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GENERAL INJUNCTIONS ABOUT " INFAQ FI SABILILLAH "
(SPENDING IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH)
Brethren-in-Islam !
Allah has formulated a rule of His Shari'ah that firstly a
general directive is given in regard to good and bad deeds so that people may in general
take up the path of piety. Then a special form of piety is laid down in order that it is
specially adhered to.
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As an example you may note that remembering Allah is an act of piety,
in fact the greatest piety, and the fountainhead of all good deeds. For this there is a
general injunction that remember Allah every moment and in every condition and never be
heedless of Him.
"Remember Allah, standing, sitting and reclining."
(Al-Qur'an 4:103)
"And remember Allah more, that you may be successful."
"Undoubtedly in the creation of heavens and the earth and in the
alternate appearance of night and day are numerous tokens (of His sovereignty) for those
who are men of understanding and considering Allah, standing, sitting and reclining, and
considering the creation of the heavens and the earth, instinctively say : Our Lord Thou
created not this in vain."
(Al-Qur'an 3:190-191)
" And obey not him whose heart We made heedless of Our
remembrance, who follows his own lust and whose all works have gone beyond limit."
(Al-Qur'an 18:29)
There are many other verses besides these in which it has been enjoined
to keep up remembering Allah always and in every condition because it is the very
remembrance of Allah which keeps the affairs of man in proper shape and sustains him on
the right path. Whenever he becomes heedless of His remembrance, corporeal urges and
instigations of evil forces overpower him. Its inevitable consequence is that straying
from the right path he will go beyond limits in the affairs of his life.
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It should be noted that the above is a general injunction. Now a
special form has been enunciated for remembrance of Allah. There is Salah, and here too in
the five-time daily offering of it a few Rak'ats have been made obligatory which do not
take more than five to ten minutes. Thus making Allah's remembrance obligatory for a few
minutes at one time and for a few minutes at another time does not mean that you should
remember Allah only at these fixed periods and forget Him for the rest of the time. On the
other hand it means that at least for this much period you ought to be exclusively engaged
in the remembrance of Allah. After that, while you keep yourself busy in your work, in the
midst of it you should continue remembering Allah.
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Similar is the case of Zakat. Here also there is a general injunction
and then a special one. On one side it is enjoined : " Refrain from miserliness and
narrow-mindedness as it is the root of evils and mother of vices. Develop in your manners
the colour of Allah Who is all the time bountifully showering His beneficence on His
innumerable and limitless creations although no one has any right and claim over Him.
Spend whatever you can in the way of Allah. Save as much as you can from your requirements
and from the savings fulfil the wants of other needy slaves of Allah. Never flinch from
sacrificing life and money to sublimate the Word of Allah and to render service to
religion. If you love Allah, then sacrifice your love of wealth for the love of
Him."------And this pertains to the general injunction.
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On the other side, there is the special injunction that if you possess
so much amount of money then it is incumbent on you to spend at least this much part of it
in the cause of Allah, and when so much is the produce of your land, then at least this
much portion of it must be offered to God by you. Then just as the fact of a few Rak'ats
or Salah having been made obligatory does not mean that God should be remembered only
while offering these Rak'ats and be forgotten for the rest of the time, in the same way
the fact of a small quantity of money having been fixed to be spent in the cause of Allah
also does not mean that only those who possess so much of money should spend in the way of
Allah while those who have less money than this should close tightly their hands. Nor does
it mean that the rich people should spend in the way of Allah while those who have less
money than this should close tightly their hands. Nor does it mean that the rich people
should spend in the way of Allah that much Zakat only, which has been made obligatory and
after that drive away a needy fellow if he approaches them, or if an occasion arises to
render service to religion you should say : " We have already given Zakat. Now don't
expect a pie from us." This is certainly not what is meant from making Zakat
obligatory. On the other hand, it actually means that at least this much money has to be
given in any case in the way of Allah by every well-to-do person and that beyond it
whatever is possible for any man should be spent by him in His cause.
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Presently I shall first briefly explain to you the general injunction,
and shall then take up the special injunction in my next discourse.
It is a characteristic feature of the Holy Qur'an that when it gives an
injunction it also states the wisdom and exigency behind it so that, along with the
injunction, those concerned may also know why the real significance of it as well as its
benefit. As you open the Qur'an the first verse you come across is this :
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" This Qur'an is the Book of Allah whereof there is no doubt. It
shows the right path of life to those pious people who believe in the unseen, establish
Salah and spend of that we have bestowed upon them. "
(Al-Qur'an 2:2-3)
In this verse the basic principle has been set out that in order to
pursue the right path in the life of this world three essential conditions are necessary :
First, Faith in the unseen.
Second, Establishing Salah.
Third, Spending of that in the way of Allah which He has given you.
At another place of Allah says :
" You cannot at all attain unto piety until you spend in the way
of Allah of that which you love."
(Al-Qur'an 3:92)
Again He says :
" The devil intimidates you that by spending you will become a
pauper. He enjoins on you a shameless thing like miserliness."
(Al-Qur'an 2:268)
After this He says :
" Spend your wealth for the cause of Allah and be not cast by your
own hands to ruin " ( because not spending in the way of Allah means ruin and
destruction)."
(Al-Qur'an 2 : 195)
In the end He says :
" And whoso is saved from his own avarice---such are
successful."
(Al-Qur'an 59:9)
1.Faith in the unseen Realities which include belief in Allah, in the
Hereafter, Wahy (revelation) and such other things.
