Significance of Charity in Ramadan

Charity & Generosity in Ramadan:

Generosity is one of the highest virtues of Islam and one of the manifest qualities of the Prophet Muhammad who was known as the most generous of people. It is better to go beyond the minimum of what the Sacred Law demands when giving charity. This generosity is an expression of gratitude to God, who is the Provider of all wealth and provision. 

The significance and rewards of charity have a close relationship with Ramadan. The fasting days and prayer-filled nights soften hearts and create ripples of compassion and generosity. The hunger and thirst felt during fasting reminds the believers that the world is filled with people who are unable to find enough food or drink for their needs and allows even the well-off Muslims to experience first hand the suffering of the poor, thus encouraging them to help the needy.

Virtues of Charity in Ramadan:

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The best charity is the one which is given in Ramadan.” [Tirmidhi]

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) was the most generous person among all the men, particularly during the month of Ramadan. He (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) used to be extra ordinarily benevolent and generous when he met Gabriel. During the month, the Angel Gabriel (‘Alayhissalaam) used to visit him every night and recite the Noble Qur’an to him. During this period, the generosity of the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) used to be very much increased, faster than the rain-bearing wind. [Bukhari and Muslim]

This Hadith induces us to do two good things frequently and with full preparation in the month of Ramadan. First, benevolence and generosity so that people get maximum time for worship and reduce their mundane affairs during this month. Second, recitation of the Qur’an and reading and hearing the Qur’an from one another, as is done by two Huffaz in this manner.

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "It (Ramadan) is the month of sympathy with one's fellowmen." [Sahih Ibn Khuzaima]

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever offers a meal for breaking the fast of another person, earns the same merit as the one who was observing the fast without diminishing in any way the recompense of the fasting person.” [Ahmed, Nasai and authenticated by al-Albani]
 The Sahaba asked,"O messenger of Allah, not all of us possess the means whereby we can feed a fasting person to break his fast." Rasulullah (SAWS) replied, "Allah grants the same reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast a mere date, or a drink of water, or a sip of milk." [Sahih Ibn Khuzaima]

"Whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant him to drink from My fountain such a drink where after that he shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Jannah." [Sahih Ibn Khuzaima]

Sadaqat ul-Fitr/Zakat ul-Fitr:

Zakat ul-Fitr is often referred to as Sadaqat ul-Fitr. The word Fitr means the same as Iftar, breaking a fast and it comes from the same root word as Futur which means breakfast. Thus, Islamically, Zakat ul-Fitr is the name given to charity which is distributed at the end of the fast of Ramadhan.

Sadaqat ul-Fitr is a duty which is Wajib on every Muslim, whether male or female, minor or adult as long as he / she has the means to do so. The proof that this form of charity is compulsory can be found in the Sunnah whereby Ibn 'Umar (RA) reported that the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam made Zakat ul-Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Sa' of dried dates or one Sa' of barely [Bukhari]

The main purpose of Zakat ul-Fitr is to provide those who fasted with the means of making up for their errors during the month of fasting. Zakat ul-Fitr also provides the poor with a means with which they can celebrate the festival of breaking the fast ('Eid ul-Fitr) along with the rest of the Muslims.

Ibn Abbas (RA) reported, "The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam made Zakat ul-Fitr compulsory so that those who fasted may be purified of their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed during Ramadhan) and so that the poor may be fed." [Abu Dawood with a sahih chain]

Hence, the goal of Sadaqat ul-Fitr is the spiritual development of the Believers. By making them give up some of their wealth, the believers are taught the higher moral characteristics of generosity, compassion (sympathy for the unfortunate), gratitude to God and the righteousness. But, since Islam does not neglect man's material need, part of the goal of Zakat ul-Fitr is the economic well-being of the poorer members of society.

Paying Zakat in Ramadan:

Zakat is the obligatory charity and is another pillar of Islam which most Muslims give in Ramadan. The rewards of zakat given in Ramadan increases 70 fold since, according to the hadith, the rewards of every fardh is multiplied by 70 times in Ramadan.

Imam al-Ghazali says in 'Ihya ul Uloom':
"One should endeavor to choose one of the most opportune times to pay Zakat, resulting in more closeness to Allah and compounding the value of the Zakat.
One such favorable time would be month of Muharram, since it is the first month of the Islamic year and one of the sacred months. Another is Ramadan."

The Inner Dimensions of Zakat- Imam al-Ghazali

The Inner Dimensions of Zakat

Excerpts from Imam al-Ghazali's  'Ihya ul Uloom'

Certain inward attitudes and duties are incumbent on those who seek, through the payment of Zakat, that which leads to good in the Hereafter:

1. Knowing Zakat's purpose and significance

To understand the necessity of paying Zakat, how it represents a test of character, and why it has been made one of the fundamentals of Islam, even though it is a financial transaction and not a physical  act of worship.

