By  Dr. Muhammad ‘Ali Al-Hashimi

Translated by Nasiruddin Al-Khattab and Revised by Ibrahim M. Kunna and Abu Aya Sulaiman Abdus-Sabur

He mixes with people and puts up with their insults

The active Muslim mixes with people and bears their insults with patience, because he is a man with a mission who has a message to deliver. Whoever undertakes this important mission should be prepared and accept the fact that he will have to make sacrifices and be patient with the foolish ideas that people have, their bad behavior, their suspicions and hard-hearted natures, their laziness and slow response to the truth, their focus on their own selfish interests, and other trivial matters that annoy the da‘is and may make them, in moments of boredom, irritation or tiredness, feel inclined to isolate themselves and keep away from people. So the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) sought to strengthen the resolve of the believers and reassure them, by announcing that those who have patience in treading the long and difficult path of da‘wah are better than those who have no patience:

“The believer who mixes with people and bears their insults with patience is better than the one who does not mix with people or bear their insults with patience.” [1]

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.), and the other Prophets before him, represent the supreme example of patience in the face of people’s misbehavior, suspicions and foolishness. The da‘i  needs to hold fast to this example every time he feels his patience running out, or that he is under stress and overwhelmed by the insults and hostility of people.

One example of the Prophet’s supreme patience comes in a report given by Bukhari  and Muslim. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) divided some goods as he usually did, but one of the Ansar said, “By Allah (S.W.T.), this division was not done for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.).” The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) heard these unjust words and was deeply offended by them. His expression changed and he became angry, but then he said, “Musa suffered worse insults than these, and he bore them with patience.” With these few words, the Prophet’s anger was dispelled and his noble, forgiving heart was soothed.

This is the attitude of the Prophets and the sincere da‘is (du‘at) in every time and place: patience in the face of people’s insults, suspicions and rumors. Without this patience, the da‘wah could not continue and the da‘is could not persevere.

The true Muslim does not fail to speak kindly and gently to people, to be sociable and at the same time to be cautious of their evil inclinations and sharp tongues, if they are foolish types. The believer is intelligent in his dealings with people and is clever in the way that he speaks to them, so that they do not feel any harshness or rudeness from him. This is the example of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), as is seen in the report given by Imam Bukhari  from ‘A’ishah:

“A man sought permission to enter upon the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and he said, ‘Let him in, what a bad son of his tribe (or: bad brother of his tribe) he is!’ When the man came in, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) spoke to him kindly and gently. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you said what you said, then you spoke to him kindly.’ He said, ‘O ‘A’ishah, the worst of the people in the sight of Allah (S.W.T.) is the one who is shunned by others or whom people treat nicely because they fear his sharp tongue.’”

Abul-Darda’ used to say: “We smile at people even if in our hearts we are cursing them.” (Bukhari)

People will not always be of the type that the da‘i  may prefer; indeed they will often be the opposite of what he likes. So the da‘i  must always bear them with patience and deal with them in a wise way that will make them more inclined towards the truth to which he is calling them.

He tries to make people happy

The Muslim who is guided by his religion is keen to spread happiness, friendship and joy wherever he goes. Making people happy, within the framework of what is halal, is an Islamic duty that is strongly encouraged, so that the Muslims’ environment may be one that is filled with happiness, joy, cheerfulness and friendliness. For this reason Islam tells us that the reward of one who makes Muslims happy will be the greater happiness that Allah (S.W.T.) will bestow upon him on the Day of Resurrection:

“Whoever meets his Muslim brother and makes him happy with something that Allah (S.W.T.) likes, Allah (S.W.T.) will make him happy on the Day of Resurrection.” [2]

There are many permissible ways for the Muslim to spread happiness among his brothers, such as saying a good word, giving a friendly smile, telling good news, offering comfort and consolation, visiting one’s brother, performing acts of sincere kindness, and other deeds which will open hearts to love and remove hatred and malice from them. Hence the Muslim, according to the nature of his Islamic tarbiyah, operates within the framework of righteous deeds which will bring him closer to Allah  (S.W.T.) and endear him to people.

