AND DO GOOD WORKS...

 

When I begin to address the issue of charity most people automatically make a correlation between the word charity and the pillar of Islam called zakat. This is a poor understanding because it is too broad and too narrow. Zakat is most accurately translated as the poor-due. That is money that you have in your hand that in reality belongs to one less fortunate. Zakat is a facet of charity but it is not charity itself. Charity as a principle does not end with the paying of zakat. Zakat is a bill that God says you owe. It is a test for the believer. It is a way of your wealth.

 

Charity, spending in the way of Allah swta, is something else. It is not a bill. Charity is an act of righteousness, even an act of worship in a way. In the Qur’an the act of charity is always mentioned as an attribute of the righteous, those who have fear of death and hell, the truest of believers.

 

We know from the Qur’an that God does not need our prayers or acts of worship. It does not increase His might one iota. Actually they are for our benefit. It is a way of establishing a relationship with your Lord, disciplining the soul, and proving which ultimate fate we truly want and desire. It would seem that of all acts of worship the act of charity has the least to do with God and is most connected to our relationship with others. Perhaps this is because, as a whole, we have not thought deeply about it.

 

Why do we give charity? Because it is a good thing to do. Because we believe that this group, cause or person deserves our support. Because we feel morally compelled to do it. Yes to all of these answers but it is much deeper. We do so first because God says so.

 

Worship and serve God alone and make no gods beside Him; and do good to your parents, the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the neighbor, the stranger and the companion, and the traveler and to those who your right hand possesses: for God loves not the proud or the boastful, those who are niggardly and urge others to be niggardly.  (al-Nisa 4:36-37)

 

It is a commandment, like paying the poor due. It is part of your duty as a Muslim to be charitable in your attitude, your acts and your spending.

 

Narrated by Abu Musa al Ashari, found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim:  The Messenger of God, pbuh, said “Every Muslim must give charity.” Some people asked “What if he has no money?”  He replied, “He should work with his hands to meet his needs as well as give charity to others.”

They asked, “What if he could not or did not do that?”

He replied, “Then he should assist a needy person in distress.”

They asked, “What if he could not do that as well?”

He replied, “He should then teach good things.”

They replied, “And, if he could not do even that?”

He replied, “Then, he should refrain from harming anyone. That too would be charity on his part.”

 

Secondly, because it is for our own benefit as well as those who receive our help, it is discipline. To give of our time, energy and wealth teaches the believer to get out of himself. It curbs our selfishness. It shows us the deeper meaning of giving and illuminates the connectedness of women and men as brothers and sisters. The prophet said that even a smile is charity. Giving a man a lift is charity. A kind word, to remember someone in your dua, volunteering your labor, teaching and sharing a talent is all acts of charity if we make them so. It is our intention that turns even mundane or seemingly private acts into sadaqa, charity. An example is the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah and found in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim that says:

 

The Messenger of God, pbuh, said “When a Muslim spends to support his family, and hopes to be rewarded for it, it is charity for him.”

 

 If we discipline ourselves to give of ourselves we will find a greater appreciation for what we have been given. Indeed, it will increase your love for and from your Lord. I say this because the hadith Qudsi clearly relates that what you do for your fellow man you do in effect for Him. So when you are asked why did you not feed me, visit me or pray for me your Lord is asking why you never disciplined your nafs so that you could recognize the hand of the creator in the creation. Why did you not respond to that vision with service and a spirit of charity? More over for each act you do purely for God, He responds in kind. For each step He takes two, there is abundance in the reciprocal nature of the relationship.

 

It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the east or the west; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the traveler, for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves: to be steadfast in prayer, and give Zakat, to fulfill the contracts which you have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain or suffering and adversity, and through all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing.

(al-Baqarah 2:177)

 

The commentators point to the first part of this verse, referring to turning to the East and West as being a reference to formalism. The peculiarities and particularities of those acts of worship we can easily identify are important but not the point. The right belief supercedes the right form and that belief is dead until it is coupled with your acts.

 

…to Him ascend all the goodly words and the righteous deeds exalt it. (al Fatir 35:10)

 

In this way even God is charitable and demonstrates His generosity in abundance. He says in the hadith Qudsi that we are all naked, hungry, and in need of guidance until He clothes, feeds and directs us. He is God without doing a thing. He doesn’t need to prove it. It does not benefit His majesty in any way to do or give a single thing. He is the Most Generous, and He teaches us about giving through charity. He gives us divine orders to be charitable and then gave us the most excellent example of the Prophet who had absolute trust in His inexhaustible bounty. It is through charity we begin to fully realize this reality.

