Preparing for Ramadan Tip #7

🌱 Preparing for Ramadan Tip #7: 🌱 Ramadan is the month of generosity and one of the greatest deeds in Islam is helping those in need. Think of a charity project or someone you can help out this month.

Helping others is not confined to giving them money. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) told us that even if we don’t have wealth to give to the poor and needy, there are many other ways for us to help and give to others:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Every Muslim has to give charity.”

The people said, “O Messenger! If someone has nothing to give, what should he do?”

He said, “He should work with his hands and benefit himself and give in charity (from what he earns).”

They asked, “If he cannot do that?”

He replied, “He should help the needy who ask for help.”

The people asked, “If he cannot do that?”

He replied, “Then he should do good deeds and stay away from bad deeds and this is considered charity.” (Sahih Bukhari)

The Prophet was the most generous of people and he was the most generous in Ramadan (Sahih Bukhari).

There is no doubt about the generosity of the Companions and their keenness to do good to others:

Uthman (r) was the one who bought a well for 40,000 dirham so that the people would not have to pay for water! The owner was selling the water from it to the people for a high price so Uthman bought it so that the people could drink for free. He was the one who bought the land next to the Masjid so that it could be expanded and he was the one who equipped an entire army for the sake of Allah! (Jami’ Al-Tirmidhi, Hasan)

And who can surpass Umar and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with them, who were asked by the Prophet to give in charity and so the first gave half his wealth and the second gave his entire wealth! (Sunan Abi Dawood, Hasan)

As for Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, he died with a debt of 70,000 because of all the money he would give to the poor and needy. His son Al-Hasan then fulfilled his debt. (Makarim Al Akhlaq, Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya)

Abu Hurayrah reported that they nicknamed Jafar bin Abi Talib “father of the poor” because of how good and generous he was to the poor. (Reported by Al-Dhahabi, hasan)

The famous companion Qais bin Sa’ad used to feed people during his travels with the Prophet and if his wealth finished he would borrow (to feed the people). He used to call out every day: “Come and (join and) eat meat, come and eat the thareed!” (Siyar ‘Alaam an-Nubala’ 3/106)

The companion Sa’ad bin Ubada would return to his family every night with eighty people from the Suffa (they were poor companions who lived in the masjid) and would give them dinner. (Siyar ‘Alaam al-Nubala’ 1/276)

These are noble people who understood the meaning of “O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good - that you may succeed” (Quran 22:77) and lived by it.

The famous poet Abu Al ’Atahiya (d.828 hijri) said:

اقْضِ الحوائجَ ما استطعْ تَ وكنْ لِهَمِّ أخيك فارِجْ فلَخيرُ أيام الفتى يومٌ قضى فيه الحوائجْ

Help others as much as you are able, and relieve the worries of your brother. Verily one’s best day, is the day he helped another.