On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him):
“Some people from amongst the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), ‘O Messenger of Allah, the affluent have made off with the rewards; they pray as we pray, they fast as we fast, and they give [much] in charity by virtue of their wealth.’ He (peace be upon him) said, ‘Has not Allah made things for you to give in charity? Truly every tasbeehah [saying subhan-Allah] is a charity, and every takbeerah [saying Allahu akbar] is a charity, and every tahmeedah [saying alhamdulillah] is a charity, and every tahleelah [saying la ilaha illAllah] is a charity. And commanding the good is a charity, and forbidding an evil is a charity, and in the sexual act of each one of you there is a charity.’ They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, when one of us fulfills his sexual desire, will he have some reward for that?’ He (peace be upon him) said: ‘Do you not see that if he were to act upon it [his desire] in an unlawful manner, then he would be deserving of punishment? Likewise, if he were to act upon it in a lawful manner, then he will be deserving of a reward.'”
[Muslim]
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ:
“نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالُوا لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ذَهَبَ أَهْلُ الدُّثُورِ بِالْأُجُورِ؛ يُصَلُّونَ كَمَا نُصَلِّي، وَيَصُومُونَ كَمَا نَصُومُ، وَيَتَصَدَّقُونَ بِفُضُولِ أَمْوَالِهِمْ. قَالَ: أَوَلَيْسَ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مَا تَصَّدَّقُونَ؟ إنَّ بِكُلِّ تَسْبِيحَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَكْبِيرَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَحْمِيدَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَهْلِيلَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَأَمْرٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ، وَنَهْيٌ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ صَدَقَةٌ، وَفِي بُضْعِ أَحَدِكُمْ صَدَقَةٌ. قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيَأْتِي أَحَدُنَا شَهْوَتَهُ وَيَكُونُ لَهُ فِيهَا أَجْرٌ؟ قَالَ: أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ وَضَعَهَا فِي حَرَامٍ أَكَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرٌ؟ فَكَذَلِكَ إذَا وَضَعَهَا فِي الْحَلَالِ، كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرٌ”.
[رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ].
This hadith draws our attention to how the Companions sought to compete with one another for the hereafter and in seeking the reward of Allah (swt). The level of concern the Companions of the Prophet (sas) had to constantly seek opportunities to carry out good deeds is evident in this hadith. Although there is nothing wrong with wanting to be wealthy with the intention that we may give in charity and gain reward from Allah (swt), the Prophet (sas) directs our attention to how Allah (swt) has provided many ways a believer can give in charity regardless of one’s situation in life. Remembering Allah (swt), benefitting others and performing acts in a permissible way are all considered charity. Our concern should be seeking the Pleasure of Allah (swt) in as many ways as possible.
Charity in a Comprehensive Sense
This hadith contains a number of points. The first is that the Companions of the Prophet (sas) were always constant in their quest to figure out the best way to worship Allah (swt), how they can improve their relationship with Allah (swt), and how they can carry out more righteous actions. In this hadith, these Companions are looking at the situation where they felt limited in their ability to give in charity (these Companions are from amongst the poor of the companions). They pray and fast as the wealthy Companions do, but when it comes to charity they don’t have the means to give as the rich do and come to the conclusion that the rich are beating them to attain good deeds in this regard.
Note the things the Companions are focusing on. We often say Islam is not only about the acts of praying, fasting or giving charity. We say this so that people do not have a simplistic understanding of what Islam is. However, at the same time, we need to recognize that these acts are the foundations of spiritual development in Islam and are the foundations to increase in our closeness to Allah (swt). Because the Companions knew the importance of fasting, prayer and charity, they are telling the Prophet (sas) that these are the things that they focus on, but are concerned that that the rich have an edge on them when it comes to charity. The Prophet (sas) tells these Companions that Allah (swt) has given them many avenues to do charity. The Prophet (sas) reminds them that actions such as making dhikr (saying Alhamdulilah, subhana Allah, Allahu Akbar, etc), enjoining in the good, forbidding the evil, giving good speech, and (in a different narration) spending on one’s family are all considered as acts of charity.
The important concept taught by the Prophet (sas) is the expanded definition of what it means to be a charitable person. We often look at ourselves and think “how can I be a charitable person? How can I be a person who has a spirit of giving and a spirit of compassion to those around me?” This hadith teaches us that it is not only through the giving of our wealth that we can achieve this. We see in another hadith that the Prophet (sas) expands our understanding of the definition of charity by saying that smiling is an act of charity and removing something from the road is charity and so on. Acting in a way that affects someone else in a positive way is considered as an act charity. All of these forms of charity are ways to get closer to Allah.
