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Q: Why does Allah want us to give charity even to those whom we do not know?
A: They (the righteous) fulfill their vows and they fear a Day whose damage is widespread. And they give to
eat, the food despite its love, to a poor person and an orphan and a prisoner: We do feed you for the Sake of
Allah; We do not want from you a reward or to be thankful. We do fear from Our God a severe frowning Day*. So
Allah saved them from the disaster of that Day and let them meet with youthfulness and joy. And He rewarded them
for being patient with a Garden (of Paradise) and (garments of) silk.
Translation of: Ayat 7 - 12, Surat AlInsan.
* Day of Judgment will make the sinners frown with distress from Allah's coming punishment.
Words: Yufun = They Fulfill, Nathr = Vows, Yakhaf = He Fears, Yawm = Day, Shar = Damage -
Disaster, Mustateer = Widespread, Yut'em = Gives to eat - Feeds, Ta'am = Food, Hub = Love, Miskeen =
Poor, Yateem = Orphan, Aseer = Prisoner, Wajh = Sake - Face, Jaza' = Reward, Shakoor = Thankful, Nakhaf = We fear, Abous = Frowing, Kamtareer = Severe, Lakka = let them meet, Nadhrah =
Youthfulness, Suroor = Joy, Sabara = Be patient, Hareer = Silk.
Q: Is the money that we have initially ours?
A: And Allah has favoured some of you above others in wealth; So those who have been favoured are not going
to return their wealth to those who are under them so they become in it equal ; So with the favour of Allah
are they ungrateful? And Allah had made from your selves (human) mates and He made from your mates children and
grandchildren and He gave you from the good things; So in the falsehood you do believe and in Allah's favour you
disbelieve?! And they worship other than Allah what does not own for them any wealth from the heavens or the earth and
they cannot! So do not give Allah examples; It is Allah Who knows and you do not know. Allah has quoted as an
example a slave owned (by others), he is capable of doing nothing and the one whom We gave a good wealth so he
spends from it (charity) secretly and publicly, are they equal? Praise to Allah but most of them do not know.
Translation of: Ayat 71 - 75, Surat AlNahl.
Words: Fadh'dhala = Favoured, Ba'd = Some, Rizq = Wealth - Sustenance, Malakat Ayman = Under them -
Servants - Slaves, Sawa' = Equal, Yajhad = Be grateful, Anfus = Selves, Azwaj = Mates,
Baneen = Children, Hafadah = Grandchildren, Tay'yebat = Good things, Ba'til = Falsehood, Ya'bud
= Worship, Tadhrib AlAms(th)al = Give examples, Abd = Slave, Mamlook = Owned, Yunfiq =
Spends, Siran = Secretly, Jahran = Publicly, Ya'lamoun = Know (plural).
Q: Some people do not do charity saying that they do not have enough for themselves. Are they justified?
A: Say (order from Allah to Muhammad): If you were owning the treasures of my God's mercy (wealth) still then you would have kept them back for fear of
spending and the human being has been (always) stingy.
Translation of: Ayah 100, Surat AlIsra.
Words: Tamlik = To own, Khaza'in = Treasures, Rahmat = Mercy, Amsaka = Kept it back - Withheld, Khashyat
= For fear, Infaq = Spending, Qatoor = Stingy - Miser.
Q: Do the poor have a rightful share in our money other than 'AlZakat' which is a compulsory fixed amount from our
wealth?
A: For the righteous are in Gardens and springs; Receiving what their God has given them - they were before that
doers
of good deeds; They were sleeping but little during the night; And at dawn times they were asking for forgiveness; and
in their wealth a rightful share for the beggar (poor who asks) and the deprived (poor who does not
ask); And on earth there are Signs for the convinced (about faith); And in yourselves so can't you see! And
in the heaven is your sustenance (food) and what you are promised! So by the God of the Heaven and the earth it is
the Truth just as you can speak.
Translation of: Ayat 15 - 23, Surat AlThariyat.
Note: According to the scholar 'Hasanain Mohammad Makhlouf' the above lines where sent down on the Prophet when he was
in Mecca. AlZakat (a pillar of Islam which is a fixed amount of a muslim's wealth) was decreed later on when the
Prophet was in AlMadina.
Words: Mutaqeen = Righteous - Doers of good deeds, Jannat = Gardens, Uyoun = Springs, Akhidh =
Receiving, Yahje = Sleeps, Ashar = Dawn times, Yastaghfir = Asks for forgiveness, Amwal = Wealth, Sa'il = Beggar, Mahroum = Deprived, Ayat = Signs,
Muqin = Convinced, Anfus = Selves, Tubsir = You see, Tuad = You are
promised, Haq = Truth, Tantiq = You speak.