He guides others to righteous deeds

Among those righteous deeds by which the true Muslim is known is his guiding and encouraging others to do good. So the Muslim does not hide any good deed or anything that may benefit others, because he knows that the one who guides others to do good is like the one who does the good deed:

“Whoever guides others to do good will have a reward like that of the person who does the good deed.” (Muslim, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi)

Therefore the Muslim is the least likely to keep goodness to himself: it is all the same to him whether he does the good deed himself or guides others to do it. In either case his reward is assured. In this way, goodness is spread throughout the society: everyone he guides in secret to do good will do it, without boasting or showing off.

How many of these deadly psychological disorders are preventing good from being spread in society! For the people who are suffering from them hope that they alone will undertake good deeds to the exclusion of others, but circumstances prevent them from doing so. So goodness and benefits remain buried and society is deprived of that goodness which remains locked up waiting for the opportunity that never comes. The true Muslim who seeks to please his Rabb and earn reward from Him is free from such disorders. He guides people to good deeds as soon as he himself is aware of them, and thus earns a reward from Allah (S.W.T.) equal to the reward of the one who does the good deed.

He is easy on people, not hard

The true Muslim is easy on people and not hard, because the attitude of the believer is always to make things easy. This is what Allah (S.W.T.) wants for His servants:

[... Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties ...] (Qur’an 2:185)

Therefore the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) encouraged the Muslims to be easy on people, and forbade them to make things difficult:

“Teach and make things easy, do not make them difficult. If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent.” [3]

No-one would want to make things difficult and complicate matters except the person who is twisted and mean-spirited, and whose education is lacking. The straightforward person whose Islamic education is sound does not like difficulties and complications, and does not do anything to hinder the bringing of benefits to others. He follows the example of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) as reported by ‘A’ishah (r.a.):

“The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) was never faced with the choice between two things but he took the easier of the two, so long as it was not a sin. If it was a sin, he would be the furthest of the people from it. And the Messenger of Allah  (s.a.w.s.) never took revenge for himself, but if the bounds of Allah (S.W.T.) were transgressed, then he would take revenge for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.).” (Bukhari  and Muslim) “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) was never faced with the choice between two things but he took the easier of the two, so long as it was not a sin. If it was a sin, he would be the furthest of the people from it. And the Messenger of Allah  (s.a.w.s.) never took revenge for himself, but if the bounds of Allah (S.W.T.) were transgressed, then he would take revenge for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.).” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) fully understood the weakness of people and their different levels and potentials for patience and moral excellence. He knew that nothing is better for them than being easy with them, and nothing puts them off or hurts them more than making things too difficult for them. So he chose the easier option, within the framework of what is permitted according to the Shari ‘ah, and made it a way of life for the Muslims so that they would be free of the burden of having things made too difficult for them.

He is fair in his judgment of people

The truly-guided Muslim is fair in his judgment of people. He is never unjust and never deviates from the truth no matter what the circumstances. Justice and avoiding oppression (dhulm) are at the heart of his faith and ‘aqidah, and have been enjoined upon him in clear commandments of the Qur’an and Ahadith about which there can be no prevarication:

[Allah does command you to render back your Trusts to whom they are due; and when you judge between man and man, that you judge with justice ...]  (Qur’an 4:58)

Justice as known by the Muslim and the Islamic society, is absolute and pure justice. It is not influenced by friendship, hatred or blood ties:

[O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and do not let the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do.] (Qur’an 5:8)

[...Whenever you speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned...] (Qur’an  6:152)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) set the highest example of justice when Usamah ibn Zayd came to intercede for the Makhzumi  woman who had committed theft, and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) had decided to cut off her hand. He (s.a.w.s.) said: “Do you intercede concerning one of the punishments decreed by Allah (S.W.T.), O Usamah? By Allah (S.W.T.), even if Fatimah bint Muhammad had committed theft, I would have cut off her hand.” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

This is absolute, universal justice which is applied to great and small, prince and commoner, Muslims and non-Muslims. None can escape its grasp, and this is what differentiates justice in Islamic societies from justice in other societies.

