Quranic Encouragement for Spending in the Way of Allah Almighty

Teachings of the Holy Quran

Quranic Encouragement for spending in the Way of Allah Almighty

Mawlana Rashid Ali Attari Madani

The noble Quran presents teachings, objectives, goals, etiquettes, encouragements, warnings, avenues of expenditure, and many other important aspects regarding “اِنْفاق فی سبيل اللہ”, spending in the way of Allah. Quranic motivations were published in the previous monthly instalment. In this article, we will explore further Quranic encouragements, worldly advantages, benefits in the Hereafter, and categories of expenditure related to اِنْفاق فی سبيل اللہ.

Encouragement to spend in the way of Allah Almighty through the condemnation of miserliness

Those who are invited to spend in the way of Allah Almighty are indeed fortunate. As for those who act miserly, Allah Almighty will replace them with generous people, as mentioned in Surah Muhammad:

ھۤاَنْتُمْ ھٰۤؤُلَآءِ  تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنْفِقُوْا فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰہِ ۚ فَمِنْکُمْ  مَّنْ یَّبْخَلُ ۚ وَ مَنْ یَّبْخَلْ  فَاِنَّمَا یَبْخَلُ عَنْ نَّفْسِہٖ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ الْغَنِیُّ  وَ اَنْتُمُ الْفُقَرَآءُ ۚ وَ اِنْ  تَتَوَلَّوْا یَسْتَبْدِلْ  قَوْمًا غَیْرَکُمْ ۙ ثُمَّ  لَا یَکُوْنُوْۤا  اَمْثَالَکُمْ (۳۸)

Yes, it is you who are called upon to spend in the way of Allah. So some among you are miserly and whosoever is miserly is only miserly, against himself. Allah is the Infinitely Independent while you are all dependent. And if you turn away, He will replace you with other people, then they will not be like you.[1]

Spending in the way of Allah: A trade with Allah Almighty

Those who spend in the way of Allah Almighty are engaging in a trade with their Generous Lord, one in which there is absolutely no loss, as mentioned in Surah Fāṭir:

اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ یَتْلُوْنَ  کِتٰبَ اللّٰہِ  وَ اَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ  وَ اَنْفَقُوْا مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ سِرًّا وَّ عَلَانِیَۃً  یَّرْجُوْنَ  تِجَارَۃً  لَّنْ تَبُوْرَ (ۙ۲۹)

Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish the prayer and they spend secretly and publicly from the sustenance We have provided them hoping for a business that will certainly not perish.[2]

Spending in the way of Allah: An Act of Obedience to Allah

Spending in the way of Allah Almighty is a means of attaining the honour of obeying Allah Almighty. It is stated in Surah al-Shūrā:

وَ الَّذِیْنَ اسْتَجَابُوْا لِرَبِّہِمْ وَ اَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ ۪ وَ اَمْرُھُمْ شُوْرٰی بَیْنَہُمْ ۪ وَ مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ  یُنْفِقُوْنَ (ۚ۳۸)

And those who obeyed their Lord and established the prayer, and their matter is with consultation between themselves, and they spend ˹in Our Way˺ some of the sustenance We have provided them.[3]

The full reward of spending in the way of Allah Almighty

The wealth spent in the way of Allah Almighty will be rewarded many times over, as stated in Surah al-Baqarah:

وَ مَا تُنْفِقُوْا مِنْ خَیْرٍ یُّوَفَّ اِلَیْکُمْ وَ اَنْتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُوْنَ (۲۷۲)

And whatever good you will spend will be recompensed to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.[4]

Spending in the way of Allah: A means of attaining proximity to Allah Almighty

Spending in the way of Allah Almighty is a means of attaining nearness to Allah Almighty and His mercy, as mentioned in Surah al-Tawbah:

وَ مِنَ الْاَعْرَابِ مَنْ یُّؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الْیَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ  وَ یَتَّخِذُ مَا یُنْفِقُ قُرُبٰتٍ عِنْدَ اللّٰہِ وَ صَلَوٰتِ الرَّسُوْلِ ؕ اَلَاۤ اِنَّہَا قُرْبَۃٌ  لَّہُمْ ؕ سَیُدْخِلُہُمُ اللّٰہُ  فِیْ رَحْمَتِہٖ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ  غَفُوْرٌ  رَّحِیْمٌ  (۹۹)

And among the Bedouin are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and consider what they spend to be means to Allah’s nearness and a means of ˹attaining˺ prophetic supplications. Pay heed! Indeed that is a means of nearness for them. Soon Allah will make them enter His Mercy; surely Allah is Most-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.[5]