Three points deserve consideration here:

(a) Testing the degree of love for Allah

Worldly goods are an object of love in everybody's eyes, being the means by which they enjoy the benefits of this world. Because of them, we become attached to life and shy away from death, even though death leads us to meet the Beloved (Allah).

The truth of our claim to love God is therefore put to the test, and we are asked to give up the wealth which is the apple our eye.

That is why Allah said: "God has bought from the believers their persons and their goods, Paradise being theirs for the price " (part of Quran: 9:111).

Allah also says that true piety means giving away one's wealth, in spite of love for it, to close relatives, orphans, the wayfarer and beggars, and for the emancipation of slaves (see Quran 2: 177) .

(b) The elimination of miserliness

The Divine decree by which Allah bids His servants to spend their wealth, is also significant  in purging the habit of miserliness, which is a deadly sin.

"And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful" (Quran 59:9).

"He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification" (92:18)

The habit of miserliness is only eliminated by making oneself accustomed to spending money, for to break an attachment one must force oneself away till a new habit is found.

The purity he acquires is in proportion to his expenditure, to his delight in giving away and to his joy in spending for the sake of Allah.

(c) Expression of gratitude

The third factor is gratitude for benefits received, for the servant is indebted to Allah for personal and material bounties

2. Payment of Zakat at the proper time

The second duty with regards to Zakat concerns the time of payment .

A good practice is to anticipate the moment when payment is due.

This demonstrates a willingness to comply by bringing joy to the hearts of poor, forestalling the obstacles time might place in the way of charitable action, being aware that there are dangers in delaying payment, as the servant runs the risk of disobedience should he or she postpone beyond the appointed moment.

Whenever the impulse to good arises from within, the opportunity must be grasped at once as the believers heart lies between the two fingers of the All-Merciful. Yet how fickle is the heart! The devil threatens poverty and bids us to commit atrocious and abominable deeds.

Demonic suggestion follows hard on the heels of angelic inspiration. One should therefore seize the opportunity and fix a definite month for giving Zakat (if one is used to paying it all at once.)

One should endeavor to choose one of the most opportune times to pay Zakat, resulting in more closeness to Allah and compounding the value of the Zakat.

One such favorable time would be month of Muharram, since it is the first month of the Islamic year and one of the sacred months. Another is Ramadan.

3. Give In Secret

The third duty is secrecy, for this is farthest removed from hypocritical display and reputation-seeking.

Allah says, "If you disclose your Sadaqat (alms giving), it is well, but if you conceal it, and give it to the poor, that is better for you. (Allah) will forgive you some of your sins. And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do" (Quran 2:271).

According to one Hadith, the Prophet said, "Seven people will be shaded under Allah's Throne on the Day on which there will be no other shade: (1) a just ruler, (2) a young person who worships Almighty Allah, (3) a person whose heart is attached to Masajid, (4) two people who love one another for the sake of Allah, and who come together and part for His sake, (5) a man who is called by a beautiful woman of good family, but refuses her, saying "I fear Allah", (6) a person who gives his money in charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives, and (7) someone who remembers Allah privately, so that his eyes brim with tears." (Bukhari, Muslim).

According to one of the scholars, "Three things are accounted among the treasures of righteousness, one of them being to give Alms in secret."

Whenever fame is the donor's objective, his work will be in vain, since the purpose of alms giving is to eliminate miserliness and to weaken the love of wealth. But the love of status has a stronger hold over the soul than the love of wealth, and both of them have deadly consequences in the Hereafter.

4. Give openly

The fourth duty, when one knows that such conduct will tend to encourage others to follow suit, is to let one's giving be seen.

In doing so, however, one must be inwardly on guard against hypocritical motives.

Apart from the expectation of gratitude and the risk of hypocrisy, there is another danger in visible alms giving, namely that of offending a poor man's dignity. It may be hurtful to him to be seen to be needy.

But someone who begs in public is bringing the disgrace upon himself; there is therefore no sense in being wary.

5. Avoid Taunting and Hurting

The fifth duty is not to invalidate one's alms giving through taunting and hurting.

As Allah said, "Do not make your Alms giving void by taunting and hurting." (part of Quran 2: 264).

Taunting is reminding a person of a favor, while hurt lies in making it known. According to others taunting is to exploit a person in return of a gift, while hurt lies in making him feel ashamed of his poverty.

Still others say that taunting means making one's gift an excuse for arrogant behavior.

One should therefore realize that giving alms is actually paying Allah, Great and Glorious is He, what is due, while the poor person is actually receiving his sustenance from Allah.