History records the impressive story that earns the respect of the institutions of justice throughout the world and at all times: the khalifah ‘Ali  ibn Abu Talib stood side by side in court with his Jewish opponent, who had stolen his shield, on equal terms. The qadi , Shurayh, did not let his great respect for the khali fah prevent him from asking him to produce evidence that the Jew had stolen his shield. When the khali fah could not produce the evidence, the qadi  ruled in favor of the Jew, and against the khali fah. Islamic history is full of such examples which indicate the extent to which truth and justice prevailed in the Islamic society. So the true Muslim is fair and just in word and deed, because truth and justice are an ancient part of his heritage and fairness is a sacred part of his belief.

He does not oppress or mistreat others

To the extent that the Muslim adheres to justice, he also avoids oppression (dhulm), for oppression is darkness (dhulumat) in which the oppressor becomes lost, as the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) explained:

“Keep away from oppression, for oppression is darkness on the Day of Resurrection ...”  (Bukhari  and Muslim)

The following hadith qudsi  definitively and eloquently expresses Allah’s prohibition of oppression in a way that leaves no room for prevarication:

“O My slaves, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.” (Muslim)

Oppression is something which Allah (S.W.T.) has forbidden for Himself, and He is the Creator, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Exalted in Might, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, may He be glorified, and He has also prohibited it for His servants. Would it then be acceptable for oppression to come from a Muslim who is supposedly adhering to Islam?

“A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim: he does not oppress him or forsake him when he is oppressed. Whoever helps his brother, Allah (S.W.T.) will help him; whoever relieves his brother from some distress, Allah (S.W.T.) will relieve him of some of his distress on the Day of Resurrection; whoever covers (the fault of) a Muslim, Allah  (S.W.T.) will cover him on the Day of Resurrection.” (Bukhari)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) did not stop at forbidding oppression to the extent that it could not even be imagined on the part of the true Muslim, but he also forbade the Muslim to abandon his oppressed brother, for abandoning him is in itself an act of severe oppression. Then he went on to encourage the Muslim to meet the needs of his brother and to relieve him of distress and to conceal his faults, as if he was suggesting that the failure to do these goods deeds was itself oppression and a denial of the rights of brotherhood that bind the Muslim and his brother.

We have seen above how Islam enjoins absolute justice which is not influenced by love, hatred, desires or ties of blood, and how it also forbids oppression in any form. This means that justice is to be applied to all people, and oppression against all people should be avoided, even in the case of non-Muslims. Allah (S.W.T.) has commanded justice and fair treatment, and has forbidden oppression and wrongdoing, to all people:

[Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for [your] Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: For Allah loves those who are just.]  (Qur’an 60:8)

He loves noble things and always aims high

The true Muslim always aims for noble things in his social relationships, and he never bases those relationships on trivial interests. He has no time for foolishness and inane matters. Because of the way Islam has formed him, according to the Qur’an and Sunnah, he loves to be serious and hates frivolity. He is inclined towards lofty goals and hates to waste time. This is the kind of attitude that Allah (S.W.T.) loves to see in people, as the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) told us:

“Allah (S.W.T.) is generous (karim) and loves generous people. He loves generous things and hates foolishness.” [4]

His speech is not exaggerated or affected

Thus the true Muslim avoids exaggerating in his speech for the purpose of showing off or attracting attention. Exaggerated speech and foolish chatter are not characteristics of the true Muslim who loves noble things and hates foolishness. They belong to the empty-headed person whose only concerns are to show off and attract attention. For this reason the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was very harsh on those who exaggerated in their speech, and after his death Abu Bakr (r.a.) and ‘Umar (r.a.) were similarly harsh on them, to the extent that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (r.a.) said:

“By Him besides Whom there is no other god, I never saw anyone who was harsher on those who exaggerate in their speech than the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.), and I never saw anyone who was harsher on them after his death than Abu Bakr (r.a.), and I think that ‘Umar (r.a.) feared the most for them of all people on earth.”  [5]

He does not rejoice in the misfortunes of others

The true Muslim also avoids rejoicing in the misfortunes of others and despising them, because schadenfreude (malicious enjoyment of others’ misfortunes) is a vile, hurtful attitude that Islam forbids and warns against, in the hadith:

“Do not express malicious joy at the misfortune of your brother, for Allah (S.W.T.) will have mercy on him and inflict misfortune on you.”  [6]

There is no room for schadenfreude in the heart of the true Muslim who is endued with the spirit and guidance of Islam. Instead, the Muslim feels sorry for the one who is faced with trials and difficulties: he hastens to help him and is filled with compassion for his suffering. Schadenfreude belongs only in those sick hearts that are deprived of the guidance of Islam and that are accustomed to plotting revenge and seeking out means of harming others.

