﴿٩﴾ إِنَّا نَخَافُ مِن رَّبِّنَا يَوْمًا عَبُوسًا قَمْطَرِيرًا ﴿١٠[Qur'an Al-Insan 76:8-10]
And they [the righteous servants of Allah] give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, (8) [Saying], "We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude. (9) Indeed, We fear from our Lord a Day austere and distressful." (10)
وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٩ ...[Qur'an Al-Hashr 59:9]
... they [the righteous servants of Allah] prefer others over their own selves even though they themselves are in need. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful. (9)
Entry into the fold of perfect good, great merit and ranks of the righteous depends on spending one's cherished possessions in the way of Allah. But, it does not necessarily follow that there is no merit in the one who does spend out of what is extra to his needs. 'Whatever you spend, Allah is fully aware of it.' No charity is devoid of merit irrespective of whether one spends the cherished or the extra. But, what is certainly undesirable and prohibited is getting into the habit of always picking out the extra and the bad to spend in the way of Allah. But, a person who not only spends good things he likes in charity but also gives away things which are extra to his needs, e.g., left-over food or used clothing, defective utensils or articles in use, does commit no sin by including these in his acts of charity. He would definitely earn a reward for those too. As far as spending of cherished possessions is concerned, he would thereupon achieve the great good and find his entry into the ranks of the righteous as well.
Allah is fully aware of the real quality of what we spend and knows whether or not it is dear to us, and if we are spending it for the good pleasure of Allah, or for pretense and publicity. The mere verbal claim by somebody that he is spending what he cherishes in the way of Allah is not enough for this purpose. Keeping vigil over him is the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware who is cognizant of the secrets of the heart - He is watching and knows what is the true worth of the spending in His way.
A poet says:
O you who seeks the hand of the dunya in marriage! Know that she has a new lover everyday
She takes a husband now, yet gives herself at the same time to an other elsewhere
She only accepts lovers so that she may kill them in her bosom one by one
I have been fooled and the affliction is spreading in my body little by little
Ready yourself and take provisions for death, for the herald has called: ‘tis time to leave, ‘tis time to leave!
May Allah grant us tawfiq to the highest station.
رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. [Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:201]
Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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