12: Generosity - The Spirit of Goodness
"Every good deed is charity"
(Prophet Muhammad)
Dimensions of Generosity
"There is charity due on every part of the body every day."
The Prophet (pbuh) went on to say:
" to bring justice between people is charity, to help a person with transport and helping with baggage is charity,
a good/kind word is charity, every step towards prayer is charity, removing harmful things from the way is charity and
giving water to the thirsty is charity. A person's true wealth lies in the good they accrue for the Hereafter through
good deeds in this world. When a person dies people say 'what has he left behind?' while angels say 'what has he sent forth?'. "
Caring for Others
The Prophet said: "Surely, Allah created creation to be of benefit to humanity."
Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali in his Musaddas wrote: "it is for the love and care of one another that Allah has made you."
The educator Horace Mann said: "To pity distress is but human, to relieve it is God-like."
The Prophet also said that: "Allah is at the assistance of a person as long as that person is of help to another."
Charity begins at home
The Prophet strongly encouraged that generosity should be manifest in the home first by saying that: "being generous
at home has double value, generosity as well as maintaining good relationship."
In fact, he said that: "that the worst of people are those who are miserly towards their household."
Charity begins at home but should not stay there.
Every little bit Counts
The Prophet said that "the best of deeds are those that are done consistently, though little by little",
and as Samuel Johnson said, "He who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything."
Remember, just because we can't do everything should not prevent us from doing something; and though
we can't help everyone, we can help someone.
Scottish thinker, Malcom Bane advised: "If you wait until you can do everything for everybody instead of something
for somebody, you'll end up not doing anything for anybody."
Mother Theresa said: "It is not how much we give but how much love we put in giving."
Stinginess
As for those who are stingy due to fear that generosity will deplete their wealth, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
A person says, "this is my wealth, my things" but all that he really has is 3
What he consumes and digests, what he wears and wears out,
or what he gives in charity and it continues to benefit
The rest you leave behind when you depart from this world.
Martin Luther King Jr said: "Every person must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative
altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness"
The Prophet thus warned: "The deceiver, the miser and the one who keeps reminding others of his generosity will not
enter Paradise."
Inherent generosity
The Qur'an rebukes those who gave charity in order to demean, belittle or insult people. Allah says:
"Allah prefers kind words rather than generosity followed by humiliation" (Quran 2:262-263).
In reality, "reminding people of your generosity cancels the nobility of the charitable deed" (Qur'an 2:264 ).
The poetess Elizabeth Bibesco stated, "Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting."
Psychologist Nathaniel Branden said, "The higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others
with respect, kindness and generosity,"
Prophet Muhammad pbuh said: "When you give of yourself then you truly are a Believer".
The great writer Khalil Gibran echoed the same sentiments when he said: "You give but little when you give of your
possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."
Giving at the right time
Allah exhorts us to be generous, especially "at the time of need" (Quran 90:14).
Jean De La Bruyere said: "Generosity lies less in giving much and more in giving at the right moment."
It is also significant to give what is appropriate as British Commonwealth secretary, Douglas Hurd said: "It is not
helpful putting coins in the pocket of one who has holes in his pocket."
Characteristic of a true Believer
When asked what are the characteristics of a Believer, Imam Zainul 'Abideen said; "Righteousness in privacy,
generosity even when needy, patience during misfortunes, sense of control when angry and truthfulness even when fearful."
Buddha advised: "Teach this triple truth to all; a generous heart, kind speech and a life of service and compassion are
the things that renew (the spirit of) humanity."
Prophet Muhammad said that most people will not enter Paradise merely due to prayer, fasting or charity, but rather
due to mercy of Allah, generosity of spirit and purity of heart.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prayed:
O Allah! I seek Thy protection against worry, sorrow, helplessness, laziness, cowardice, stinginess, burden of debt and the oppression of people.