Pink Fire Pointer 7. INFAQ (CHARITY, SADAQAT, ZAKAT ETC) | History Of Alquran

Monday, December 16, 2013

7. INFAQ (CHARITY, SADAQAT, ZAKAT ETC)

Many Muslims thought that by performing their daily 5 times "wajib" prayers, fasting in the month of "ramadhan" and pay zakat (alms giving), they have done what is required of them in Islam. But when one really read and understand the al-Quran, you will notice that Allah mentioned in many surahs of the Al-Quran about INFAQ (charity to the course of Islam) and there are also ayats that Allah says when you make infaq, you're giving a goodly loan to Allah. 

Let's read this ayat..

Al-Hadid (57:18)






In the above ayat, Allah promised that he will increase all good deeds (those who give goodly loan to Allah) in manifold. Most scholars are of the opinion that your good deeds will be rewarded either in your earthly life or in the hereafter, or both. Only Allah is Most Knowing.

Al-Muzzammil (73:20)






Al Baqarah (2:245)




This is a promise from Allah, can you say, Allah will not keep his promise ? Remember the writer mentioned in his writing under Article 5 when Allah give wealth to a person, he is actually testing him (or her).  Allah gives him wealth but when he forgets that the wealth is from Allah, he becomes stingy, do not give charity or sadaqat (sedaqah) or when he gives charity, he is giving without sincerity but for show (he wants the world to know that he is a charitable person..!.). What he may not know is that he is probably under wrath from Allah and is receiving " Istidraj " from Allah.


What is Istidraj ? It is a gift from Allah to mankind in the form of wealth (rich, successful, influential, leader of a nation or in simple word, a very successful person) but what he did not know is that the gift was because Allah is NOT PLEASED with him....!

Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. (PBUH) said "When you see that Allah Almighty gives blessing to His servants who always makes sin (perfidious), he is under wrath (istidraj) from Allah" (Narrated by At-Tabrani, Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi)

Actually people who makes sin and do evil deeds are often confused in their minds. They felt that Allah gave them the "nikmat" (grace) because Allah's love for them. Still there are those who doubt, if one is to get happiness in this world and hereafter, one must follow the footsteps of the Prophet (PBUH) and hold fast to the religion of Islam. Today, we are living in modern world, money and wealth to most, are everything. Most are willing to do anything for money. Most study secular education to achieve high position and recognition in the society. To them, giving away to charity is like reducing ones wealth. They work hard and get what they have now and why should they share with others? 

My advise, if you have this feelings, correct yourselves now...! You may be receiving "Istidraj" from Allah...!

Al-Hadiid (57:24)










Stingy person (do not like to give infaq) who influence others to be stingy, will suffer when others, due to his influence over them, also become stingy.

Allah also reminded us in this ayat..

Al-Baqarah (2:268)



Those who feel by giving charity is reducing his wealth is actually listening to the whisper of Satan. Satan threatens them with poverty and orders them to immorality. They actually sell Allah's promised of forgiveness and bounty for worldly things.

How you describe the above situation based on Ayat Al-Hadiid (57:24) above? A simple example, when you see a beggar coming to you asking for money and you still have in you the feelings of pity and you intend to give some money......but a person (your friend) next to you says, why should you give the beggar money, he should be working not begging....Why should you help a lazy person..! When you are influence by your friend and that stops you from giving, you fall under what Allah's says under the ayat 24 of surah Al Hadiid.

More ayat on goodly loan...

At-Taqhabun (64:17)



Al-Munafiqoon (63:10)



When we are about to die, Allah will show and replay all the bad doings that we have done and it will be that time when you will say,"If only Allah would give me time to return to the worldly life, I will give sadaqah, charity, zakat (Infaq)  and be among the righteous person" but by then, it's already to late....Wallahu alam.

Another promise from Allah..!

Al-Baqarah (2:261)




Allah promised that when a person spends his wealth in the way of Allah, Allah will multiplying the person's wealth (or will reward him), just like a seed that will grow seven stalks and on each stalk there will be 100 grains (this mean 1 x 7 x 100 = 700 times).

Only those who believes in Allah and His Messenger are willing to spend their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Allah says this in this ayat.

Al-Hujuraat (49:15)















Let's look at what are happing now..? Amusement, wealth and the like, is what most people are after. Mentioned by Writer's in his earlier Topic, instead of learning the Al Quran, people will go through existing secular education system (blame the parents), starting from primary to PhDs with strong hopes to gain high position in the working sectors. According to most, learning al Quran (including implementing Allah's law) will not guarantee one's worldly need i.e job security, whereas there are many ayats in the al Quran that mentioned that Allah will provide "rezeki" (sustenance) to whom he pleases and especially to those who believes in Allah laws. Not many people notice that in Malaysia for example, there's a growing demand for Quranic teachers, especially those who know Al-Quran Arabic.  If those al-Hafiz (those who can recite the Al Quran by hearth) and understand Quranic Arabic are brave enough to open classes, the Writer strongly believes that are people who are keen to attend these classes. 

The Writer asked few Arab friends who speaks Arabic about whether an Arab speaking person can understand the Al Quran without learning it...? All of them said, they would only know about 10-20% of the Al Quran Arabic if they do not learn the Al Quran. The Writer is not sure whether this is true but when comparing some of the words involving similar items or situations, most of the words are different..!

Al-Hadiid (57:20)
























Allah reminds that one's life is just like a plant, it will eventually dry, turn yellow and become debris. If one spends too much time on earthly matters and ignore Allah's law and what is required is to be a person of "taqwa", severe punishment is waiting in the Hereafter.

