There are three ways in which one can share his belongings
with the deserving people for the Pleasure of Allah (s.w.t.). Once, the “Nafs-e-
Rasool”, Imam Ali (a.s.) had 4 dirham
and he gave 1 dirham in the day time, 1 dirham at night time, 1 dirham openly
and 1 dirham secretly. The Al-Mighty Allah revealed an Ayah to
appreciate his alms-giving. Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 274: “Those who spent their
wealth by night and (by) day, secretly and openly, for them shall be their
reward with their Lord, fear shall not be on them nor shall they grieve.”
It is an accepted fact even by the scholars of the Sunni
school that this Ayah was revealed in praise of Imam Ali (a.s.) who offered
them only four dirham and gave away in charity-one by night, one in day, one
secretly and one openly. It is reported through Ibrahim ibne Saleh, Yousuf bin
Bilal, Muhammad bin Haroon, Muhammad bin Saleh, Abi Saleh and from Ibne Abbas,
that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) that this Ayah was revealed in praise of
(Imam) Ali since he parted with the four dirham he possessed in this world. Once (Imam) Ali met with the Noble
Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) asked why he parted with
whatever he had. (Imam) Ali replied: “To please Allah I had nothing more than
this and I will be fully satisfied if Allah accepts it.”
Sayings of the
Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.):
Generosity is to help a
deserving person without his request, if you help him after the request, then
it is either out of
self-respect or to avoid rebuke.
Overlook and forgive the
weakness of the generous people, because if they fell down, Allah gives his
hand in their hand and
help them.
Generosity hides shortcomings.
To whosoever Allah gives wealth,
he should use it in extending good behavior to his kinsmen, in entertaining, in releasing
prisoners and the afflicted; in giving to the poor and to debtors, and he
should endure (the troubles
arising out of) the fulfillment of rights (of others) and hardships in
expectation of reward. Certainly, the
achievements of these qualities is the height of greatness in this world and
achievement of the distinctions
of the next world; if Allah so wills. (Nahjul Balaghah Sermon 142)
It is reported that once Imam Ali (a.s.) was returning
from a journey with a string of camels fully loaded with goods. On the way a
beggar asked for some bread, and Imam Ali (a.s.) asked Qambar, his slave, to
give the beggar some bread. Qambar was searching for the bread. Imam Ali (a.s.)
asked for the reason of delay. Qambar replied that he was searching for the
bread. Chief of the Philanthropy, Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Give the beggar the camel
on which bread is loaded.” After a while Imam Ali (a.s.) again asked about the
reason for the delay. Qambar replied that he was searching the camel on which
the bread was loaded. Imam Ali (a.s.) ordered:
“Give the whole caravan!” Qambar hurriedly jumped off the camel and handed over
the reins to the fortunate beggar. Imam
Ali (a.s.) smiled at the agility of Qambar and asked: “Why did you jumped off
the camel so quickly and handed over the reins in such haste?” Qambar replied: “Master,
you were in such a mood that on account of a little delay, you gave away the
whole caravan. I was afraid that if there was some more delay, you might give
me away also with the caravan. You will get a thousand slaves like me, but
where will I get a master like you?”
Washington Irving,
an American author and essayist wrote: “He (Ali) was the noblest branch of the
noble race of Koreish. He possessed the three qualities most prized by Arabs:
courage, eloquence, and munificence.”
Generosity is the
hall-mark of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and the books of history are filled with numerous
incidents of their generosity. Sura al-Insan is a prima facie evidence for this.
People of Madinah knew that there was one house from which no needy ever returned
empty handed!
Sources used:
Translation of the Glorious Qur’an by Ayatollah Agha
H.M.M. Pooya Yazdi
www.ezsoftech.com
& AlmujtabaIslamicnetwork & WIKIPEDIA
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