Spending in the Way of Allah *

True Attachment With Allah
The greatest benefit of spending in the way of Allah is that it establishes a strong bond between a person and his or her Creator. People's hearts generally lie where their wealth is. If they hide their wealth in some secret place, they find themselves thinking about that very place all the time. In case of investment in a business or a company, they cannot help being preoccupied with the continued viability of the investment. In short, what is evident from practical experience is that people's hearts are affixed to their wealth. Keeping in view the foregoing explanation, one can assert that anyone who spends in the way of Allah would find that they are in an everlasting communion with their Lord because they have entrusted their wealth to Him.

Stronger Ties With Society
Among the benefits that spending in the way of Allah affords the spender is that it helps him or her establish unfailing ties with society. A little deliberation will reveal that this achievement is not of less significance. Rather, it is one of the two pillars upon which the whole structure of religion is based.

These two pillars, namely, Prayer and charity, are a prerequisite for one to be a true servant of Allah. Prayer helps in developing a true relationship with the Almighty Lord, and charity inculcates a deep-rooted connection among the members of society. Hence, both play an unsurpassed role in nurturing and developing the person conceived by the Noble Qur'an. It is precisely for this reason that Prayer and zakah find mention in the Qur'an side by side. For example, in the initial verses of Surat Al-Baqarah, what immediately follows the mention of Prayer is spending in the way of Allah. The verses read as follows:

(This Book, there is no doubt in it, is a guide to those who fear Allah; Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them.)(Al-Baqarah 2:1-2)

As pointed out earlier, these two pillars in fact constitute the foundations upon which the entire structure of people's relationship with the Creator and with one another is erected. Consequently, one can safely conclude that the fabric of the Shari`ah is also built upon Prayer and charity.

The best possible way whereby one can demonstrate affection toward one's neighbors is to sympathize with them and financially help them out whenever they are in trying circumstances. By offering Prayer, people can appropriately show their obedience to and love for their Lord. Similarly, people can express love and affection toward their neighbors and all the needy by lending them a helping hand.

Although they seem distinct and separate, the love for fellow human beings and the love for Almighty Allah are related: The former is a direct outcome of the latter. It is in the nature of people that whenever they love someone they instinctively fall in love with everything related to them as well. So, when someone loves Allah, they consequently feel love and affection toward His creation, and this ultimately results in their spending to ease the sufferings of their fellow human beings, whom their Beloved Lord has created.

The brimming love people feel for their Lord is the natural consequence of their sentiments of gratitude to Him. When they carefully observe around them the providence and power of Almighty Allah, they find themselves engulfed by the bounties of their Most Gracious Creator. This realization prompts people to offer the Prayer and all other acts of worship in obedience to their Lord. It also leads them to be very generous to other human beings, because they have become cognizant of the fact that everything they possess was generously bestowed upon them by Almighty Allah Alone.

(As for him who gives and is dutiful (toward Allah) and believes in goodness, surely We will ease his way unto the state of ease. But, as for him who hoards and deems himself independent and disbelieves in goodness, surely We will ease his way unto adversity.) (Al-Layl 92:5–10)

Spending Nurtures Wisdom
The stability and depth of all virtues and beliefs in a person lie exactly in what theNoble Qur'an describes as wisdom. From certain indications in this sacred book, one can understand that the key to this wisdom is indeed spending in the way of Allah. At one place, Almighty Allah describes the benefits of spending in His way as follows:

(The devil threatens you with poverty and enjoins you to be niggardly, and Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and abundance, and Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing. He grants wisdom to whom He pleases, and [for] whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is given a great good, but none will grasp the message but men of understanding.) (Al-Baqarah 2:268–269)

Only charity that is given purely for the sake of Almighty Allah can bring this great benefit and reinforce what is yet feeble in one's heart. It is for this reason that the parable described in the Qur'an just before the above-quoted verses begins as follows:

(And the parable of those who spend their wealth in search of Allah's pleasure and for the strengthening of their souls is as the parable of a garden on an elevated ground…) (Al-Baqarah 2:265)

Increase in Wealth
Another benefit of spending in the way of Allah is that it augments the wealth of the spender. Almighty Allah says,

(The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain that grows seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains, and Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases, and Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.) (Al-Baqarah 2:261)

Another Qur'anic verse on the subject reads

(Allah will deprive usury of all blessing but will give increase for deeds of charity.) (Al-Baqarah 2:276)

While spending sincerely in Allah's way will doubtless bear fruit in the hereafter, it will also give rise to a fabulous increase for the spender in this worldly life. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "Everyday two angels come down from heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your cause,' and the other angel says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser'" (Al-Bukhari).

It is, however, to be noted here that this increase in no way means that the spenders would, overnight, find their safes overflowing with wealth, their bank balances increasing, and their property augmenting in value. Rather, it implies that the optimal benefit that can be attained from the use of wealth is afforded to the person who spends in Allah's way. The benefit this person's wealth brings to humanity cannot be matched by the benefit of others' wealth, and the contribution his or her wealth helps make for social welfare cannot be achieved by others' wealth.

While such people gain the pleasure of their Lord, as well as the respect and love of people, others remain far behind in that respect. Extremely obsessed with piling up their riches, people who do not spend in the way of Allah cannot even visualize, above all else, peace of mind and the spiritual elevation and satisfaction that can be obtained by such charitable conduct. In fact, these are blessings that have for long eluded many grand emperors of this world.

* Taken with modifications fromMonthly-Renaissance.com. The article was originally adapted from Amin Ahsan Islahi's book Tazkiyah-i-Nafs (Purification of the Soul).

Jhangeer Hanif is a Muslim translator and researcher.