Expressing Things in a Permissible and Praiseworthy Way
The last point in this hadith is one that many people are shy to talk about but it deals with a concept rather than the particular act itself. There is something natural inside human beings towards the opposite gender and a natural tendency to desire affection and want to be loved. The Prophet (sas) tells his companions that there are two possibilities in how you can express that internal desire. Either you can express it in a way that is permissible or a way that is not. He (sas) is clarifying that as long as you express it in a way that is permissible, then that is also an act of charity and something you will be rewarded for. This is important because it changes the psychology of how we look at things. Many times when someone is told something is forbidden, the psychology of the person becomes “everything in Islam is negative”. Just as there are some things that are not allowed, there are many more things that are allowed. As long as we put our efforts in that which is permissible and praiseworthy then we get rewarded for it as long as we are purposely staying away from what is forbidden.
True Appreciation from Allah
Within human beings there is a natural desire to be appreciated. However, we are taught that there are many different ways in which we can go about achieving this:
- You can be appreciated for doing bad things
- You can be appreciated through seeking the appreciation of people
- You can be appreciated by doing what you are supposed to do and know that Allah will recognize that good
It is more important to be appreciated by Allah than by the people. One of the consequences of doing what Allah wants from us is that we will be appreciated by people as well-but the beauty of it is that is merely a secondary consideration. The primary consideration is that obeying Allah (swt) to gain His love. When Allah loves us, as narrated in another hadith, He (swt) will tell Jebril (as) to love us and when Jebril (as) loves us then he will tell the other angels to love us and when they love us they will go and spread our love amongst the people on the earth. Within this example we see how to seek true popularity and true appreciation in a way that is praiseworthy and permissible according to the teaching of Islam.
Conclusion
The main message of this hadith is that many Companions were coming to the Prophet (sas) and saying they do not have the same opportunities as others when it comes to giving in charity. The Prophet (sas) corrects that understanding and expands on the definition of what it means to be a charitable person. There are many ways to worship Allah and gain His Pleasure and we should take advantage of all of these possibilities. If we do, then we will have the same potential to earn the reward of Allah (saw) as anyone else.
Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sas) said,
“Every joint of a person must perform a charity each day that the sun rises: to judge justly between two people is a charity. To help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it, is a charity. And the good word is a charity. And every step that you take towards the prayer is a charity, and removing a harmful object from the road is a charity.”
Related by Bukhari & Muslim
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم
“كُلُّ سُلَامَى مِنْ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ صَدَقَةٌ، كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَطْلُعُ فِيهِ الشَّمْسُ تَعْدِلُ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَتُعِينُ الرَّجُلَ فِي دَابَّتِهِ فَتَحْمِلُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ تَرْفَعُ لَهُ عَلَيْهَا مَتَاعَهُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَالْكَلِمَةُ الطَّيِّبَةُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَبِكُلِّ خُطْوَةٍ تَمْشِيهَا إلَى الصَّلَاةِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَتُمِيطُ الْأَذَى عَنْ الطَّرِيقِ صَدَقَةٌ”.
[رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ] ، [وَمُسْلِمٌ].
This hadith elaborates on the different forms of charity. There are three hundred and sixty joints in the human body and charity is due upon each one as a form of gratitude to Allah (swt). Being able to be just between individuals, walking towards the masjid for prayer, and removing harmful objects from the road are all considered as acts of charity.
Fulfilling Gratitude Through Charity
Every person’s joints and bones have a responsibility on them every day. Thus, performing charity for this blessing extends into the concept of gratitude. Allah (swt) has given us many blessings, including our bones, our joints, and the way our body comes together. The fact that they do so in the most beautiful and amazing way means that there is charity due upon us. This charity is an act of gratitude for what Allah (swt) has given us. Gratitude is not something only said by the tongue or felt by the heart, but something that manifests itself in one’s actions.
Reconciliation Between two People
The Prophet (sas) mentions in this hadith that to reconcile and be just between two people is an act of charity. This can sometimes be difficult because you might be in the middle of a conflict or situation and there are biased considerations because of the people involved. You might have relations or a responsibility to one or the other. Therefore, it becomes more difficult to be just. Maybe one person is richer, one is more powerful, one is a friend, or even one might be from your country. However, putting aside these points and being just between people is an act of charity.