 

The third point is perhaps the most easy to identify and perhaps the most overlooked. Charity leads you to heaven. You are rewarded for it. It wipes away sins. It endears you to your Lord and to the community of believers. Allah promises the one who gives that nothing will be lost. More than that, He promises to compensate you for your good deeds with many times their worth in man’s economy.

 

Allah will destroy usury and will give increase for deeds of charity. (al-Baqarah 2:276)

 

In fact there is an entire divine economy. We don’t often look at it in this manner but the truth of it is staring us in our faces. The principle of sowing and reaping is cosmic and eternal. All acts of worship, virtue and righteousness are divine currency in this way. When you sow patience you reap peace of mind and clarity of purpose. When you sow obedience you reap blessings and grace. When you sow charity you reap gratefulness and forgiveness. Charity is an act of obedience and in the shallowest terms is an investment in you. A charitable spirit knows that God will provide for your needs, most especially when you try to meet the needs of others. When you cut back some luxury of time, comfort or wealth in order to make yourself available for that work which God would have us to do you invest in your eternal being as well as your needs in this life.

 

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah and found in Tirmidhi, the Messenger of God, pbuh, said, “A generous person is close to God, close to Paradise , close to people and far from Hell. However a miserly person is far from God, far from Paradise , far from people but close to Hell. God loves more an ignorant man who is generous than a worshipper who is miserly.”

 

Whoever surrenders his whole being unto God, and is a doer of good, shall have his reward from his Lord; on them shall be no fear neither shall they sorrow.

(al-Baraqah 2:112)

 

Trust is the issue here. In whom do you put your trust? Do you believe God will meet your needs and increase your blessings or do you believe in time? You will wait until you have the big home and the car and the job to finance it all. Will you wait until you have the degree and a large platform, more power so you can begin to make a difference? First, statistically speaking, those who have less give more. The pursuit of more, unchecked by giving and a spirit of charity leaves us selfish. After all, the nafs will say, haven’t you earned all you have?

 

Narrated by Abu Dharr, in Sahih Muslim the Messenger of God, pbuh, said, “Do not belittle even the smallest act of kindness, even if it were no more than meeting your brother with a smiling and cheerful face.”

 

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim the Messenger of God, pbuh, said, “O Muslim women let no neighbor consider anything too insignificant to give to her neighbor, even if it be a sheep’s trotter.”

 

The last point is one that I have to admit the Christian community understands better than most Muslims do. When Christians set up charitable organizations and projects they often describe their motivation as showing the love of God to others through service. They understand that they are the face of God for many people. The first contact with an all powerful and all knowing God that cares for them is often through the testimony of a believer. Christians call it a witness. The most powerful witness by far is the one where the believer shows true concern and the power of God working in their life through service. Surely a just and merciful God wants to see schools built, people fed, wells dug, drug rehabilitation programs established, and a helping hand for the abused, neglected and oppressed.

 

And we wish to be gracious to those who were being oppressed on the land; to make them leaders in faith, and make them heirs; (28:5)

 

The old adage still rings true. You will know a tree by its fruit. A good tree bears good fruit. More importantly, as Muslims we cannot profess this faith and leave these things undone. If we believe in equality, justice, and charitable action then we must live in such a way that our deeds are to that end. If not, then not only are we hypocrites but we are making our dawah ineffective. People are not stupid. A Muslim who is for himself first and foremost will manifest this in his deeds, and it is your deeds which the non-Muslims are watching. If we are greedy, class conscious, uninvolved, and separatists then Islam becomes greedy, uninvolved and circumscribed.

 

Why do you say that which you do not do? Grievously odious in the sight of Allah are those who say things they do not do. (61:2-3)

 

So go ahead and give. Live a life of service. Nothing you own is yours anyway, not even your life. The Messenger himself was a servant- leader. He said that there are no small acts of charity. Everything you do with a spirit of service, trusting in God to reward you according to His divine economy, with hope of receiving that reward is charity. And every display of generosity brings you closer to your Lord in affection and farther from hell. Discipline your nafs and reap the benefits of an open and selfless life. Learn to see people in their need and approach it as an opportunity to make Allah’s will supreme in the land. That is charity.