Charity in the Month of Ramadan
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Alhamdulillah, we are passing through the blessed month of Ramadan. Besides being the month of fasting, piety, patience, forgiveness, and thankfulness to Allah (SWT), it is also the month of spending in charitable causes to attain the pleasure of Allah (SWT). The topic of tonight’s reflection is: “Charity in the Month of Ramadan.” It is well known that our beloved prophet Muhammad (S) was charitable throughout his life, but one finds him still more charitable during the month of Ramadan. The rewards of acts of charity during Ramadan are multiplied many times over.
Man by his very nature loves wealth and other material possessions intensely. The Qur’an tells us:
وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
“And you love wealth with a passion” (al-fajr, 89:20).
Despite the inherent attachment with material things, the attitude of Muslims toward wealth is not the same as other people. This is because Muslims have the true divine guidance with them while others do not.
People generally do not understand the Islamic concept of wealth, which boils down to the fact that man owns nothing. The real owner of everything is Allah (SWT). Whatever we have is only a sacred trust—an amanah from Him. Muslims understand that what they possess is not their earnings, but the favor, blessing and bounty—the fadl of Allah (SWT). Believers are told to spend from whatever Allah (SWT) has given them. Describing the pious people – the muttaqeen, Allah says,
الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ
“(They are) those who believe in the unseen, and are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided them with” (Al-Baqarah, 2:3)
While people tend to think that being the owners of their wealth, they can dispose it off the way they like, Muslims understand that their wealth has been provided by Allah (SWT) only to satisfy and fulfill their needs. Any surplus has to be spent in the way of Allah (SWT).
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ
“They ask you what they should give: say, ‘Give what you can spare.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:219)
The attributes of piety, of real virtue, and of spending in the way of Allah (SWT) are all linked with each other. Spending in the path of Allah (SWT) is such a meritorious act that Allah (SWT) calls it a trade that will never decline. Allah says:
“Those who recite Allah’s Book, keep up the prayer, give secretly and openly from what We have provided for them, may hope for a trade that will never decline” (Fatir, 35:29).
To encourage others to give, one may spend openly also, as long as this is done with the sincerest of intentions, and without a trace of showing off, which is called Ar-Riya in Arabic. It is so dangerous that the Prophet (SAW) called it the minor shirk. Allah (SWT) acknowledges our giving and compensates by giving back many times over for He says:
إِن تُقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَاعِفْهُ لَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ شَكُورٌ حَلِيمٌ
“If you make a good loan to Allah, He will multiply it for you and forgive you. Allah is all-appreciative and forbearing.” (Al-Taghabun, 64:17)
In another place we are reminded,
“Whatever charity you give benefits your own soul, provided you do it for the sake of Allah. Whatever you give will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:272).
Allah (SWT) gives an example of those who spend in His way. The ayah 261 of Surat al-Baqarah tells us:
“Those who spend their wealth in Allah’s cause are like grains of corn that produce seven ears, each bearing a hundred grains. Allah gives multiple increase to whoever He wishes: He is limitless and all knowing.” (al-Baqarah, 2:261)
However illogical it may sound, giving in charity does not decrease one’s wealth. On the contrary, it increases it, and becomes a source of inner peace and contentment. The companions of the Prophet (SAW) used to be afraid that the day they stopped giving, Allah would stop providing for them. According to a hadith, “Charity does not decrease wealth. No one forgives except that Allah increases his honor, and no one humbles himself for Allah except that Allah raises his status.”
Man takes nothing with him in his grave. We learn from a hadith which says, “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: (1) ongoing charity(Sadaqah Jariyah), (2) beneficial knowledge that he leaves behind, and (3) a virtuous descendant who prays for him.” Such admonitions remind us that we should hasten in doing good deeds before our time is up and our book of deeds gets closed for ever. We should not be among those who will cry to Allah to give them more time to spend in His way and to be one of the righteous.
The blessed month of Ramadan provides us a chance of multiplied rewards. Indeed, the month of Ramadan is the month of charity—the month of giving and receiving. Righteous believers are steadfast in seeking the favor of their Lord. They pray regularly and spend secretly and openly out of what they have been provided with. They ward off evil with good. While they do all this on a regular basis, they do so more consciously during the month of Ramadan. And in return, they are promised the eternal abode of paradise. Ayah 22 of Surat al-Ra’d says:
“And those who exercise patience to gain the pleasure of Allah, who are steadfast in prayer, who spend for the cause of Allah privately and in public, and who keep away evil with good will have the eternal abode” (al-Ra’d, 13:22).
May Allah (SWT) make us among those who are able to give generously for every good cause. May Allah (SWT) make us of the dwellers of paradise. Allahumma Ameen.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
وَصَلَّ اللهُ عَلَى خيرِ خَلقِهِ مُحمَّدٍ وعَلَى آلِه وأصْحَابِه أجْمَعِين- بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا أرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِين