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It is clear from the above verses that there are two ways for man to
lead his life in the world. One is the way of God wherein there is piety, goodness,
well-being and success. Here the norm is that man's heart should be liberal, he should
fulfil his own needs from whatever, little or much, God has given him, and also help his
brethren from it while spending a portion of it for sublimating the Word of Allah. The
other is the way of the devil which is apparently full of benefits but is in reality leads
to ruin and perdition. Here the principle is that man should try to amass wealth, should
shed his life even for a pie and should keep the money tightly in his possession so that
it is not spent at all, and even if it is spent, it must be used for his personal benefits
satisfying his corporeal urges.
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Now see what modes have been prescribed for Muslims of spending in the
way of Allah. I describe all these in serration :
The first and the foremost thing is that the sole aim of spending
should be to earn the pleasure of God. It should never be the purpose to make anybody feel
obliged to you, or to make you famous in the world.
" Whatever you spend, its objective is no other than earning
Allah's countenance."
(Al-Qur'an 2:272)
" O ye who believe ! Render not vain your
alms-giving by asserting your favour and causing injury like him who spends his wealth
only to be seen of men and believes not in Allah and the Last Day. The example of his
spending is that of a rock whereon is dust of earth; a rainstorm smites it, leaving it
smooth and bare."
(Al-Qur'an 2:264)
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The second thing is that no obligation should be asserted after giving
any money to a needy person or after feeding or clothing him, and he should not be treated
in a manner as to injure his feelings. " Those who spend their wealth for the cause
of Allah and afterward make not reproach and injury to follow that which they have spent,
their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall
they grieve. As for such alms-giving is followed by injury, it is much better than it to
evade the beggar mildly and say " Brother for-give me." (Al-Qur'an
2:262-263)
The third rule is that articles in good condition should be given in
the way of Allah. Bad ones should not be sorted out for this purpose. Those who look for
torn and old clothes to give to a poor man, or set apart the worst possible food to dole
out to a beggar, should expect the same kind of reward from God. " O ye who believe !
Spend of the good things which you have earned, and of that which We bring forth from the
earth for you, and seek not the bad to spend thereof." (Al-Qur'an
2 :267)
The fourth rule is that spending should be done secretly as far as
possible so that it does not get alloyed hypocrisy and with ostentation. Although there is
no harm in spending openly, yet it is far better to give in a concealed manner. "
If
you do your alms-giving openly, it is also well, but if you hide it and give it to the
poor, it will be better for you, and will atone for some of your ill deeds."
(Al-Qur'an 2:271)
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The fifth rule is that dull-headed and naive persons should not be
given money in excess of their actual need lest they should go astray and fall into bad
habits. Whatever is given to them should be according to their position. Allah wants that
food and clothing should be received even by the worst possible man as well as the
greatest evil-doer, but no money should be given to loafers for drinking wine, using other
intoxicants and for gambling. " Do not hand over to the foolish your wealth which
Allah has made a means of maintaining yourself, but give them out of it for feeding and
clothing them." (Al-Qur'an 4: 5)
The sixth rule is that if some interestless loan is given to a poor man
to meet his need, he should not be harassed to return the money. On the other hand, he
should be allowed time to pay it back conveniently. And if it is really known that he is
unable to return the loan and if you have money enough to forego it, then it would be much
better to write off the loan. " And if the debtor is in straitened circumstances,
then (left there be) postponement to (the time of) ease; and that you remit the debt as
alms-giving would be better for you if you did but know its benefit."
(Al-Qur'an 2 : 180)
The seventh rule is that man should not exceed the limit in
alms-giving. Allah does not want that you should underfeed your wife and children and give
away in charity all you have. In fact, He wants you to spend on yourself and your family
as much as a man needs to lead a simple life, and give away the remaining part in the
cause of Allah.
"They ask you what they ought to spend? Say O Prophet ! that which is
surplus."
(Al-Qur'an 2:219)
" The faithful servants of Allah are those who, when they spend,
are neither prodigal nor grudging, and theirs is ever a firm station in the middle of the
two extremes."
(Al-Qur'an 25:67)
"Let not the hand be chained to thy neck nor open it with a complete
opening, lest thou sit down rebuked, denuded."
(Al-Qur'an 17 : 29 )
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Finally, you must know that Allah has given a full list of those to
whom help is due. You can find out from it which people deserve your help and to whom
Allah has given a share in your earnings:
" Give the kinsman his due, and the needy, and
wayfarer."
(Al-Qur'an 17:26)
" And righteous is he who gives his wealth, for love of Him, to
poor kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to
set slave free."
(Al-Qur'an 2:177)
" Treat with kind help your parents, and near kindred and
orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour who is of kin to you and the neighbour who is
not of kin, and those who are around you and the wayfarer and your slaves."
(Al-Qur'an 4:36)
"And the righteous feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the
prisoner, for love of Him (saying): We feed you for the sake of Allah only. We wish for no
reward nor thanks from you Lo! We fear from our Lord that day due to the severity
of which faces will contract and visages will be contorted (i.e., Doomsday)."
(Al-Qur'an 76:8,10)
"And in their wealth have due share those who ask for help and those who
are deprived."
(Al-Qur'an 51:19)
"Alms are for those needy people who having given all their time
to the cause of Allah are so pressed that they cannot run about for their livelihood. The
unthinking man accounts them wealthy because of their restraint but you can judge their
plight from their faces. They do not beg of men with importunity. And whatever good thing
you give in charity, Allah will know it and reward you for it."
(Al-Qur'an 2:273)
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