Assisting Individuals
In modern days, helping someone with “their animal” is in relation to our cars. Acts such as opening the car door for a person or carrying something to their car is considered charity. As society spreads out even more and people become more distrustful of others, they may look at these actions as strange. However, as a general principle, if we see someone who could use some help, we should help them. If you can help individuals cross the street or carry some groceries for people, then do so. Keep in mind that this does not apply to strangers only. You should help your family and others you know as well. These are important etiquettes Sheikh Abdel Fattah Abu Ghuddah mentioned in his book, Islamic Manners. He mentions that the people that are the most beloved to you are the ones who are the most deserving of these manners. He also states that most people are lax with the ones they love but they should have the highest standard of character from you. Thus, to assist people is not only for strangers, but also for our families.
A Good Word is Charity
Saying a good word is very powerful and can really positively change people’s lives, as well as their days, just as a bad word can have the opposite effect. Saying a good word is a powerful and noble thing that should be practiced. If we practice the art of saying the right thing at the right time, then eventually we can be that kind of person. If we practice saying whatever we want and whenever we feel like it, without any consideration of the consequences, then we will be that kind of person. Thus, we should seek to engage in saying good words.
Steps Towards the Prayer
Every step we take towards the prayer is considered an act of charity. In the modern context, every rotation of the tire or every bit of road that you cross in order to get to the masjid is an act of charity. This also takes care of the gratitude.
Clearing the Pathways
The last point mentioned in this hadith is that to remove something from the road is considered charity. This is more common than we might think, since there are things that fall onto the road all the time that we can easily remove. If you attend the masjid, a good thing you can do to remove harmful things from the pathway is to take the slippers and shoes out of the hallway. It is a good opportunity to get charity by clearing the pathways in the house of worship.
Conclusion
This hadith is another way that the Prophet (sas) is reminding us of gratitude to Allah (swt). He gives us multiple avenues by which we can show our gratitude and multiple avenues where we can be charitable. These include assisting people, saying something nice, clearing something harmful from the pathway, and more.
On the authority of an-Nawas bin Sam’an (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Righteousness is in good character, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul, and which you dislike people finding out about.”
[Muslim]
And on the authority of Wabisah bin Ma’bad (may Allah be pleased with him) who said,
“I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and he (peace be upon him) said, ‘You have come to ask about righteousness.’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He (peace be upon him) said, ‘Consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels at ease and the heart feels tranquil. And wrongdoing is that which wavers in the soul and causes uneasiness in the breast, even though people have repeatedly given their legal opinion [in its favour].'”
A good hadeeth transmitted from the musnads of the two imams, Ahmed bin Hambal and Al-Darimi, with a good chain of authorities.
عَنْ النَّوَّاسِ بْنِ سَمْعَانَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ:
“الْبِرُّ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ، وَالْإِثْمُ مَا حَاكَ فِي صَدْرِك، وَكَرِهْت أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ” رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ”
[رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ]
وَعَنْ وَابِصَةَ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ:
أَتَيْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم فَقَالَ: “جِئْتَ تَسْأَلُ عَنْ الْبِرِّ؟ قُلْت: نَعَمْ. فقَالَ: استفت قلبك، الْبِرُّ مَا اطْمَأَنَّتْ إلَيْهِ النَّفْسُ، وَاطْمَأَنَّ إلَيْهِ الْقَلْبُ، وَالْإِثْمُ مَا حَاكَ فِي النَّفْسِ وَتَرَدَّدَ فِي الصَّدْرِ، وَإِنْ أَفْتَاك النَّاسُ وَأَفْتَوْك” .
حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، رَوَيْنَاهُ في مُسْنَدَي الْإِمَامَيْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ [رقم:4/227]، وَالدَّارِمِيّ [2/246] بِإِسْنَادٍ حَسَنٍ.
Righteousness ‘Bir’ is in Good Character
“Righteousness (al-Bir) is in good character,” is a statement of the Prophet (saws) that points to good character being the greatest characteristic of Bir. Bir is what encourages people to perform righteous actions, and is associated with Al-Abraar – righteous, pious people who are obedient to Allah (swt).