He is generous

The true Muslim who sincerely seeks to follow the teachings of his religion is generous, and seeks to do good to the members of his society on all occasions and in all circumstances.

When he spends, he does so with the generosity of one who believes that his giving will not go to waste, for it is recorded with One Who has full knowledge of all things:

[... And whatever of good you give, be assured that Allah knows it well.]  (Qur’an 2:273)

He also believes, when he spends his money generously, that whatever he spends will come back to him manifold and that Allah (S.W.T.) will multiply its reward in this world and the next:

[The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases: and Allah cares for all and He knows all things.] (Qur’an 2:261)

[... and nothing do you spend in the least [in His Cause] but He replaces it ...]  (Qur’an 34:39)

[... Whatever of good you give benefits your own souls, and you shall only do so seeking the Face of Allah. Whatever good you give, shall be rendered back to you, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.]  (Qur’an 2:272)

The true Muslim spends his money, with the firm conviction that Allah (S.W.T.) will compensate him with blessing and increased reward for whatever he spends of his wealth in this world. If he is overcome with miserliness and holds back from giving, then His Rabb will decrease his wealth and cause him loss. This is clearly shown in the hadith:

“Every morning that the servants of Allah get up, two angels come down. One of them says, ‘O Allah (S.W.T.), give compensation to the one who spends,’ and the other says, ‘O Allah (S.W.T.), cause loss to the one who is stingy.’” (Bukhari and Muslim) 

And in a hadith qudsi: 

 “Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The Muslim who trusts in his Rabb does not entertain any doubt that whatever he spends for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) will not decrease his wealth at all, for charity increases wealth and does not decrease it:

“Charity does not decrease wealth ...” (Muslim)

The reward for wealth that is spent for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) is indescribably immense, for Allah (S.W.T.) will multiply it many times. Hence the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to say that the only wealth that was really saved was that which had been spent for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.). ‘A’ishah narrated that they slaughtered a sheep and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) asked her, “What is left?” She said, “Nothing but the shoulder.” He said, “Everything except the shoulder is saved.”[7]

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was keen to reinforce the spirit of generosity in the hearts of the Muslims, and to make it one of the virtues to attain which they would compete with one another, as he said:

“There is no envy except in two cases: a man to whom Allah (S.W.T.) has given wealth and caused him to spend it in the service of the truth; and a man to whom Allah (S.W.T.) has given wisdom, so he acts according to it and teaches it to others.” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) described spending wealth in support of the truth and having wisdom, acting according to it and teaching it to others, as being equal. He said that there should be no envy (in the positive sense of the word) except in these two cases. Spending for the sake of supporting the truth is of the utmost importance and of great benefit to the social life of the Muslims, as wealth is the nerve-center of life, and spending it for the sake of the truth is a great deed that plays no less important a role in bringing benefit to people than the genius of those who are endowed with the gift of wisdom.

Therefore the true Muslim spends his wealth in the light of his understanding that it will come back to him with rewards and goodness. So you will see him spending it in a way that will guarantee him reward, without being unjust to his heirs or depriving them of it, and without being stingy in his spending in support of the truth. He is moderate in his spending and treads a middle path between these two extremes in accordance with the noble aims of the Shari‘ah, so that the wealth of his heirs will not be dearer to him than spending for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.). Rather, the wealth spent for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) will be dearer to him than the wealth of his heirs, because the former is the wealth that is saved and recorded in the book of his good deeds. This is what the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) referred to when he said:

“Which of you loves the wealth of his heirs more than his own wealth?’ They said, “O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.), none of us loves the wealth of his heirs more than his own.” He said, “His true wealth is that which he has spent [for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.)], and the wealth of his heirs is that which he has left behind.” (Bukhari)

