Giving Charity and Paradise

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Giving charity is an act of someone conscious of Allah and one of the main manifestations of having faith in Allah.

الم ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣

Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, (3) [Quran, AL Baqarah 2:1-3]

The blessings of giving charity is well known. There are over 70 verses in the Quran that encourages giving charity. Every charity we give has the minimum reward of 10 to 700 times or more. Never a dollar is counted as one dollar.

The wealth or money that we have is not ours. Allah is not asking us for all of it.

Some of the words that Allah chooses for charity is zakat (obligatory charity). Zakat is from the noun or verb to purify which implies if we don’t give from our wealth, the money that we have is filthy. Your wealth and my wealth is worse than that rotten food if we don't give zakat. But when we give zakat, not only our wealth increases, it also purifies our remaining wealth.

وَمَا آتَيْتُم مِّن رِّبًا لِّيَرْبُوَ فِي أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ فَلَا يَرْبُو عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَمَا آتَيْتُم مِّن زَكَاةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّـهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُضْعِفُونَ ﴿٣٩

And whatever you give for interest to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with Allah. But what you give in zakah, desiring the countenance of Allah - those are the multipliers. [Quran. Ar-Rum 30:39]

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "Allah has made zakat obligatory simply to purify your remaining property."

The most common term for charity is sadaqah (voluntary charity). It has the same root as the Arabic word "truth." Why is giving for the sake of Allah has the same root word as truth? When you give sadaqah you believe that you are going to get more than what you give. This is a proof and evidence that you believe in Allah. You believe in His promise that if you give charity, you ae not going to lose anything and have less.

مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦١

The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:261]

Another term that Allah uses for charity is a goodly loan فرصا حسنة. It means giving a loan with a guaranteed payment plus extra as a gift.

مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّـهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً ۚ وَاللَّـهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٢٤٥

Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:245]

مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّـهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ وَلَهُ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿١١

Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward? [Quran, Al Hadid 57:11]

When we borrow, we will pay back what we owe, but when we give for the sake of Allah, Allah will pay back with extra. NOte: As good manners, when someone gives us a loan, we should pay them back plus a gift as a token of appreciation. But the gift has to come from the heart, otherwise it will be riba. Allah will not give you one gift when you give a loan to Him, but He will give you multiple times more in the life, and even more in the next life.

Think long and hard about what it means to give for the sake of Allah.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam told the sahabah about a farmer who was praying for rain and when he saw the rain clous he became very excited but then the clouds passed over his land. He followed the clouds and it rained onto his neighbor's land. He thought to himself, there must be a reason why Allah prefers that man over him. So he asked his neighbor what he had done to cause the rain to fly over my land onto his land. The neighbor told him that he has a habit with his harvest, that he took 1/3 to reinvest for crops, 1/3 to feed my family and 1/3 to give to the poor. The man realized that Allah blessed the neighbor because he was always giving.

In another hadith, there was two brothers, one wealthy and the other studying knowledge and learning from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. One day the wealthy brother came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and complained about his brother, that he ate from his food, stayed in his house and took from his blessings. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said to him, "perhaps Allah is giving you all of your wealth in order that your brother be fed."

Never ever feel that when you give for the sake Allah that you are doing the other person a favor. Rather you are the one whom Allah has done favors to. Perhaps the wealth that you have is not intended for you, but Allah is using you to help other people. Because Allah uses you, you become blessed, you get a free pass, you can earn that money and enjoy that money. But it is not meant for you. The name on the check that you wrote for is who it is meant for. In Allah’s mercy when Allah uses you, you are allowed to benefit from that wealth.

Give frequently and consistently. Give small amounts regularly and large amount occasionally. Continue to give as long as Allah bless you with life. Never ever complain about giving. Always have the upper hand instead of the lower hand.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “The upper hand is better than the lower hand (he who gives is better than him who takes). One should start giving first to his dependents. And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money left after his expenses). And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient.” (Al-Bukhari)

May Allah continue to give us more so we can continue to give others more. May Allah save us from the trials and tribulations this life and the next. May Allah protect us from COVID and grant relief quickly to those who are suffering and hit with calamities. May Allah don't make us die except as Muslims. May Allah resurrect us with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and enter us into the highest Jannah with him. Aameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam