All Praise is due to Allāh, we praise Him, seek His aid and His Forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allāh from the evils of our souls and the evils of our actions. Whomsoever Allāh guides there is none to misguide and whomsoever Allāh misguides there is none to guide. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, alone, without any partners and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.

“O you who believe, fear Allāh as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.” (3:102) “O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.” (4:1) “O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allāh and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allāh and His Messenger he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise).”(33:70-71)

The truest speech is the Book of Allāh, and the best way is the way of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم). The worst of affairs are the newly invented matters, every newly invented matter is an innovation, every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.

To proceed,

Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) stated in Zādul Ma’ād regarding our Messenger Muhammad (ﷺ) that he was the most generous of people in giving in charity, and that he did not think anything too valuable or anything too insignificant to give in charity. Rather if anyone was to ask for something then he (ﷺ) would give it to them. Whether it was little or whether it was great. His happiness and his joy in giving were greater than the joy of the one who was receiving that charity from him. This, my brothers and sisters shows the tremendous Eemān (faith) that Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) had. This is because he hoped in the reward from Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى), and he took enjoyment in helping others and giving in Sadaqah (charity).

Ibnul Qayyim also mentioned: And when a person in need submitted his case to the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), he (ﷺ) would give preference to the needs of the one who was asking over and above his own needs. On occasions this was even from the food that he himself needed, and sometimes from the clothes which he himself was wearing (ﷺ).

Anyone who was associated with the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) could not help but also be kind and generous. This is because the character of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) was from his excellent noble manners which would also rub-off on to others. So his companions could not help but also be kind and generous. For this reason he (ﷺ) was the most open-hearted of people. He was the finest soul from amongst all of mankind, because the giving of charity and performance of righteous deeds has an amazing ability to open up the hearts.

And likewise my brothers and sisters were you to look at the Sahābah (رضوان الله عليهم) then there was no one more open-hearted than them, no one more righteous, no one more pious, no one more god-fearing than the Sahaabah (رضوان الله عليهم).

Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) mentioned in a hadîth collected by Imām Tabarî (رحمه الله) that he said: “That when the light enters into the heart then it is expanded and it becomes open and vast.”

Meaning that when the light of al-Islām and the light of the deen (religion) of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) enters the hearts, then those hearts they become expansive, they look towards others and how they can benefit others, those hearts are hearts that are righteous and pious seeking nothing but the reward from Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى).

This is why the Prophet (ﷺ) stated in a hadîth collected by Imām Muslim:

‏لا تحقرن من المعروف شيئاً، ولو أن تلقى أخاك بوجه طلق‏‏ ‏‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏‏

“Let not any of you belittle or look down upon a good deed, even if it be that you smile in the face of your brother.” (Muslim)

Good righteous deeds my brothers and sisters will benefit you on Yawmul-Qiyaamah (the Day of Resurrection). They are from the acts that will open up the gates of Jannah (Paradise) for you. Which will make weighty your scales and they will outweigh your sins. So who will look down upon a good deed, even if it be smiling in the face of your brother.

As for charity my brothers and sisters, then, it takes many forms: That you smile and show good countenance in the face of your brother who is a Salafi, a Sunni, a person who aspires to that which you aspire to, a person who seeks righteousness and piety, a person who seeks nearness to Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى), just like yourself, so why would you not show them a good countenance? Why would you not face them in a positive manner? Why would you not make a hundred excuses for them? Why would you not think good of them? Why would you not help them when they ask you in their time of need? Why would you not be firm with them, when firmness is required? Why would you not be honest to them, when honesty is required? Why would you not advise them, when advice is required? All of this is Ma’roof, meaning all of this is good and from good deeds. And from the most excellent of them is actually giving something that you possess, that you love and desire and you give it in the cause of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى). Because those are the things that you covet, that you don’t want to give away because you believe they will expand your riches, but, you give them away for the sake of Allah (سبحانه و تعالى).

‏ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا قَالَ

‏ أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ، تَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ وَتَأْمُلُ الْغِنَى ‏‏‏(‏رواه البخاري)‏‏‏‏‏

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “O Messenger of Allāh which Sadaqah is the one that gives the greatest amount of reward from Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى)? The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “That you give in charity whilst you are in good health and you are feeling miserly and you want to covet that wealth that you possess, and you fear poverty for yourself and that you hope for riches.” (Al-Bukhāri: no. 1419)

So, when these conditions come together, this is the time that you will receive the greatest reward from giving your Sadaqah: that you are good in health, that you feel miserly, that you fear poverty and you hope for riches. In this situation when you give in the cause of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) then the reward is at its greatest.

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

وَلاَ تُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ قُلْتَ لِفُلاَنٍ كَذَا، وَلِفُلاَنٍ كَذَا، وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلاَنٍ (‏رواه البخاري)‏‏‏‏‏‏

So do not delay until you are at the point of death and then you say: “Give this to so-and-so and give that to so-and-so,” when at that point [your wealth and property] already belongs to so-and-so!” (Al-Bukhāree, no. 1419)

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلاَنٍ – That he makes these statements when he knows that the money already belongs to somebody else, what is he going to do with it now that he is about to die and the soul is about to leave his body?! And now he says: Well this is my wealth! Rather it is no longer his wealth but it is theirs anyway! Because you are about to die, and now you decide to be charitable, at the time of death! The Prophet (ﷺ) said: وَلاَ تُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ- Do not wait up until the soul is about to depart from the body, meaning: you are in the throes of death and then you decide that you are going to give in charity!

Rather, the best charity is: وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ، تَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ وَتَأْمُلُ الْغِنَى ‏‏‏ – meaning that you are healthy and you are feeling niggardly and you fear poverty for yourself and hope for riches.

Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) mentioned in the Quran:

وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqun.

الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Those who spend [in Allah’s Cause – deeds of charity, alms, etc.] in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers). [sūrah āl-Im’rān 3:133]

These characteristics my brothers and sisters were found in Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) and the Muttaqoon (the pious ones), and in all of the righteous Sahābah (رضوان الله عليهم) and those who followed them correctly and precisely. Those who spend in the way of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) and give Sadaqah when living in times of prosperity and ease, or in times of difficulty and adversity, meaning: that they themselves are suffering but they still give, and they repress their anger, meaning they are not from those who are easily angered. And if they become angry then they immediately repress their anger, andالعافين عن الناس و meaning: they pardon the people much, meaning, those who wrong them then they overlook them, they forgive them, they don’t make this تتبع, (i.e. continuously following up the deeds of others to see what they did) meaning: where did my five pence go that I donated? Where did my ten-pounds go that I donated? Where did it go? Where did they spend it? What did they do with it? These kinds of people who give nothing from them except that it is extracted with hardship, and when it is extracted, then they give in a miserly manner, and then they follow it up with endless questions. No! Barakallahu feekum! Rather, race towards the forgiveness of your Lord and towards Jannah, whose expanse is like the expanse of the heavens and the earth that Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) has prepared for the Muttaqūn. Those who spend in the way of Allāh in times of ease and hardship, giving for the sake of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى). They give to those whom they trust, are trustworthy, honest and are the people of the Sunnah and Salafiyyah. This was the way of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) my dear brothers and sisters.

Sheikh Salih al-Fawzān (حفظه الله) mentioned: Indeed the giving of charity from ones pure wealth and from ones halāl earnings in the cause of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى), is from the most excellent and the most virtuous of all the acts of worship. For indeed, just as there is ibādah of the limbs when you stand in prayer, and when you withhold from food during the month of Ramadhān (and you help someone off the bus, or you help someone into the house, or you help that old lady or that old man carry their groceries into their house), then these are acts of worship with ones body, likewise there is worship with one’s wealth and one’s property.

For this reason Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) made the giving of charity a Pillar from the pillars of al-Islam when He obligated the Zakah. The Messenger (ﷺ) said with regards to the charity that is given generally:

فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ ‏ (‏رواه مسلم) ‏‏‏

“And save yourselves from the hell fire even if it be with the piece of a date .”