Bir encompasses many characteristics: justice in one’s dealings, kindness, consideration in one’s endeavors, being generous in offering help, as well as other traits of the believers whom Allah (swt) has described by saying:
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ (1)
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَٰشِعُونَ (2)
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ (3)
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَٰعِلُونَ (4)
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَٰفِظُونَ (5)
إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ (6)
فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ (7)
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَٰنَٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ (8)
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ (9)
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ (10)
“Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their Salat with all solemnity and full submissiveness. And those who turn away from Al-Laghuw (dirty, false, evil, vain talk). And those who pay the Zakat. And those who guard their chastity. Except from their wives or (the captives and slaves) that their right hands possess, for then, they are free from blame; but whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors; those who are faithfully true to their Amanat (all the duties which Allah has ordained, honesty, trusts, etc.) and to their covenants; and those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawat (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours). These are indeed the inheritors [of Paradise].” [Surah al-Mu’minoon, 23:1-10]
Whoever is unsure of his condition, he should measure these characteristics within himself; if he finds in himself these good qualities, then this is a sign of possessing good character. If he finds that he does not possess any of these characteristics, this is a sign of bad character. If he finds only some of them, then he should strive to retain what he possesses and to obtain what he does not.
Sin is What Wavers or Trembles Your Soul
Sin causes aversion or dislike in the heart; it is that thing which wavers in the breast, and the individual hates that people should come to know of it. The commentators of this hadith stress that the ‘people’ referred to in this hadith are respected and righteous people. Ustadh Jamaludin Zarabozo states that in this hadith, the Prophet (saws) gave very important signs of sin. The first one is an internal sign within the human being: a feeling of aversion in the soul with respect to the particular act. The second sign also involves internal feelings, but deals with the outward reaction to the act itself: sin causes a wholesome soul to be uneasy and troubled. These signs occur because a person is naturally disposed to favor what leads to positive results and avoid what leads to negative results.
Consult Your Heart
Allah has created us with a pure, innate disposition that is called fitra. This means to love the truth and the good, and to hate falsehood and evil. Consequently, good believers with pure fitra should never confuse truth with falsehood.
To develop the capacity of knowing right from wrong in your heart, you have to realize that what’s good in your heart can be affected by what you consume in terms of ideas and knowledge. So the more you know about the Prophet (sas) – who he was, how he acted in different situations – the more you will be able to distinguish right from wrong. Get to know the Prophet (sas) so you know how he will act in any context.
The second hadith guides us to consult our heart regarding doubtful matters. If the heart is tranquil, that implies that it has bir or righteousness. If the heart is not tranquil when approaching an act, one should abstain from carrying out the act or doubtful matter. However, it should be noted that fitra is subject to corruption and can be spoiled due to the influence of a bad environment – a person may start to like and appreciate what is bad or evil, and dislike truth and goodness. Here, the heart is diseased or even dead. Such a person cannot use his heart as a measure to judge what is good and bad because the fitra is already corrupted.
Prophet Muhammad (sas) said even if other people over and over again give their opinion, yet you still have that feeling in your heart, even with their badgering or reassurance, your fitra is what is giving you that feeling and that is a sign of what you should do. The fact that they keep pushing you, and your soul still waivers, is proof that this is something wrong. Even if you’re uneasy and the thing you were considering turns out to be permissible, it’s best to follow your heart in that gray area.
The Internal Controlling and Guiding System
These two ahadith reveal a significant aspect of Islam: our internal guiding system. This system is established as a result of several factors:
- The pure fitra (natural disposition). Allah created everybody with a pure fitra, not just Muslims. The Prophet (sas) mentions many factors in the environment that play an influential role in subjecting the fitra to corruption.
- The realization of tawhid (Oneness of Allah). This means practicing all the essentials of tawhid like loving Allah, seeking His Help as the only refuge, depending on Him (tawakul), asking for His Mercy, and many other essentials associated with the idea of tawhid.
- Adhering to shari’ah instructions.
- Seeking knowledge.
- Tazkiyah and tarbiyah – that is the purification of the soul and the heart of the Muslim.
These factors, along with many others, are interrelated and lead to the establishment of the internal controlling system. However, this system needs to be ‘updated’ and ‘upgraded’ regularly by educators and da’ies. It is very important that educators and da’ies pay attention to the individual’s and the community’s built-in system. They have to create awareness about contemporary challenges. They should plan future strategies to deal with such challenges.
Only through such proper reconstruction of the consciousness can we be certain about the validity and effectiveness of the internal controlling system. Muslims need to be aware of this fact, and activate their system in order to be sensitive towards doubtful acts and sinful matters. Unless this system is ‘upgraded’, the person may not act in the right way. It is like installing ‘anti-virus software’ within ourselves: with such software in place, our internal system will prevent ‘viruses’, i.e. bad/evil acts, from entering our thoughts or hearts.
