By: Shaheed Ayatullah Abdul Husain Dastghaib Shirazi
In the following Qur’anic ayats Allah (S.w.T.) promises that anything spent in Allah (S.w.T.)’s way will be amply rewarded both in this world and the hereafter,
“…and He causes Charitable deeds to prosper.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2: 276)
“…and whatever thing you spend, He exceeds it in reward, and He is the best of Sustainers.” (Surah Saba 34: 39)
“…and whatever you give in charity, desiring Allah’s pleasure it is these (persons) that shall get manifold.” (Surah ar-Rūm 30: 39)
Paying Zakat and spending it in the prescribed manner increases one’s wealth. The stingy and the niggardly believe that they will be impoverished if they spend in Allah (S.w.T.)’s ways, in direct contradiction to what Allah (S.w.T.) has promised in His holy Qur’an and the traditions of Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s.), some of which are mentioned below.
In the sermon of Fadak, Janabe Fatimah Zahra (S) says,
“Allah has appointed faith for purifying you from polytheism and made prayer Wajib to cleanse you from pride and arrogance. Made Zakat obligatory to purify you from miserliness and parsimony. (so that man is imbued with the goodly quality of charitableness and is purified of the impurity of sinful deeds). And this is also the cause for increasing your sustenance.”
It is related from Hazrat Amir ul-Mu’minīn ‘Ali (a.s.): “One who spends for a good cause is recompensed by Allah in this world and there is also an increase in his reward of the hereafter.” (al-Kāfi)
‘Ali (a.s.) also said,
“Seek the sustenance through Sadaqah” (Wasa’il ul-Shia Vol. 6 page 259)
It is mentioned in the book Oddatud Dai that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) asked his son,
“How much amount is there for household expenses?”
“Forty Dinars,” replied the son.
Imam (a.s.) told him give in charity all the forty Dinars. The son said that there was nothing else apart from the forty Dinars. Imam (a.s.) said,
“You donate all of it in charity, the Almighty Allah will recompense it. Don’t you know that there is a key to everything? And the key to sustenance is Sadaqah.” His son Muhammad gave away the forty Dinars in charity, Ten days had hardly passed when Imam (a.s.) received four thousand Dinars. He told his son,
“O Son! We had given forty Dinars and Allah gave us four thousand in return.”
Amir ul-Mu’minīn ‘Ali (a.s.) says in Nahjul Balagha that whenever poverty strikes, you must trade with Allah by giving Sadaqah.
Imam Riďa (a.s.) asked his slave,
“Have you given anything in the way of Allah today?”
“No! By Allah,” replied the slave.
“Then how would Allah give us anything in return?” said Imam (a.s.).
Explaining the Qur’anic Verse,
“…and whatever thing you spend, He exceeds it in reward and He is the best of sustainers.” (Surah Saba 34: 39)
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said,
“Do you think Allah goes back on His word?”
“No!” replied the narrator,
“Then why do you not receive the recompense of your charity?”
“I don’t know”, said the narrator.
Imam (a.s.) said, “If one of you acquires Halāl sustenance and spends even a Dirham from it, he is certainly recompensed for it.” (al-Kāfi Vol. 2 page 595)
It means that if he is not recompensed, either the money was acquired unlawfully or it was spent in an illegal way.
There are numerous Qur’anic Verses and traditions on this subject also but we shall be content with those quoted so far.