Meaning: it is a small charity but if it is given correctly with a good intention and a sincere heart for the sake of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى), then one gives and walks away not asking and questioning regarding it. Rather you give and then find someone else who can give too. This was way of the Prophets and the Messengers and those who are pious, Barakallahu feekum.

Sheikh al-Fawzān mentioned: You think that by giving in charity you are doing a favour to others, but, rather it is a favour to yourself in reality. So save yourselves from the hell-fire even if it be with a portion of a date stone!

The Scholars mention that when one gives the Zakah, they give the Zakah thinking ‘look at this poor one! Look what I have done for him? But, rather they don’t realise that this wealth that they have is a loan from Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى), it is a blessing that Allāh gave you to test you with. So what will you do with it and who will you spend it upon? This loan that Allāh has given to you and it is not a favour that you are doing for others, rather it is a favour that Allāh gave you, and Allāh expects that you fulfil this trust in the best possible manner.

فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَبِكَلِمَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ ‏رواه مسلم

And whomsoever cannot even find a little piece of a date, then let him save himself from the hell-fire with just a goodly word (Muslim)

Meaning: maybe one is unable to give due to many personal difficulties like loans, and personal difficulties within the household. There are many people who are genuinely unable to give, but, you can’t say a good word?! You can’t encourage others to give instead, hence acting upon good deeds and piety?! If you don’t have the ability to give then this is possible as Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) has not blessed everyone with huge amounts of wealth or even small amounts of wealth. There are people who are the Fuqara and the Masakeen: People who are suffering and people who are hungry and people who are in poverty who can’t give.

Sahl ibn Sa’d al-Sa’idi (Allāh be pleased with him) reported: A woman came to Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) and said: Messenger of Allāh, I have come to you to entrust myself to you (you may contract my marriage with anyone at your discretion). Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) saw her and cast a glance at her from head to foot. Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) then lowered his head. When the woman saw that he had made no decision in regard to her, she sat down. There stood up a person from amongst his companions and said: Messenger of Allāh, marry her to me if you have no need of her. He (the Prophet) said: is there anything with you (which you can give as a dower)? He said: No, Messenger of Allāh, by Allāh I have nothing. Thereupon Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Go to your people (family) and see if you can find something. He returned and said: I have found nothing. The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said: See even if it is an iron ring. He went and returned and said: No, by Allāh, not even an iron ring, but only this lower garment of mine (Sahl said that he had no upper garment), half of which (I am prepared to part with) for her. Thereupon Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: How can your lower garment serve your purpose, for it you wear it, she would not be able to make any use of it and if she wears it there would not be anything on you? The man sat down and as the sitting prolonged he stood up (in disappointment) and as he was going back Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) commanded (him) to be called back, and as he came, he said to him: Do you know any part of the Qur’an? He said: I know such and such Surahs (and he counted them), whereupon he (ﷺ) said: Can you recite them from heart (from your memory)? He said: Yes, whereupon he (Allāh’s Messenger) said: Go, I have given her to you in marriage for the part of the Qur’an which you know. (Sahih Muslim 3316).

Look at the example of this Shahābi, he did not have anything but the Qur’an, so what did he do? He taught her words from the book of Allāh! And we say again: Save yourselves from the hell-fire, even if it be with a portion of a date and if not then with a good word!

Wal-hamduliāhi rabil ālameen wa-sallalāhu alaa Nabeenā Muhammad wa alaa ālihi wa sahbîhîi wa-salam.

[End of Part One]

الحمد لله رب العالمين، والصلاة والسلام على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين أما بعد:

It is known from the habits of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) that he was the most generous of people. There was no one more generous than him (ﷺ). He would go hungry, yet he would feed others, he (ﷺ) was the leader of the Islamic Muslim Nation, yet he would sleep upon a reed mat that would leave marks upon his shoulders and back!