Al-Imran (4:10)
























Al-Imran (4:114)




















Yusuf Estes on Charity


Sadaqah


Beauty of Charity in Islam

After reading all the ayats above and watching the videos, are they real examples of sadaqat...? The Writer will not dwell in this matter so much but perhaps, a a guide, let's find out how the companions (sahabat)  during Prophet Muhammad S.A.W (PBUH) period do, when it comes to charity.....

1. Abu Bakar (RA)

One of the companions of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. (PBUH) who is known for his generosity was Abu Bakar (RA). It was narrated that Abu Bakar (RA) and Umar (RA) always compete in good deeds (giving charity or sedaqah). The Prophet came to the people and asked for charity on a number of occasions. On one occasion, Umar (RA) had recently acquired large sum of money, and he quickly give half of his money in charity to out-do Abu Bakar (RA). He later found out that Abu Bakar had donated all of his money to charity. When Umar asked Abu Bakar what he had left for his family, he said " I have left them Allah and His Messenger". The strength of his belief make Umar acknowledged he cannot keep up with Abu Bakar on good deeds (narrated by at-Tirmithi and Abu Dawud and is authetic according to al-Hakim and ath-Thahabi)

2) Abu Talhaa al-Ansari

When verse Al-Imran (3:92) was revealed, "By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (peity, righteousness etc, it means here Allah's reward that is Paradise) unless you spend  (in Allah's cause) of that which you love; and whatever of good you spend, Allah know it well". Abu Talhaa went to the Prophet (PBUH) and told him " O Messenger of Allah! The most beloved of my wealth is Bayruha i.e. a garden full of fruit-bearing trees. He gives it as a sadaqah for Allah. Take it O Messenger of Allah, until Allah shows you (what to do with it". The Prophet (PBUH) said, " Excellent ! That is profit. Keep it under your charge and give away the fruit". (This story is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)


3) Abu ad-Dahdah.

When Abu ad-Dahdah heard Al-Baqarah 2:245, "Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may Multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that decreases or increases (your provisions) and unto Him you shall return" he asked the Prophet (PBUH), " O Messenger of Allah. Does Allah too ask His servants to give him a loan?" The Prophet (PBUH) replied, "Yes" On this, the companion asked the Prophet (PBUH) to extend his hand and to bear witness that he had given away his garden that no one else owned, a garden in which there were several hundred palm trees. The companion returned to his garden where his family were and he informed his wife of what he had done. The family vacated the garden and said to him," What a profitable transaction, O Abu ad-Dahdah..! Allahu Akbar" This companion gave something very valuable to him in the way of Allah and his family supported him in his effort. This is a good example of a righteous family where the family members aide one another in their striving towards the Hereafter (Story narrated by at-Tabarani and Abu Ya'laa)

From the many stories of the lives of the companions of the Prophet Muhammed S.A.W. (PBUH), we come to conclusion that the companions applied Allah's law and the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) who encouraged charity. Although charity is not compulsory ("wajib"), the reward from our deeds is something that we should carry in the Hereafter. Again from the stories, we can say that there was not a single companion who have not given away something from his wealth as a goodly loan to Allah.

Some of the poorer companions came to the Prophet (PBUH) telling him that the rich had surpassed them in doing good deeds because they were not able to donate anything. The prophet (PBUH) said,    " For every glorification of Allah is charity, enjoining good is charity, forbidding evil is charity, removing obstacles from the path is charity, to reconcile between two people is charity and to help a man onto his mount is also charity". He later told them to recite "Subhanallah, Walhamdulillah, Wallailla hailallahu akbar " after prayer which is also a form of charity.


In today's modern world where everything is money for us to get by the day, how can we emulate the strong belief of the companions....?

Let's not talk about those who are rich and able to apply what the companions have done (the Writer believes there are still such people around) but let's look at ourselves. How can we train ourselves to build some characteristics of the companions. Assume we have not done much charity for past years and now we want to start. How do we start...? 

A friend said, " Start giving charity to those who you have strong doubts in your heart". For example in Malaysia, quite often when you have tea tarik (milk tea) with your friends in the mamak (Indian Muslim) restaurant  you will see very frequently small kids (mostly Mymmar or Cambodian origins) asking for money or sell items like surah Yasin. There will be people who will say "No" or show a jesture to indicate "a No" and some will comment, "They say No because the kids are collecting money for syndicate" and some even questions the kids. Yes....! perhaps it's a syndicate, but so what.......? Most importantly, in our heart, we should instill this feeling of sedaqah. Give some, maybe a 50 sen, a Ringgit or maybe more......do not question their background. When you grow this feelings of giving sedaqah in you...quite often before going to mamak restaurant, you would have prepare small change (coins or oen ringgit notes) so you will not be caught in situation when you want to give but you only have large Ringgit notes with you and that deters you from giving.. ..resulting a feeling in you on why I did not prepare small change..and you feel regret why I did not give something...??? This feelings is hard to explain..!. But if you believe strongly in the ayat of Allah.....go to the cashier for small change or just give what you have...... try it!

Another way, is when you go for prayer in the mosque, mussollah or surau (as it is known in Malaysia). Before or after each prayer, just put some money in the mosque collection box...start small and perhaps later more. When you continue to give, the growing feelings of wanting to give charity will grow in your heart. It will also helps you to build your eagerness to pray in the mosque for all your daily prayers...

The above are examples of small deeds...perhaps, you can share your experience with the Writer on how to build oneself in the way of sedaqah...! May Allah bless you for all your deeds in sedaqah !

Before we end this topic, the Writer would like readers of this blog to view this video clip. Remember, call for charity by Allah is for all mankind...not just to the Muslims and Allah will surely pay a goodly loan !...but for the Muslims, our deeds in charity will surely help us in the Hereafter and this is more important than earthly rewards...





ONLY ALLAH KNOWS BEST
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