Generosity is one of the best characteristics in Islam and of the Muslim. Hence when a man came to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and asked him “Which type of Islam is the best?” he said, “To feed people, and to say salam to those you know and those you do not know.” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

However, pursuing this ideal of generosity should not make the Muslim go to the extreme of spending all his wealth and leaving nothing at all for his heirs. Everything in Islam is balanced and integrated, and nothing should be done at the expense of something else. Just as spending for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) is obligatory, so taking care of one’s offspring and protecting them from being reduced to the level of begging is also obligatory. When Sa‘d ibn Abi  Waqqsa was severely ill and almost at the point of death, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) visited him and Sa‘d asked him: “O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.), I have much wealth, and I only have two daughters to inherit from me. Should I give two-thirds of my wealth in charity?” The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said “No.” He said, “Should I give half?” He said, “No.” He said, “A third?” He said, “Give a third, but it is still a lot.” Then the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) commented: “If you leave your children rich, it is better than if you leave them poor and begging from people. You will not spend anything (in charity) without being rewarded for it, even if it is the mouthful you raise to your wife’s mouth.” (Bukhari  et al.)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was the embodiment of that genuine, pure generosity. He was never known to withhold from giving or to refuse anyone who came to ask of him. The Saahbi   Jabir (r.a.) tells us of this:

“The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) was never asked for anything and said ‘No.’” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) understood the effect of wealth on people, so he used it as a means of softening hearts and bringing people to Islam. He did not think it excessive to spend large amounts in order to win new converts to Islam, because he knew that a person whose main concern is initially wealth, will become a sincere Muslim once he enters Islam, and this will make him one of the strongest in faith. This is what the great Saahbi  Anas ibn Malik (r.a.) tells us:

“The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was never asked for anything that could advance the cause of Islam, but he gave it. A man came to him and he gave him a large flock of sheep. The man went back to his people and said, ‘O my people, enter Islam, for Muhammad gives like one who does not fear poverty.’ If a man enters Islam solely for some worldly interest, it will not be long before Islam becomes dearer to him than the whole world and everything in it.” (Muslim)

“The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was never asked for anything that could advance the cause of Islam, but he gave it. A man came to him and he gave him a large flock of sheep. The man went back to his people and said, ‘O my people, enter Islam, for Muhammad gives like one who does not fear poverty.’ If a man enters Islam solely for some worldly interest, it will not be long before Islam becomes dearer to him than the whole world and everything in it.” (Muslim)

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to spend whatever wealth came to him; he would distribute it among the people and not keep anything back for himself or his family. It was sufficient for him to give to those who deserved it, and thus open the hardest of hearts and instill the characteristic of generosity in them by setting the highest example. Jubayr ibn Mutt‘im (r.a.) said that while he was walking with the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) on the way back from Hunayn, the Bedouin followed him and asked him to give them something, until they cornered him by a tree. One of them snatched his cloak, so the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) stood up and said: “Give me my cloak, for if I had livestock equal in number to these ‘idah (fair-sized thorny shrubs), I would divide them among you, then you would not find me a miser, liar or coward.” (Bukhari)

Thus the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) set the highest example of that sincere generosity that is free from all self-interest and doubt. He achieved this in real life, so as to set an example for humanity to strive to reach this high level and he proved man’s potential to do so. Thus man increases in generosity every time he draws closer to Allah (S.W.T.). Every time he senses the reward that Allah (S.W.T.) has prepared for those who generously spend for His sake, he will become more generous. Every time he feels closer to Allah (S.W.T.), his awareness of the reward for generosity will deepen, so he will give more freely. This is how the Prophet  (s.a.w.s.) was when Jibril (u) used to meet him in Ramadan. His level of generosity used to increase during the blessed month as a result of his ongoing contact with the Archangel, because Jibril (u) used to meet him on every night of Ramadan, and this further increased the virtue, tolerance and generosity in his noble heart. Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) said:

“The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) was the most generous of people, and he was the most generous in Ramadan when Jibril (A.S.) used to meet him. Jibril (A.S.) used to meet him on every night of Ramadan and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) would recite the Qur’an to him. When Jibril (A.S.) met him, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) would be more generous than the wind.” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