Anyone who grasps the significance of the three points mentioned above while discussing the purpose and importance of the Zakat, or even one of them, realizes that he is a benefactor only to himself , through spending his wealth either to demonstrate his love of Allah or to purge himself or herself of the voice miserliness, or to give thanks for the blessing of wealth in the hope of receiving more.

6. Adopt humility

The sixth duty to think little of one's donation, for to regard it highly is to invite that pride which is one of the deadly sins, making good deeds worthless.

It must be recognized that ten of two and-a-half percent is a tiny fraction, and that to pay only this is to content oneself with the least generous level of expense as we have explained above.

This is something to be ashamed of rather to boast about. Even if one rose to the highest level, disbursing all or most of one's wealth, one should still reflect on where it came from in the first place, and for what purpose it is being spent.

For all wealth belongs to Allah. It is to Him that one should be grateful for for being given it and being enabled to spend it, so why pride ourselves on spending for the sake of Allah when it is actually His property?

And, if one's situation is such that one must look to the Hereafter, spending for the sake of spiritual reward, why boast of giving what one expects to receive many many times over?

As for action, one's giving should be done with a sense of shame at one's meanness in holding back the rest of one's wealth from God, Great and Glorious is He.

One's demeanor should be humble and abashed, like that of someone who is asked to hand back a deposit but returns only part of it and holds on the rest.

For all wealth belongs to Allah and He would prefer to see us give all we possess. If He has not commanded His servant to do so, it is only because that would be too hard on them by reason of their greed.

As Allah says: "If He were to ask you of it, and press you, you would covetously withhold, and he will bring out all your (secret) ill wills'" (Quran 47:37).

7. Give the best and the dearest

The seventh duty is to select from one's wealth what is best and dearest to one: the finest and most excellent part, for God, exalted is He. Allah is good and accepts only what is good.

If the offering has been acquired by dubious means, it may not strictly belong to the donor and will then be disqualified.

"O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to spend from it, (though) you would not accept it save if you close your eyes and tolerate therein. And know that Allah is Rich, and worthy of all praise." (Quran 2:267).

8. Seek the Worthy and Deserving

The eighth duty is to seek out the truly worthy recipient for one's offering (Sadaqa), rather than be content with just anybody who happens to fall within the eight categories of legally qualified beneficiaries.

For among those generally eligible there are some with special qualities. Attention should be paid to these five qualities:

First, one should seek out those pious people who have renounced the world and devoted themselves exclusively to the business of the Hereafter.

Second, the recipient should be chosen from among the people of learning, to support him in his quest for knowledge. Learning is the noblest form of worship, so long as it is based on right intention.

Third, the recipient should be a person who kept his need to himself, not being given to fuss and complaint.

Fourth, the recipient should be someone with a large family or disabled by illness or some other cause.

Fifth, the recipient should be a close relative, whether paternal or maternal.

Each of these points should therefore be taken into consideration, for they represent the desired qualities. Within each quality there are further gradations, so one ought to seek the highest.

If anyone can be found in whom all these qualities are combined, that is the greatest treasure and the supreme prize. If one does one's best and succeeds, one gets a double reward, but even if one fails, there is still a single reward for the effort.

 

The Purpose and Significance of Zakat- Imam Ghazali

The Purpose and Significance of Zakat

- from Imam Ghazali's 'Ihya ul Uloom'

One must understand the necessity and significance of paying the Alms (Zakat), how it represents a test of character, and why it has been made one of the fundamentals of Islam, even though it is a financial transaction and not a physical act of worship.

Three points deserve consideration here:

(a) TESTING THE DEGREE OF LOVE FOR GOD


To pronounce the two sentences of the Confession of Faith (Shahada) ('There is no god but God - Muhammad is God's Messenger') is obligatory as affirmation of the Divine Unity and testimony to the singleness of the One to Whom all worship is due. Complete fulfilment of this obligation requires
that he who affirms the Divine Unity should direct his love to none but the One, the Unique, for love tolerates no partnership. There is little value in mere verbal affirmation. The degree of love is tested only by separating the lover from other things he loves.
Now, worldly goods are an object of love in everybody's eyes, being the means by which they enjoy the benefits of this world; because of them they become attached to life and shy away from death, even though death leads to meeting the Beloved. The truth of our claim to love God is therefore put to the test, and we are asked to give up the wealth which is the darling apple of our eye.
That is why God, Exalted is He, said:
'God has bought from the believers their persons and
their goods, Paradise being theirs for the price.' .
[al-Tawbah, 9: 111]

