Quran Garden

Session 295

Chapter 2

Verses 267 & 268

You who believe, give charitably from the good things you have earned and that We have produced for you from the earth. Do not give away the bad things that you yourself would only accept with your eyes closed: remember that God is self-sufficient, worthy of all praise. (Chapter 2: Verse 267)

During the time of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, the residents of Medina used to hang containers of dates by the entrance of the mosque.  The poor and the travelers could eat from it without the need to ask or beg.  Sadly, the hypocrites and some Muslim residents used to bring in whatever old or rotting dates they had and pretend they were helping the poor.  God warns us against such behavior.  You should not give to charity what is worn and torn, or what is old and spoiled.  God says: “You who believe, give charitably from the good things you have earned.”

Your Zakat almsgiving and charity should satisfy two conditions: First, spending must be from wealth you earned lawfully.  God is good and pure, and He only accepts that which is good and pure.  Second, spending should not be given from low-quality or damaged items.    

Allah also reminds you that all you have is from His bounty.  He says: ‘and that We have produced for you from the earth.’  Do not fall under the illusion that working and earning is your true source of sustenance.  Rather, working is a gift from God.  You can only move around because Allah granted you the energy to do so.  He gifted you a thoughtful mind and an able body.  He subjected the earth and many animals to your will.  These are just a few of the countless instruments God has blessed you with; none of them are inherent to you.  But Allah respects your effort and hard work.  He says: “You who believe, give charitably from the good things you have earned.”

So do not use charity as a cover to get rid of subpar items that you hate.  God says: “Do not give away the bad things that you yourself would only accept with your eyes closed.”  In other words, before you give anything to charity, ask yourself: would I give these clothes to my kids to wear? Would I put this food on my table? If you are ashamed to give such items to your family, then you should be ashamed of giving them away.  Remember that giving to charity is for your own good because ‘God is self-sufficient, worthy of all praise;’ He does not need anything you have.     

Let’s take a moment to review what God taught us in the last few verses in regards to charity and almsgiving:

1. Spending in God’s path does not reduce your wealth in any way; it actually increases your reward by seven hundredfold or more.
2. You should not nullify your charity with hurtful words or reminders of your favor. 
3. A pleasant smile and a good word are better than a charity which is followed by harm or constant reminders.
4. You should not brag about giving charity, or give damaged or subpar items. 
5. Remember that charity is not a favor to the poor.  It is a cleanse for your soul.  

Now, contrast these teaching to what God says in the next verse in ‘The Cow:’

The devil promises you poverty and commands you to self-gratification.  Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and abundance. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.

(Chapter 2: Verse 268)

When you are about to give charity, the devil steps in and whispers to you to withhold your gift.  Why risk poverty? Why give your money away to someone who may waste it? Don’t you want that new car? Don’t you want to insure the future of your kids? The devil scares you with poverty and tries to distract you from spending in God’s path.. 

When the rich refrain from helping the needy, the hearts of the poor become filled with hatred and resentment.  The rich become the enemy, and the society turns on itself.  In a community where indifference and selfishness prevail, all sorts of evils become widespread.  God addresses these issues in the following verses:

The present, worldly life is nothing but a play and a pastime. If you truly believe and keep from disobedience to Him in reverence for Him and piety, He will grant you your rewards, and will not ask of you your wealth.  You would be grudging if He were to ask you and press you for them, and He would bring your resentment to light- (47:36-37)

Allah does not ask you to give back the money he blessed you with.  He only asks you to purify your money and your soul, by spending a small percentage for His sake.  In return, He will not only increase you in wealth, but He will also remove hatred from the community.  I would like to remind you of a story from my childhood where a farmer used to walk his cow in our neighborhood during the hot summer days.  He would give a small amount of milk to each neighbor.  Everyone along his path would pray for the protection of the man’s cows because each person felt that he or she has a personal stake in this man’s wealth.

On the other hand, when injustice becomes widespread, social unrest follows, and the entire community –rich and poor-suffers.  God says: The devil promises you poverty and commands you to self-gratification. Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and abundance. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing. (Chapter 2: Verse 268)

A person who responds to satan’s whisper and ignores God’s promise is preferring the enemy of God over God Himself.  May God protect you and me from such behavior.  Any time the devil is followed, man ends in ruin.  And anytime God is followed, mercy and immense gifts await.  Wisdom requires you to know which path to choose.