Not surprisingly, we find many in the first generation who came close to this high level of generosity, those who spent all of their wealth for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.), like Abu Bakr (r.a.), or half of it, like ‘Umar (r.a.), or who equipped and supplied an entire army, like ‘Uthman (r.a.), or who gave the most precious things they owned, like Abul-Dahdha, who gave the best garden he possessed in charity for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.). When his wife learnt of what he had done, she said happily, “What a good deal you have got, O Abul-Dahdha!” There were so many of these generous people who preferred the Hereafter to this world, so they gave up their wealth and their own interests for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.).

These people were sincere towards Allah (S.W.T.) and were in constant contact with Him, so they put these teachings into effect and made them into a reality. They were not content merely to repeat them and feel moved by them, as most rich people do nowadays.

Among the rich nowadays are those who possess such millions and billions that if they were just to pay zakah on their wealth, they would be able to totally eradicate poverty from their societies, let alone what could be achieved if they were to spend generously. But they withhold zakah even though they know it is an obligation, one of the pillars of Islam. So you see them, if they give at all, spending a few pennies on ‘Eid and other special occasions, or distributing bread and food in a few Islamic countries to a limited number of poor people. When simple-minded folk see masses of poor people standing at their doors and taking whatever crumbs may be thrown in their direction, they praise them for their generosity; these gullible people do not realize that the total spent by these millionaires does not even amount to the smallest part of what they should be giving, and that the few pennies they throw to the destitute are like sand thrown in their eyes (to blind them to reality). They pretend to obey Allah (S.W.T.) and spend for His sake, but nothing is hidden from the Rabb of the Worlds, the Rabb of both rich and poor. They will not escape His punishment, for they are included among those described in the following ayah:

[... And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the Way of Allah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty — On the Day when heat will be produced out of that [wealth] in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs — ‘This is the [treasure] which you buried for yourselves: taste, then, the [treasures] you buried!’] (Qur’an 9:34-35)

This group which grew rich through un-Islamic economic systems was one of the reasons for the rise of left-wing systems and principles in Muslim countries, because of their greed and exploitation, and their neglect of the guidance of Allah (S.W.T.). If they had known the rights that Allah (S.W.T.) has over their wealth, and had paid it with no holding back, no-one in the Muslim societies would have dared to advocate red communism or socialism, and the class hatred which is exploited by left-wing parties would not have been able to develop. This class hatred is the basis on which socialist governments destroyed the owners of factories and organizations, and took away their millions. Thus they lost the treasure which they had been too stingy to spend during the days of ease and plenty, when they would not even raise a poor worker’s low wage or salary by half a lira, for fear that it might reduce their profits. Indeed, some of them would make a huge fuss about paying such a small increase, while at the same time they would turn a blind eye to the thousands upon thousands spent by some of their sons in night-clubs, where some would close the whole club at his own expense so that he might have the company of the beautiful dancers all to himself.

Oppression of the poor by the rich, and hatred of the rich by the poor, are unknown in a truly Islamic society, because in such a society the rich man is generous, he recognizes the rights of the poor with regard to his wealth, and he does not deny or cheat them of their right. He does not neglect to help, support and treat them fairly. The poor do not regard the rich with hatred because of their having more wealth. The rich man in an Islamic society does not earn his wealth from haram sources; rather he earns it through his own efforts and hard work from halal sources. The principle of equal opportunity which encompasses all the members of the Islamic society allows the poor man to work and strive to become rich if he wishes. The door is open to all, so any determined, active and ambitious person may enter it. So there is no need for hatred, opportunism and vengeance, and there is no room for those hate-filled opportunists and lovers of revenge in a community of love and brotherhood, which is the society of Islam.

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to teach his Saahbah and constantly encourage them to spend (in charity) and to uproot from their hearts the love of hoarding wealth, so that wealth would be distributed among the people and prosperity would spread to all, and so that stored-up wealth would not spell disaster for its owner on the Day of Resurrection. They had the highest example of that in the Prophet (s.a.w.s.).

