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[Muntazir]

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اسلام عليكم

بارك الله فيكم كُلّ

The Warranty that Charity gives you a better life:

It is a proof of belief as the Prophet (PBUH) said "Charity is a proof."

It is cause of healing as Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said "Heal your sick with charity".

It shades you on Judgment day: "Each person is in the shade of his charity till people are judged", said the Prophet (PBUH)

It cools ALLAH's anger: Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said: "Giving in secret cools ALLAH's anger"

It proves the love of Allah towards you as (PBUH) said "The most loved actions to Allah are: "Happiness you give to a Muslim, or sadness you take way, or debt you help him with, or hunger you put away. Supporting my brother in one of his needs is better for me than staying in this mosque for a month . "

It opens the doors of Mercy: The Prophet (PBUH) said "Allah will have mercy on those who are merciful, have mercy on those on earth and you will get mercy from Him who is in heaven".

It gives Thawab even after death: "When a human dies, all his doing is over except three: Continuous Charity, Usable science or righteous son praying for him", said the prophet (PBUH).

It protects you as the Prophet (PBUH) said "Good doings protect from bad destinies".

If you convince someone to give charity, you will get the same Thawab (good deed) he is getting without affecting his, this is because you will be the reason of him doing good.

This means you may die and still someone will be there to pay charity on your behalf (Continuous Charity - Sadaqa Jariya).

A single act of generosity is like a pebble thrown into a pond that creates widening ripples (wave) of goodness for ourselves and others.

[jawad]

Thanks Br. Muntazir.

Does giving a few hundred or thousand shilingis to the ladies outside the mosque who send thier kids to beg considered charity?

My view is that if i give that kid, that will be the kids life forever... i.e. begger forever..
Instead I would say charity should be helping the poor people establish earning a livelihood for themselves.

[Muntazir]

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w) has said: "Give Charity so much so that people think you're wasting money".

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahim

يَسْئَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَ الْمَيْسِرِ قُلْ فِيهِما إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَ مَنافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَ إِثْمُهُما أَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَفْعِهِما وَ يَسْئَلُونَكَ ما ذا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ كَذلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الآْياتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah make clear to you the communications, that you may ponder (2: 219)

As Salaamu ‘aleykum

Our Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w) and the infallibles have been highly concerned about giving charity, helping the needy and taking care of them. They would never deny a needy – they would rather starve than let others sleep empty stomach. They fasted, sacrificed all their wealth for other and never complained! Most of all, they never died of hunger – they died when Allah (s.w.a) decided to take them away from this cruel Dunya.

People can live a good life by consuming a small amount of food; however, people have got themselves so used to by consuming a large amount of food that it becomes impossible to understand the life of our Holy Prophets. Not only that, but they become lazy, suffer with difficulties in life, suffer from various diseases, obesity, breathing problems, heart attacks, blood pressure and most importantly – they loose their Imaan (True Faith which we cannot see flying away by consuming different kinds of food which could be affecting our Nafs (Soul)).

Giving charity…? I can’t describe what a wonderful feeling there is when someone has feelings for these needy people who don’t get good food (as if they get it on the first place), problems in life, no cure to their diseases, financially helpless, ignored, hated, insulted and killed! I don’t think they deserve all this, do they? Every of these people are good souls! It doesn’t matter what they do, how they spend their money or what sort of behavior they have when they approach you for asking to help? It doesn’t concern us! The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w) and the infallibles never asked anyone what their occupation or profession is before giving them a piece of bread – did they? We get irritated by their un-cleanliness, behavior and their asking for money in a daily routine, I say, what do we think of our selves? Are we clean enough to look at their un-cleanliness? Who has provided us with so much comfort and luxury? It is the same HE (s.w.a) who has made them this way, we are nothing… absolutely nothing! We should look at them from the inside, not from their personality. They are deprived of this luxurious life that we have today, so why can’t we have a little of what I call “Humanity”, and feel for these people who are not even a single “INCH” away from what we are and how we are created. It is the only difference of having a few paper notes, gold & silver stones and a smile on the face. Why can’t we share a little of what we have with these people who are in need of our help? Why is it so difficult?

Money comes for a while and it goes away – it comes again and again it goes away.

Try, just try going to any poor on the streets and ask about his/her problems… you will then come to know what pathetic life they have and how desperate they are. And even though, they would still not complain and appreciate with how they are.

Life…? It isn’t a joke. We don’t see what others can. We become too selfish and greedy for things that don’t bring any importance to us.

“Only a few will get through Jannah” – is something to ponder upon, deep into its meaning! It shall reveal all the answers for the questioners… and it shall solve a lot of problems.

We need to keep serving; we need to put more effort for the betterment of our brothers and sisters out there who need our help.

Every time you eat Chicken & Chips, think about the hungry ones. Don’t stop eating but just give some sadka out. If some young African boy walks to you, don’t just pretend to look away. He is hungry, hasn’t slept enough, has worked the whole day washing people’s cars and suffered the sun heat. Give him at least a 1000shs for the sake of Allah (s.w.a) or 500shs. If someone tries to be rude to him, insults him or beats him then try to defend him and protect him from such suffering, as for he doesn’t deserve anymore suffering after the long day. Try to be kind and polite. Try to understand him (just like your own brother or son).

Give charity, help the needy ones every time you leave from home, smile at them and treat them well, and you will then see how beautiful life is.

وَ لا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ بِما آتاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ هُوَ خَيْراً لَهُمْ بَلْ هُوَ شَرٌّ لَهُمْ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ ما بَخِلُوا بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ وَ لِلَّهِ مِيراثُ السَّماواتِ وَ الأَْرْضِ وَ اللَّهُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ

And let not those deem, who are niggardly in giving away that which Allah has granted them out of His grace, that it is good for them; nay, it is worse for them; they shall have that whereof they were niggardly made to cleave to their necks on the resurrection day; and Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is aware of what you do. (003: 180)

يَسْئَلُونَكَ ما ذا يُنْفِقُونَ قُلْ ما أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوالِدَيْنِ وَ الأَْقْرَبِينَ وَ الْيَتامى وَ الْمَساكِينِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَ ما تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

They ask you as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever wealth you spend, it is for the parents and the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and whatever good you do, Allah surely knows it. (2: 215)

Please read the translation of Surah Al Fajr 089. Very beautiful!

[Fatimah Zahra Karim]

There's a hadith (I think from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq) saying "if the beggar knew what was in begging, he would not beg. And if the one who is asked for charity knew what was in giving, he would not refuse." It is also narrated that no beggar ever returned empty-handed from the Prophet or the Imams. Even though I think it is better to spend your money in educating/feeding the poor, I guess even giving to those people outside the mosque counts as charity.