Q: What will happen to the wealth that one saves and does not pay charity from it?
Note: In a summay of a saying by the Prophet Muhammad: Any weatlh of which AlZakat (charity of a fixed amount in Islam)
is given out is not considered an accumulated treasure.
A: --- And those who treasure up (accumulate) gold and silver (wealth) and do not spend them in
the Way of Allah; So announce (order to Muhammad) to them the news of a severe punishment; The Day (of Judgment) they
will be made hot in the Fire of Hell and their foreheads, sides and their backs will be burnt with them; This is what
you were treasuring so taste what you were treasuring!
Translation of: Ayat 34 - 35, Surat AlTawbah.
Words: Yakniz = Treasure up - Accumulates for future use, Dhahab = Gold, Fidhah = Silver, Yanfiq = Spends, Bash'shir
= Announce the news, Yuhma = Is made hot, Jib'ah = Foreheads, Junoub = Sides, Dhohour = Backs,
Thouq = Taste.
Q: What might happen to a person who is very rich yet he is arrogant and keeps all his wealth for himself?
Note: Qarun was a miser man who did not like to make charity but he used to spend a lot of money on lavish parties.
A: For Qarun was from the people of Moses (Moosa) so he became oppressive (unjust) to them; And We (Allah) had given him from
the treasures that a strong group of people (usually 10-40) are burdened (with difficulty) by their keys. When his
people said to
him: Do not be arrogant with happiness for Allah does not like the arrogant with happiness; And seek with what
Allah gave you the Other World and
do not forget your (rightful) share from this life; And be charitable as Allah has been charitable upon you and do not
desire the corruption in the land for Allah does not like the corrupters. He said: Indeed I have been given it (wealth)
because of the knowledge that I possess. Well did not he know that Allah had destroyed before him from the generations
who was more powerful in strength than him and in more collection (of wealth)! And the sinners are not asked about their
sins! So he went out among his people in his show of magnificence so those who desire this World's Life said: We wish
we have what Qarun had been granted; Indeed he is of a great fortunate. And those who have been given the knowledge said:
Alas for you! The reward of Allah is better for the one who has faith and does good deeds and only those with patience
can achieve that. So We made the earth sink down with him and his house so he did not have a party to support him other
than Allah and he was not from the triumphant. And those who wanted to be in his place the day before started to
say: Ah (regret)! As if Allah gives abundantly to whom He desires from his servants and he restricts; If Allah
did not bestow His favour upon us we would have been sunk down; Ah! As if the rejecters (of Allah) do not prosper.
Translation of: Ayat 76 - 82, Surat AlQasas.
Words: Bagha = Became oppresive, Kunouz = Treasures, Usbah = Group, Mafateeh = Keys,
Tanou' = Are burdened by, Tafrah = Be arrogant with happiness, Ibtaghi = Seek - Look forward to, Tansa =
Do not
forget, Ahsana = Was charitable, Fasad = Corruption, Dhanb = Sin, Thou Hadh = Of fortune, Adheem =
Great, Zeenah = Show of magnificence, S(thawab = Reward, Fi'ah = Party, Way = Ah (regret),
Manna = Bestowed favour, Khasafa = Sunk down, Yuflih = Prosper - Succeed.
Q: When we give charity to the needy where does our charity actually reach?
A: Don't they know that Allah is Who accepts the repentance from His servants and He receives the alms
(charity) (intended to please Allah)? And that Allah is The Most-Forgiving, The Most-Merciful.
Translation of: Ayah 104, Surat AlTawbah.
Words: Yaqbal = Accepts, Tawbah = Repentance, Ibad = Servants, Yakhudh = Receives,
Sadaqat = Alms - Charity, Tawwab = Most-Forgiving.
Q: Why should we avoid being misers?
A: And let not those who withhold back what Allah has given them from His favour think that it (misery) is good
for them; Rather it is bad for them: They will have collars around their necks with what they withheld back on the Day of Judgment;
And to Allah belongs the inheritance of the Heavens and the earth; And Allah with what you do is Expert.
Translation of: Ayah 180, Surat AlImran.
Words: Yahsab = Thinks, Bakhila = Withheld back - Became miser, Khair = Good, Bel = Rather, Shar
= Bad, Yutaweq = Have collar around the neck, Meeras(th) = Inheritance.