This concerns Jihad, the struggle in the way of God, which entails a readiness to sacrifice even life itself in longing to meet God, Great and Glorious is He. The renunciation of wealth is trivial by comparison.
Once this concept of testing the degree of love is understood to underlie the spending of wealth and material sacrifice, people fall into three groups in this respect:


Three types of people regarding spending for the sake of Allah:


Firstly, those who affirm the Divine Unity, fulfil their covenant and renounce all their worldly goods, setting aside neither pounds nor pence. They are unwilling to incur the liability to pay the Alms; so much so that when one of them was asked the amount due on two hundred dirhams, he replied:
'For ordinary people the legal requirement is five dirhams, but we must give up everything.'
Thus Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, donated all his wealth, while 'Umar, may God be pleased with him, gave half of his. When the Prophet, upon him be peace, said to the latter: 'What have you kept for your family?' he replied: 'An equal amount.' And when he asked the same question of Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, he said: 'God and His Messenger.' The Prophet, upon him be peace, then said: 'The
difference between you is the difference between your two answers." For Abu Bakr, the veracious, had borne himself out completely, keeping nothing back for himself but the Beloved, i.e. God and His Messenger.


Secondly, at a lower level are those who hold on to their goods, waiting for occasions of need and seasons of charity. Their object in saving up is to supply their own needs, without extravagance, and to devote what is left over to charitable purposes as the occasion may arise. Such people do not confine their giving to the prescribed amount of the Alms.
One group of the Successors (the generation following the Companions, may God be pleased with them) maintained the view that wealth is subject to other dues apart from the Zakat.
When al-Sha'bi was asked if this was the case, he replied:
'Yes, have you not heard the words of God, Great and Glorious is He:
"[True piety means . . . ] and giving away one's wealth,
much as one loves it, to close relatives, orphans, the
wayfarer and beggars, and for the emancipation of slaves
. . ." [al-Baqarah, 2: 177]?'
They cited the words of God, Great and Glorious is He:
'And spend from what We have provided them with.'
[al-Baqarah, 2: 3]
as well as His words, Exalted is He:
'And spend from that which We have provided you.'
[al-Munifiqun, 63: 10]
(Wa-anfiqu mimma razaqnakum.)
They maintained that these duties, far from being abrogated by the 'Verse of zakat' [9:60], form part of the mutual obligations of all Muslims. In other words, whenever a well-to-do Muslim encounters one who is in need, it is incumbent upon him to relieve that need, over and above his payment of the Alms.
The correct legal opinion in this matter is that the relief of pressing need is a collective duty, resting on the Community as a whole, since a Muslim cannot be allowed to perish.
It may be argued that a well-to-do person is not obliged to pay for the relief of want except by way of a loan, and that no donation can be required of him once he has discharged his due by giving his Alms. It could also be argued that he is nevertheless required to make a donation and that lending is impermissible, i.e. it is not permissible to burden the poor with the acceptance of a loan. There is no unanimity on this question.


Thirdly, to resort to lending is to descend to the final level of ordinary people. Those who belong to this third group confine themselves to the bare fulfilment of duty, neither more nor less. This is the lowest degree, the limit to which all ordinary people confine themselves because of their miserliness, their attachment to money and the feebleness of their love of the Hereafter, As God, Exalted is He, said:
'If He were to ask your possessions of you, and press you to give most of them, you would be miserly.'
[Muhammad, 47: 37]
What a difference between a servant whose property and person God has bought, with Paradise as the price, and one He does not even ask to give all of it because he is so miserly!


(b) ELIMINATION OF MISERLINESS

The Divine decree by which God, Glorified is He, bids His servants to expend their wealth, is also significant in respect of purging the habit of miserliness, which is one of the deadly sins. As the Prophet, on him be peace, said: 'Three are deadly: avarice indulged, passion pursued and self-conceit.' (Al-Manawi)
And in the words of God, Exalted is He:
'Those who are shielded from their own greed, they are
the ones who will prosper.' [al-Hashr, 59: 9]
The habit of miserliness is only eliminated by making oneself accustomed to spending money, for to break an attachment one must force oneself away till a new habit is formed.
From this point of view, therefore, Zakat signifies purgation, in that he who pays the Alms is purged of the deadly evil of miserliness. The purity he acquires is in proportion to his outlay, to his delight in giving away and to his joy in spending for the sake of God, Exalted is He.

(c) EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE

The third factor is gratitude for benefits received, for the servant is indebted to God, Great and Glorious is He, for, bounties both personal and material. Bodily acts of worship are an expression of gratitude for bodily blessings, while financial acts of worship express gratitude for material bounty.
How mean one must be to see a poor man in needy straits, and yet be unwilling to give up two-and-a-half or ten per cent of one's wealth in token of one's gratitude to God, Exalted is He, for sparing one the need to beg as others must.