All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions and upon whoever followed his guidance until the Day of Resurrection:
Allah, The Almighty, has made supererogatory acts of worship a means of gaining his love and support. The most rewarding of these acts is voluntary charity, and following are some meditations on its virtues, which I wanted to share with my Muslim brethren. I beseech Allah to make us among those who listen and follow the most righteous of what is said.
Meditation No. (1): None of Man`s Wealth Remains Except That Which He/She Has Given in Charity.
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: "Man says: "My wealth! My wealth!" The Prophet (PBUH) responds: "None of your wealth remains except that which you had given in charity." [Moslim].
The meaning intended by the Prophet (PBUH) in this Hadith is that whatever man eats perishes whatever he puts on wears out, and whatever he gives in charity remains.
Moreover, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that when the Prophet`s companions slaughtered a goat, he said: "What is left of it?" she said: "its shoulder." He said: "All of it is left except its shoulder." [Al-Tirmizi].
Accordingly, there is no way that a person could reap the fruits of his wealth after death except through charity that he had given.
Meditation No. (2): Charity is Like Seeds of Good Deeds, Preserved and
Grown by Allah for their Owner.
Allah, The Almighty, doesn`t only preserve the charity for its giver, but also multiplies and grows it for him/her out of His grace and mercy until it becomes as big as a mountain. He Says in the Holy Quran (What means): "The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of God is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. God giveth manifold increase to whom He pleaseth: And God careth for all and He knoweth all things." [Al-Baqarah/261]. He also Says (What means): "Who is he that will loan to God a beautiful loan, which God will double unto his credit and multiply many times? It is God that giveth (you) Want or plenty, and to Him shall be your return." [Al-Baqarah/245].
Moreover, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) says: "If one give in charity what equals one date-fruit from the honestly-earned money and Allah accepts only the honestly earned money --Allah takes it in His right (hand), then enlarges its reward for that person (who has given it), as anyone of you brings up his baby horse, so much as that it becomes as big as a mountain." [Bukhari].
Meditation No. (3): The Charity Giver Benefits From it More Than the Poor Recipient Does.
Following are some fruits of charity, which are reaped by its giver:
-It extinguishes sin as the Prophet (PBUH) says: "Charity extinguishes sin as water does fire." [Al-Tirmizi].
-It is a shade for its giver on the Day of Judgment as the Prophet (PBUH) says: “Everyone is protected by the shade of their charity until people are being separated “{Ahmad}.
-It heals the sick as the Prophet (PBUH) says: “Treat the sick with giving charity." [Baihaqi&Tabarani].
-It cleanses wealth from wrongdoings as the Prophet (PBUH) said to the merchants: "Oh! Merchants! Your dealings involve a lot of swearing, so cleanse them with charity." [Abu Dawood].
Whoever closely examines the fruits of charity realizes that the reward of its giver is greater and larger than the benefit received by the poor recipient.
Meditation No. (4): Allah and His Messenger Pledged to Replace Charity.
Allah, To Him belongs Might and Majesty, Says (What means): "Say: "Verily my Lord enlarges and restricts the Sustenance to such of his servants as He pleases: and nothing do ye spend in the least (in His cause) but He replaces it: for He is the Best of those who grant Sustenance." [Saba/34].
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: "I swear on three: Wealth doesn`t decrease by giving charity, an injustice which a person endures, Allah grants him more honor, and a person who asks to be given charity while not in need becomes poorer." [Al-Tirmizi].
A true believer must realize the truthfulness of Allah`s and His Messenger`s promise.
Meditation No. (5): The Fruits of Charity are Only Annulled by its Giver.
Despite the virtues and fruits of charity, its giver could annul them in two ways:
1. Showing off
2. Reproach and injury
Therefore, Allah has warned us against that in the following verse (What means): "O you, who believe, annul not your voluntary almsgivings with reproach and injury, as one who expends of his substance to show off to men and believes not in God and the Last Day. The likeness of him is as the likeness of a smooth rock on which is soil, and a torrent smites it, and leaves it barren. They have no power over anything that they have earned. God guides not the disbelieving folk." [Al-Baqarah/264].
And All Perfect Praise Be To Allah, The Lord of The Worlds