Q: Why should faith in Allah precede any work of charity?
A: Indeed those who disbelieved, their wealth and their offspring will not avail them anything from Allah and they
are the companions of Hell: In it they will be everlasting. The example of what they spend on charity in this Life is
like a wind
in it squeaking (frosty wind) that hit the harvest of the people who wronged themselves and it destroyed it; And
Allah was not unfair to them but to themselves they were unfair.
Translation of: Ayat 116 - 117, Surat AlImran.
Words: Kafara = Disbelieved, Tughni = Avails - Be of use, Reeh = Wind, Sir = Squeaking, Asab =
Hit, Hars(th) = Harvest, Yunfiq = Spends on charity, Ahlaka = Destroyed, Dhalama = Wronged - Was unfair.
Q: What happens to the wealth if no charity is given from it?
A: For We (Allah) tested them (disbelievers of Mecca) with suffering as We had tested the owners of the garden*
when they took an oath that they will harvest the fruits in the early morning; And they will not make an exception (for
the needy); So a disaster from your (Muhammad's) God struck it while they were asleep; So it became as a bare land; So
they called out in the early morning; You should go early in the morning for your harvest if you are going to harvest
(the yield);
So they set out while whispering; To not let today any needy person to enter it; And they left in the early morning
bent on their purpose; Then when they saw it they said: We have certainly lost our way; No!
(after contemplation) But we are deprived; So their middle one said: Did not I tell you if only you glorify Allah; They
said: Glory to our God for we were wrongdoers (unjust); So they started to blame one another; They said: Woe
(destruction) to us for we were transgressors; We pray that Allah replace it for us with a better one for to our God we
are turning back in repentance; Such is the punishment! and the Punishment of the Other Life is
greater if only they knew!
Translation of: Ayat 17 - 33, Surat AlQalam.
* According to Hassanain Mohammad Makhlouf, the ex-Mufti (top religious scholar) of Egypt: They inherited the garden from
their father who used to give charity from its yield but they stopped it.
Words: Bala = Tested with suffering, Jannah = Garden, Aqsama = Took an oath - Swore, Yasrim = Cuts off
the yield, Musbih = In the early morning, Yastas(th)ni = Will make no exception, Tafa Taif =
A disaster struck, Sareem = Bare land, Tanadaou = They called out one another, Ughdou = Go early in the
morning, Haras(th) = Harvest, Yatakhafat = Whispers, Yadkhul = Enters, Miskeen = Needy, Ala harad qadir = Bent on his
purspose, Dhal =Lost his way, Mahroom = Deprived, Awsat = Middle one, Tusabih = You glorify Allah, Dhalim
= Wrongdoer, Yatalawam = Blame, Taghi = Transgressor, Yubadil = Replace, Raghib = Turning back in
repentance; Athab = Punishment, Akhirah = The Other Life.
Q: Why Muslims should spend on their families and charity?
A: Those who are stingy (not spending much) and they order people of stinginess
and they hide what Allah gave
them from His Grace! And We (Allah) had prepared for the ungrateful (to Allah) a humiliating punishment.
Translation of: Ayah 37, Surat AlNisa'.
Words: Yabkhal = Becomes stingy - Becomes a miser, Ya'mur = Orders, Yaktum
= Hides, Fadhl = Grace, A'tadna = We had prepared, Kafir =
Ungrateful (to Allah) - Disbeliever, Muheen =
Humiliating.
Q: What is the reward of spending on the family and on charity?
A: And the example of those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's satisfaction and as
faith affirmation from themselves is like a garden on a high land that got rained on heavily so its
yield became double and if it did not get heavy rain so (at least) drizzle and Allah is
of what you do Watchful.
Translation of: Ayah 265, Surat AlBaqarah.
Words: Masthal = Example, Yunfiq = Spends, Amwal = Wealth, Ebtigha' =
Seeking, Mardhat = Satisfaction, Tasthbeetan = As faith affirmation, Min = From, Rabwah =
High land - Hill, Wabil = Heavy rain, Ukul = Yield, Dhi'f = Double, Tal =
Drizzle - Fine rain - Dew, Baseer = Watchful.
Q: How does Allah support those who are already guided to Allah's Way?
A: And Allah increases in Guidance those who are guided and the good works of continuing
merits* are better in rewards with your God and better in return.
Translation of: Ayah 76, Surat Maryam.
* Like planting a tree that benefits the next generations as well.