One day the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) set off for al-Baqi ‘, and Abu Dharr caught up with him. While they were walking together, he said:

“Those who have the most will be those who have the least on the Day of Resurrection, except for those who spend here and there in the right way.” Then they passed by Uhud, and the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: “O Abu Dharr!” He replied, “At you service, O Messenger of Allah, may I be sacrificed for you.” He said, “I would not like for the family of Muhammad to have an amount of gold equal in size to Mount Uhud, and for a dirham or a mithqal of it to be left with them by the time evening came.” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

This explains the attitude of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (r.a.) towards the rich men of Quraysh when they began to take things easy after they had conquered so many lands. They began to trade and invest their wealth, and grew very rich. This alarmed ‘Umar (r.a.), and he was deeply concerned for them, so he said: “Quraysh want to make the wealth of Allah (S.W.T.) circulate only amongst themselves, but as long as the son of al-Khattab is alive they will not do that. I will lie in wait for them in Harrat al-Madinah, and I will grab them by their collars in order to save them from the Fire.”

The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few is abhorred by Islam, because it means that many others in society are deprived of that wealth. From this imbalance come the class system, oppression and exploitation, all of which are haram and have no place in an Islamic society.

This is one point. The second is that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (r.a.) announced that he would wait for them in Harrat al-Madinah so that he could prevent them from monopolizing trade and piling up wealth, and so that he could save them from rushing headlong into the Fire of Hell — not out of revenge or envy of what they had, as is encouraged by the materialistic systems that fill the hearts of the poor with hatred and the desire for revenge on the rich. Social justice is sought in Islam for the good of rich and poor alike, from the outset, before things get out of hand and hearts are filled with hatred. Social justice is also sought because it is in the interests of both rich and poor, in this world and the next. We do not see this strong connection between this world and the Hereafter with regard to economic matters, except in the Islamic economic system.

The true Muslim is generous no matter how poor he is and no matter how small the amount he gives. It is sufficient for him to have compassion in his heart towards those who are even poorer than him and to feel what others are suffering of the pain of deprivation. Hence many Ahadith encourage the poor to spend a little, according to their ability, so that they will continue to feel that they are in solidarity with their brothers. Allah (S.W.T.) promised those who spend, no matter how small their gift or how poor they are, that their charity would bear fruits and increase until it became like a high mountain, on the condition that the money they spent came from a halal source:

“Whoever gives charity equal in value to a date from a good source — for Allah (S.W.T.) does not accept anything but good — Allah (S.W.T.) will accept it in His right hand, and nurture it as any of you would nurture a foal, until it becomes like a mountain.”  (Bukhari  and Muslim)

To prevent people from closing their minds and avoiding contributing to society, and to keep goodness, mercy and compassion flowing in their hearts, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) called on them to give charity, no matter how little. He warned them against being negative and tight-fisted because such attitudes would lead to doom and punishment. He (s.a.w.s.) said:

“Protect yourself from the Fire, even by (giving) just half a date (in charity).” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

Allah (S.W.T.) wants the Muslim to be a good, beneficial, constructive element in his society, always overflowing with goodness towards people, whether he is rich or poor. So the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) encouraged the Muslim to do good, according to his abilities, and described every good deed as sadaqah (charity):

“Every Muslim must give charity.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.), what if he cannot do that?” He said, “Then let him work with his hands and benefit himself and give charity.” They said, “What if he cannot do that?” He said, “Then let him help one who is in desperate need.” He said, “What if he cannot do that?” He said, “Then let him do good, and refrain from doing evil, and that will be an act of charity on his part.” (Bukhari)

Islam extended the circle of goodness to encompass every Muslim. The one who is very poor need not feel that he is denied the opportunity to participate in this social goodness because of his lack of wealth. Every good deed that he does is an act of charity on his part, for which he will be rewarded just as the rich man will be rewarded for what he spends:

“Every good deed is an act of charity.” (Bukhari)

Thus Islam guarantees that all members of a society will participate in building, serving and improving it, and that all of them will feel the satisfaction of this participation which will give them back their pride and honor and will bring about their reward.

