Where to Spend!
Our heart is rest at whatever place our money is. For instance, if we invest in a business, shares etc. we would naturally keep updating ourselves about latest information (profit or loss) regarding the project where we spent. If we have deposited our money in a bank, we would keep an eye on the bank statements and comparative profit ratios etc. Jesus (sws) therefore advised once that we ought to keep our treasures with our Lord so that our heart remains entwined therewith. In other words, if we spend our earnings in His Cause, we will instinctively feel more attached to Him. But how can we spend in His Way?
It could be by helping a needy, whether it is a relative, a neighbour, a wayfarer, an orphan, a lady waiting to get married, or a student. We ought not to forget that spending to help the scholars working hard to spread His the religion, the Qur’ān and the Holy Prophet’s message is also counted as spending in God’s way.
The benefit we derive from spending is twofold. It not only brings us closer to God but also helps us develop unfailing ties with His people.
However, we must keep in mind that there could be an evil aspect to this good deed. We should never anticipate reward from those we have helped by spending our money. We must be clear in mind that this was done for His pleasure only and as such look forward to receiving reward from Him alone.1
Generally our Muslim brothers and sisters think that spending means only giving out money for building a mosque or for supporting orphans etc. Of course these are also the avenues where if one spends with right intention will be rewarded by the Lord in this world and in the Hereafter; but we must not ignore a very important avenue which has sadly been completely forgotten by Muslim governments. Obviously, I mean by this ‘research work in Islamic sciences and dissemination of the truth’.
How can we ignore the importance of spreading the truth through media in today’s age when evil is being spread with all its might in many faces and forms? Millions of dollars are being spent for this purpose. Pornography, drugs and war ammunition are the three biggest avenues as well as sources for money spending and earning today. People have a lustful desire for entering such enterprises.
Throwing money to show-off is a part of fashion today. Recently a number of plates were sold in Berks, UK for 65,000 pounds for the mere fact that it reads K1NG (king)!
How much we spend for our own life! Shopping at a supermarket for a week costs most of us at least $100; isn’t that too big relative to our minimal spending in the way of God? Would it be very hard then to set aside at least $10 a week to spend for the cause of good?
It should be appreciated that this latter spending will be reserved and multiplied whereas what we spend for in this world (food, clothing, decors, cosmetics, entertainments, pets) all is gone – once and for all.
We ought to remember that even a penny can be more precious and beneficial because of sincerity of intention as the beloved Prophet (sws) spread the dates presented by a labourer over all the collections because of the love he had and the hard earned dates he offered.
The Holy Qur’ān says that we should keep spending in the way of Allah not only in affluence but also when we are facing financial problems. Of course, the extent of spending will be monitored by our common sense in the latter case. However it is evident that Allah wants us to continue to spend and never hold back. The fabulous reward of this is the love of Allah. The Qur’ān reads:
Those who spend [of that which Allah has given them] in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind [are in fact righteous people]; Allah loves such righteous people. (3:134)
1. Based on Islahi’s explanation of the benefits of spending (Amīn Ahsan Islahī, Tazkiyah-i-Nafs vol. 1, (Faisalabad: Malik Sons, 1997), pp.251-6)