الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي أحب لنفسه الكرم والجود، وجعله لعباده من الخُلُق المحمود، نحمده تعالى ونستعينه، ونشكره تعالى ونستغفره ونستغيثه، نعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهد الله فهو المهتد ومن يضلل فلن تجد له وليا مرشدا، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك و له الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشهد أن سيدنا و مولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، وحبيبه وصفيه، بلغ الرسالة وأدى الأمانة ونصح الأمة، النبي الأمي الذي أرسله الله بالهدى والدين الحق، بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة، صلى الله عليه وسلم وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين
أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم. ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما. اتقوالله فيما امر وانتهوا عما نها عنه وزجر
قال الله تعالي في كتابه الكريم ؛ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَى وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَى وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّى
Allah says, in His Noble Book, the translation of which is, “As for him who gives out, and has taqwa and confirms the Good, We will pave his way to Ease. But as for him, who is stingy and self-satisfied, and denies the Good, We will pave his way to Difficulty. His wealth, will not help him, when he plummets to the depths.”
One of key characteristics, of the people of Allah is concern for his creation. They hate to see their fellow creatures, struggling and going without. They are not tight-fisted, with the good that has come their way from their Lord, but rather liberal and open-handed, spending out of their time, energy, words and wealth where they are most needed.
According to the mufassirin, this ayat is a description and praise of Sayyidina Abu Bakr, and the first characteristic with which he is described here is ‘aṭā’ – giving. It was that quality which brought him ease, in this life and the Next, and that quality that brought him and his deen benefit. During the expedition of Tabuk, the messenger called for alms. It was Abu Bakr who
brought all he had of his property, the messenger of Allah asked, what did you leave for your family?
He replied ; I left Allah and his messenger for them.
The Messenger of Allah said,
مانفعني مال قط ، مانفعني مال ابي بكر
No wealth has ever brought me such benefit as the wealth of Abu Bakr.” Sayyidina Abu Bakr understood from where it all came all that he had. Allah says,
امنوا بالله ورسوله وانفقوا مما جعلكم مستخلفين فيه
the translation of which is, “Believe in Allah and His Messenger and give of that to which He has made you successors.” In other words, we are simply custodians of the wealth of Allah, and our job with respect to that wealth, is but to make sure that it gets to where it is meant to go. If we fulfil our jobs well, then we will have earned the Pleasure of our Lord, but if we stand in the way, and act as a blockage and an impediment, hoarding it and preventing it from moving on, we will have incurred His wrath and displeasure. For our Lord did not create wealth to be hoarded and stored away, but rather to act as the lifeblood of a society. Allah says,
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ اَلِيمِ
the translation of which is, “Those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah, give them the good news of a painful punishment.”
A person does not have to be a rich man, to benefit from the act of giving. Every man and woman has the capacity to give, no
matter how poor, because we have all been given great gifts from our Lord – whether that be strength, knowledge, and the giving of any of those things is considered sadaqa. Indeed, any time you do something good for another person, it is sadaqa. The Messenger of Allah said,
كل معروف صدقة
Every good deed is a sadaqa.” So, do not let your circumstances prevent you from joining the ranks of the giving. But, instead, use every opportunity provided to you. If you find your companions down, then give of your contentment and happiness. The Messenger of Allah said,
كل معروف صدقة وإن من المعروف أن تلقى أخاك بوجهٍ طَلقٍ
Every good deed is a sadaqa. And it is a good deed to meet your brother with a smiling face.” If your companions are being denigrated and demeaned, then give of your words to speak up on their behalf and defend their honour. The Messenger of Allah said,
وما وقى به المرء عرضه كُتب له به صدقة
Whatever means you use to defend the honour will be written for you as a sadaqa.” If your companions have slipped up and gone off the straight path, or are confronted with a choice and do not know which way to go, then give them of your wisdom and advice and give them guidance. The Messenger of Allah said,
كُلُ معروفٍ صدقة، والدالُ على الخير كفاعله
Every good deed is a sadaqa. And whoever guides to what is good is like the one who did that good action.” The opportunities for giving are endless, and sometimes do not even require action. Having a good opinion of your brother or making an intention to help him, even if you never do so, are all acts of sadaqa and grant you access to the circle of the people of giving. The Messenger of Allah used to always emphasise the importance of giving to his Companions. One time, he said to them,
على كل مسلم في كل يوم صدقة
It is an obligation on every Muslim that he give sadaqa every day.” Some of the Companions were shocked by this, knowing that their were people among them who very poor and needy and knowing how people’s circumstances changed on a daily basis. One day, they might have wealth to hand, but on another day, they might have nothing. So they said to him,
يا رسول الله و من يطيق هذا
Messenger of Allah, who could possibly manage that?” He replied,
إن تسليمك على الرجل صدقة، وإماطتك الأذى عن الطريق صدقة، وعيادتك المريض صدقة، وإغاثتك الملهوف صدقة، وهدايتك الطريق صدقة، وكل معروف صدقة
To greet another man is sadaqa, to remove something harmful from the road is sadaqa, to visit someone who is ill is sadaqa, to help someone who is in difficulty is sadaqa, to give someone directions is sadaqa. Every good deed is an act of sadaqa.”
أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، صلى الله وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وصحبه، والتابعين وتابعي التابعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين. أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته وأحذركم وإياي عن معصيته ومخالفته
The amazing thing about sadaqa, despite the fact that it is an act of giving out, an act of expenditure, an act of something that you have being used up or leaving your possession, the amazing thing is that it never entails loss or decrease. By giving something away, you never become poorer. Instead, your life in this world and your life in the Next become enriched beyond compare. You will enjoy a life of baraka, you will enjoy a life of ease. The Prophet said,
مَا نَقَصَ مَالُ عَبْدٍ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ
A person’s wealth is never decreased by sadaqa.” And Allah says,
يَمْحَقُ اللَّهُ الرِّبَا وَيُرْبِي الصَّدَقَاتِ
the translation of which is, “Allah obliterates riba but makes sadaqa grow in value!” It grows in value in this world and it grows in value with Allah. As for this world, the more generous and liberal a person is with his wealth, the more his wealth in this world continues to increase. When he gives, he is given. This is tried and tested, and even the degree of that increase is known to the people of Allah. There is a famous story of Rabi’ al-Adawiyya. Two men of Allah came to visit her at the same time as a beggar came to her door. She only had two loaves of bread so she gave them to the beggar. Then, but a few moments later, there came a knocking at the door and it was as serving girl, bearing eighteen loaves of bread. The girl said that her mistress had sent them for her, but when Rabia had counted them, she sent the servant girl back, saying, “These cannot be for me.” So the servant girl, who had secretly eaten two of the loaves, went back to her mistress, who gave her two more loaves and she brought the twenty back to Rabi’, who took them and served them to her guests. When they asked about what she had done, she replied, “When I saw you both, I knew you were hungry and that two loaves would not suffice. So I gave them away, remembering Allah’s promise that for every one you give, He gives ten. But when only eighteen came back, I knew something was either wrong with my dua or some of them had been taken. So I sent them back in the expectation of the full recompense from my Lord.” And as for the increase in the Next World, sadaqa paves the way to the Janna, bringing a person ease at every stage until he gets there. The Prophet said,
إن الصدقة لتطفئ عن أهلها حر القبور
Sadaqa extinguishes the flames and abates the heat of the grave for those who have given it.” And he said,
وإنما يستظل المؤمن يوم القيامة في ظل صدقته
On the Day of Qiyama [when everyone stands in the plains before their Lord and there is no shade from the burning sun], the believer will find shade in the shadow of his sadaqa.” The value of sadaqa and the rewards of giving cannot be quantified. There are no downsides, only upsides, so do not let a fear of poverty stop you. Make giving a part of your being, continue to give until it is second nature. And if you find nothing to give, then give of yourself. And if you are too weak in your body to give of yourself, then give of your wisdom and knowledge. And if you lack for knowledge, then spread good cheer. All of it is sadaqa and all of it will find acceptance with your Lord and bring you increase in this world and the Next. We ask our Lord to make us people who give without hesitation and whose gifts always go to where they are needed.
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله في سورة النور أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شَيْخِنَا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ، وَاخْذُلِ الْكُفْرَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ، وَانْصُرِ المُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ. وَاجْعَلْ كَلِمََتَكَ هِيَ العُلْيَا وَكَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ هِيَ السُّفْلَى
رَبَّنَا ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقَِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