Islam is realistic and is kind to the Muslims. It does not expect them to do more than they are able, and it does not ask them to spend anything except their excess wealth. It does not blame those who have only little, and it prefers that they should meet their own needs themselves, because the hand that gives is better than the hand that takes. But whatever is surplus to one’s requirements may be used to compete in generosity, for the true Muslim does not hold back from doing any good deed, for he has learnt from his religion that spending in charity is good, while withholding it is evil:

“O son of Adam, if you spend your surplus wealth it is good for you, and if you withhold it, it is bad for you. There is no blame on you if you hold on to what you need. Begin (your spending in charity) with those for whose support you are responsible. The upper hand is better than the lower (i.e. it is better to give than to receive).” (Muslim)

The true Muslim does not forget to be generous and to give in charity whenever he has anything in excess of his own and his family’s needs, even if it is savings that people keep to guarantee freedom from poverty or to raise themselves up to the level of being wealthy. Indeed, Islam sees charity in such circumstances as being the best kind of charity and the kind that will bring the greatest reward, as in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (r.a.):

“A man came to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what kind of charity is the best?’ He said, ‘The charity you give when you are healthy and tight-fisted, when you fear poverty and are hoping for wealth. Do not delay until you are about to die and say “This is for so-and-so and that is for so-and-so.” It has already become the property of so-and-so.’” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

The true, generous Muslim gives his charity especially to those who deserve help. He seeks out those among the poor and destitute who are too proud to ask people for anything, so that most people think that they are free from want. He goes to them, knocks on their doors, and gives them whatever will meet their needs and preserve their honor. This is because those poor but proud people are the first ones who should be helped. These are the ones to whom the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) referred when he said:

“The poor man is not the one who takes a date or two, or a mouthful or two, then turns away. The poor man is the one who is too proud to ask for anything.” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

According to a report quoted by Bukhari  and Muslim, he (s.a.w.s.) said:

“The poor man is not the one who goes around to people and turns back after receiving a mouthful or two, or a date or two. The poor man is the one who does not have enough to make him free from want, but he is not so noticeable that charity is given to him, nor does he stand up and ask the people for charity.”

The true, generous Muslim gives charity especially to the orphan. He sponsors him to the best of his ability, by spending on him and taking care of his affairs, whether the orphan is related to him or not. He does so hoping to receive the reward that Allah (S.W.T.) has prepared for the one who sponsors an orphan, which is a status so high that people would sacrifices their lives to attain it, and beside which other hopes and ambitions pale into insignificance, for it is nothing less than being in the vicinity of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in Paradise. Sahl ibn Sa‘d (r.a.) said:

“The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) said: ‘I and the one who sponsors an orphan will be like this in Paradise,’ and he held up his index and middle fingers and held them apart.” (Muslim)

The true Muslim strives to help the widow and the poor, following the guidance of his religion, seeking the pleasure of his Rabb, and hoping for the reward promised by Allah (S.W.T.) for this deed. The reward for helping widows and the poor is even greater than that for fasting and standing at night in prayer, or for fighting in jihad for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.), as the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said:

“‘The one who strives to help the widow and the poor is like the one who fights in jihad for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.).’ And I (the narrator) believe he also said, ‘and like the one who stands at night in prayer without rest and fasts continually without breaking his fast.’” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

These are the ways in which the generous Muslim may spend his wealth in hopes of earning the pleasure and reward of Allah (S.W.T.). These are righteous deeds that will bring the servant closer to his Rabb. This does not include the feasts on which rich people spend huge amounts of money for the purpose of fame, glory and some transient benefit. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) condemned such feasts, because they are not done for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.):

“How bad is the food of a feast to which the rich are invited and from which the poor are excluded.” (Bukhari  and Muslim)

Striving to help widows and the poor, and sponsoring and taking care of orphans, not only bring a great reward; these deeds also purify the soul of the giver, enhance his humanity, soften his heart, make him enjoy the sweetness of giving and compassion, and make him happy to do good deeds. So the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to teach hard-hearted people to do good, so that their hearts would be softened and filled with compassion. Abu Hurayrah (r.a.) reported that a man complained of his hard-heartedness to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), so he told him:

 “Pat the head of the orphan, and feed the poor.” [8]

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