Generosity in Islam

There is no doubt that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was a generous person, not only materially but ethically and spiritually. One of the characteristics of the Prophet (SAW) was that he (SAW) was someone that others knew that they could turn to.

In a hadith narrated by Aisha (RA), during a time of hunger, a lady knocked on the door of the Prophet (SAW) when he wasn’t home and Aisha (RA) opened the door to see a lady with her two young daughters and asked if they had anything to eat. The Prophet’s (SAW) household didn’t light a fire for cooking for weeks, and only three dates remained for food. 

Aisha (RA) gave the lady these three dates who then fed one each to her daughters, who ate them quickly and looked to their mother for the last date. The lady divided the date in half and gave them to her daughters resulting in the lady continuing to go hungry. This act of self-sacrifice moved Aisha (RA) and so, she reported this to the Prophet (SAW) when he (SAW) arrived home. Our Nabi (SAW) replied that Jannah is written for her.

Where did Aisha (RA) receive the training and confidence to give the last of her and her husband’s provisions without seeking his permission? The generosity of the Holy Prophet (SAW) made a person feel to keep giving knowing that Allah (SWT) will give in return.

In another hadith, the Prophet (SAW) was gifted a slaughtered goat and thus, he (SAW) asked Aisha (RA) to cut the meat into pieces to give away to the believers and the needy. Standing outside of his (SAW) home, the Prophet would give the meat in charity and kept asking Aisha (RA) how much meat is left, and finally, she (RA) replied that all the meat is gone except for a small shoulder piece. Our Nabi (SAW) responded to Aisha (RA), “Aisha (RA), you misunderstand. All of this goat remains with us except for the shoulder we will consume.”

The Prophet’s generous personality stems from trust and reliance upon Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) tells us in the Holy Quran that one who comes with one good deed is rewarded ten times by Him (SWT). The reward is not just a spiritual one but a return on investment. The rupee we give, Allah (SWT) matches it by a minimum of ten and a maximum of up to seven hundred.

Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (SAW) are teaching us to live a life of generosity and in return, we will experience a flood of Allah’s (SWT) mercy falling upon us. Spend in the path of Allah (SWT) and He (SW) will spend on us.   The Prophet (SAW) encouraged the Sahabah to give and at times, the Sahabah gave more than they understood they were giving.

One of the Sahabah, Abu Talha (RA) after hearing the ayat from the Quran when Allah (SWT) tells us, “You will not attain unto piety until you spend of that which Ye love.” (Surah Al-Imran: 92), approached the Prophet (SAW) to give his (RA) favorite garden Bir Ha to be spent in the path of Allah (SWT) as the Prophet (SAW) saw fit.

Our Nabi (SAW) was very happy and replied, “What a fine present (to Allah)! I think it would be best utilized if you distribute it among your own heirs.” Abu Talha (RA) went and acted upon the Prophet’s (SAW) advice.

This advice of the Prophet (SAW) illustrates that our generosity is not only for strangers and the needy but our own family too. The Prophet said, “Never does a person place a morsel of food in his wife’s mouth intending reward from Allah (SWT) except that it is counted as a charity.” Generosity begins with the people you live with and around you. 

Sometimes we hold back from giving as we believe that this will result in better prosperity but the opposite is true, it is by giving that we achieve the greatest prosperity in life.  Be it Muslims or non-Muslims, those with a generous spirit have the utmost contentment and quality of life even if they do not accumulate huge material excess. 

The Prophet stated, “Perhaps something small in amount that is blessed is better for you than something excessive but makes you negligent in your obligations to Allah (SWT).” He (SAW) also stated that “Perhaps poverty is your medicine.” If we were wealthy, we would forget our place with Allah (SWT) and stop relying upon Him (SWT).  On the contrary, maybe Allah (SWT) made some of us rich and wealthy because if we were poor, we might lose hope in Allah (SWT) and struggle to maintain faith.

The wives of the Prophet (SAW) one time asked him (SAW) which one of them would join him (SAW) first in Jannat after his (SAW) death. Our Nabi (SAW) replied that the one with the longest reach or longest arm and all the Wives of the Prophet (SAW) started to measure their arms. 

The first wife to pass away was Zaynab (RA) who physically didn’t have the longest arm. A few days after her death, the people of Madina began to grow hungry because it was Zaynab (RA) who fed the poor out of her wealth and so when hunger spread, the people realized her reach to the poor was great. Let us pray to the almighty Allah (SWT) to make us of the giving hand with a long reach and not the hand that withholds.