Words: Yazeed = Increases, Ehtada = Is guided, Huda = Guidance, AlBaqiat
AlSalihat = Good Works of continuing merits, Sthawaba =
In Rewards, Maradda = In return.
Q: What type of charity pays the most according to Allah?
A: You will not reach the level of righteous work (= AlBirr)* until you spend from
what you love and whatever you give out then Allah of it is Knowing.
Translation of: Ayah 92, Surat AlImran.
* "AlBirr" is a collective term for all types of righteous work. "AlBirr" indicates a high level of
faith.
Note: In a summary of a speech of the Prophet Muhammad: One of the companions of
the Prophet, Abu Talha had a lot of wealth in AlMadina. When the verse of the Qur'an came down he told
the Prophet that he is giving out a prosperous land with palm trees facing the Prophet's Mosque which was his most
loved wealth. The prophet suggested that he distributes it among the man's relatives and he did.
Words: Nala = Reached the level, Hatta = Until, Tunfiq =
Gives out, Tuhib = You love, Min shaye' = Whatever.
Q: What part of one's wealth a person can say that he really owns it?
A: Say (command to Prophet Muhammad): For my God gives sustenance in abundance to whoever from His
servants (people) He wills and He restricts for him (whoever) and whatever you spend
(proper spending) then He will replace it and he is the Best of providers.
Translation of: Ayah 39, Surat Saba'.
* Appropriate spending is considered a form of charity. In a summary of a speech of the Prophet Muhammad: The best Dirham (dollar) one spends is the
Dirham spent on his (immediate) family. In a summary of a speech of the Prophet Muhammad: Whenever
a day starts two angels come down. The first one says: God give the one who spends replacement (of
what he spends = Khalafa). The other one says: God give the one who restrains his wealth
destruction (talafa).
Note: In a summary of a speech of the Prophet Muhammad, narrated by Abi Hurairah: The
person keeps on saying: My wealth, my wealth! But he really owns from his wealth three: What he ate and
finished and what clothes he wore and used and what charity he gave and sent
forward (to Allah = amdha). But wealth other than that is going away and he is leaving it for other people. Source: Mukhtasar Tafseer
Ibn Kastheerm, volume 3, page 671.
Words: Yabsut = Gives in abundance, Rizq = Sustenance, Ibad = Servants, Yakdir
= Restricts, Lahu = For him, Anfaqtum = You spend, Yukhlif = Replaces, Khair = Best,
Raziqeen = Providers - Sustainers.
Q: Which act of charity is better: The revealed one or the one kept secret?
A: If you reveal your acts of charity so it is good and if you conceal* them and give them
the poor then it is better for you and it (charity) will remit (cancel some) of your sins and Allah is with
what you do Well-Acquainted.
Translation of: Ayah 271, Surat AlBaqarah.
* For example at least the donor is kept secret.
Note: In a summary of a speech of the Prophet Muhammad, Seven (types of the faithful) will be
placed under the shade of Allah when there is no shade (on Day of Judgment) except Allah's: A just judge,
a youth grew up worshipping Allah, two men befriended each other in the love of Allah - they met and departed
loving Allah, a man's heart is set on a mosque until he comes back to it, a man remembered Allah alone so his
eyes flooded with tears, a man was seduced by a beautiful woman of a high status but he said 'I fear Allah'
and a man gave charity and he hid it so his left hand does not know what his right hand
spends. Source: Tafseer AlQur'an AlAdheem liIbn Kastheer, page. 455.
Words: Tubdou = You reveal - You show, Sadaqqat = Acts of charity Charity
(plural), Ni'emma = Good, Tukhfou = Conceal - Yukaffir = Remit - Cancel - Pardon, Sayye'at =
Sins.
Q: Why is abstaining from charity considered an act of arrogance and simplistic thought that lacks
subtlety and penetration?
A: And when they are told: Spend from what sustenance Allah has provided you the
disbelievers say to the believers: Are we going to feed the one whom if Allah willed He would have
fed - you are certainly only in a manifest error!
Translation of: Ayah 47, Surat YaSeen.
Note: The above answer is simplistic because it lacks the obvious knowledge of religion, why man is on
earth and the real purpose behind Allah's giving wealth to some people. It also shows arrogance as if they are
favoured by Allah above the others.
Words: Qeela Lahum = They are told, Anfiqou = Spend, Razaqakum
Allah = Sustenance Allah gave you, ANutem = Are we going to feed, Dhallal =
Error - Straying away from Allah's Path.