A woman came out once and said: Oh messenger of Allāh I have made you this garment that you may wear it. So the Prophet (ﷺ) put it on. A man said to him: Oh Messenger of Allāh give to me that which you are wearing. So the Prophet (ﷺ) went into his home and took off the garment and put something else on and gave it to him. And when the Prophet (ﷺ) left the Sahābah, they rebuked him (the Sahābi) saying: The Prophet (ﷺ) does not have much, and when someone has given to him you take if off his back! He said: By Allāh you do not understand why I asked the Messenger of Allāh. I asked him for his garment because after my death I wish to be buried and shrouded in that garment.

This was the example of our Prophet (ﷺ), an example to be emulated. Therefore wealth that we have and whatever we posses, it is a loan from Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى). It is from those affairs that one will be questioned about, and likewise one can also benefit from it even after ones death.

If the son of Adam dies, his deeds are cut off: Meaning that you will not receive any more reward for your deeds. Except for three affairs that will benefit you: Ongoing continuous charity: meaning its effect continues after the moment that you gave it, like for example the building of a Masjid for the sake of Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى).

Uthmān bin Affān’s (رضي الله عنه) house was besieged by those who hated him and wished to rebel against him, because they could not see-though the fogginess of their own minds and stupidity of their thoughts and they wished to prevent him from going to the Masjid. Uthmān was in his eighties and had done so much good for Islām, but, they could not see that, because they were blinded by fanaticism and emotions or desires as the Scholars have mentioned. Blinded so much so, that they could not see the goodness of Uthmān, they could not see what this man had done for Islām that they besieged him in his house, Allāhu Musta’an.

Uthmān went to the roof of his house and called upon them, he said: I ask you by Allāh and I ask you by Islām, do you know that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) came to Madînah and there was not even sweet, fresh water to drink except in the well of Rumā that was owned by a Jew? So Allah’s messenger said: Who will purchase that well and place his bucket alongside the bucket of the Muslims in exchange for what is better in Jannah? So he said: I went to my home and I took the capital of my wealth, (not waiting for profits), and I went to the Jew and I bought the well off him because the Jew used to sell water. Then I presented it to the Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ). Uthmān addressed the people whilst besieged in his home: Today I stand on top of my roof and you prevent me from drinking from that well and expect me to drink from the sea-water. He said: By Allāh I ask you when Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Who will purchase the land that is connected to the Masjid an-Nabawee so that we may expand into it because the Masjid has become constricted, and, in return Allāh will give better in Paradise for that person. So then, Uthmān said I went to my home and again I took the core capital of my wealth, (not waiting around for profits and so on), but rather I took what I had, and I gave it to Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ), and this is the Masjid that you prevent me from praying in?!

This was the example of Uthmān (رضي الله عنه)!

On an occasion the Prophet (ﷺ) said to the people: Who will aid the army of ‘Usrah in this battle? So Uthmān went to his home bringing back with him one-thousand dinar in gold coins.

One-thousand dinars my brothers and sisters is four and a quarter kilograms of gold!

So Uthmān placed four and a quarter kilograms of gold into the lap of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ). This was Uthmān!

This is why Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) mentioned:

لَن تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

By no means shall you attain Al-Birr, unless you spend (in Allah’s Cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well. [Surah ‘Āli- `Imrān: 92]

So do not worry about what you have given, it is written with Allāh, and do not hold back when you give, especially in the month of Ramadhān, like Aaishah (رضي الله عنها) and the other Sahābah used to say: There is no one more generous than Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ), and he was never more generous than he was in the month of Ramadhān. So when you give then do not think that you are doing a favour to others, rather you are doing a favour to yourself and you are saving yourself from the hell-fire.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) place the seed of generosity in our hearts and nurture it, so that we may become from the most generous of people.

Wal-hamduliāhi rabil ālameen wa-sallalāhu alaa Nabeenā Muhammad wa alaa ālihi wa sahbîhi wa-salam.

[End of Khutbah]

* May Allaah reward our sister Umm Abdillaah for transcribing this lecture from a khutbah of Abu Khadeejah —> Listen to Lecture

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