The Wealth spent in the way of Allah Almighty is safeguarded in His court

Everything spent in the way of Allah Almighty, whether small or large, is preserved in the court of Allah Almighty, and it will be rewarded in a better way, as mentioned in Surah al-Tawbah:

وَ لَا یُنْفِقُوْنَ نَفَقَۃً صَغِیْرَۃً وَّ لَا کَبِیْرَۃً  وَّ لَا یَقْطَعُوْنَ وَادِیًا اِلَّا کُتِبَ لَہُمْ لِیَجْزِیَہُمُ اللّٰہُ  اَحْسَنَ مَا کَانُوْا یَعْمَلُوْنَ (۱۲۱)

And whatever they spend, small or great, and any valley they cross, all is written for them that Allah may grant them recompense for the best of their deeds.[6]

Two-fold reward for spending in the way of Allah Almighty

Those who spend in the way of Allah Almighty will be granted double the reward, as stated in Surah al-Qaṣaṣ:

اُولٰٓئِکَ یُؤْتَوْنَ اَجْرَھُمْ مَّرَّتَیْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوْا وَ یَدْرَءُوْنَ بِالْحَسَنَۃِ  السَّیِّئَۃَ  وَ  مِمَّا  رَزَقْنٰہُمْ  یُنْفِقُوْنَ (۵۴)

They will be granted their reward doubled as they were patient, and they would repel evil with good, and they spend ˹in Our Way˺ from the sustenance We have provided them.[7]

Worldly benefits of spending in the way of Allah Almighty

Among the Quranic teachings about spending in the way of Allah Almighty is the mention of its worldly advantages.

Protection from destruction

Spending in the way of Allah Almighty is a means of protection from destruction, while not spending leads to ruin, as stated in Surah al-Baqarah:

وَ اَنْفِقُوْا فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰہِ وَ لَا تُلْقُوْا بِاَیْدِیْکُمْ  اِلَی التَّہْلُکَۃِ ۚ وَ اَحْسِنُوْا ۚ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ (۱۹۵)

And spend in the way of Allah, do not cast yourselves into destruction with your own hands, and do good—indeed, Allah loves those who do good.[8]

Promise of a better reward

Whatever a person spends in the way of Allah Almighty, He will grant him something better in return, as mentioned in Surah Sabaˈ:

قُلْ  اِنَّ رَبِّیْ یَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ یَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِہٖ وَ یَقْدِرُ لَہٗ ؕ وَ مَاۤ  اَنْفَقْتُمْ مِّنْ شَیْءٍ فَہُوَ یُخْلِفُہٗ ۚ وَ ھُوَ خَیْرُ الرّٰزِقِیْنَ (۳۹)

Say, “My Lord increases sustenance for whomsoever He wills from His people, and He lessens for whomsoever He wills. Whatever you spend in the way of Allah, He will give more in return; He is the Best of Providers.”[9]

Benefits in the Hereafter of spending in the way of Allah Almighty

The noble Quran highlights the importance of spending in the way of Allah Almighty through the rewards and benefits it brings in the Hereafter.

Promise of great reward and freedom from grief

Whether spending in the way of Allah Almighty is done in the darkness of night or the brightness of day, in secret or openly, if it is done solely to seek the pleasure of Allah Almighty, there are glad tidings of great reward and freedom from fear and grief. It is mentioned in Sūrah al-Baqarah:

اَلَّذِیْنَ یُنْفِقُوْنَ اَمْوَالَہُمْ بِالَّیْلِ وَ النَّہَارِ سِرًّا وَّ عَلَانِیَۃً فَلَہُمْ اَجْرُھُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّہِمْ ۚ وَ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْہِمْ وَ لَا ُھمْ یَحْزَنُوْنَ (۲۷۴)ؔ

Those who donate their wealth by night and by day, in secret or in public, there is reward for them with their Lord—and they shall neither have fear nor will they grieve.[10]

Promise of gardens of Paradise and eternal abodes

According to verses 15-17 of Surah Āl ꜤImrān, those who possess the noble quality of spending in the way of Allah Almighty are among the righteous servants of Allah Almighty, and for them are glad tidings of Paradise and heavenly maidens. Furthermore, in verses 133–134, those who spend in the way of Allah Almighty are included among the pious for whom Paradise is prepared, its expanse greater than that of the heavens and the Earth. Similarly, it is mentioned in Surah al-RaꜤd:

وَ الَّذِیْنَ صَبَرُوا ابْتِغَآءَ  وَجْہِ  رَبِّہِمْ  وَ اَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ  وَ  اَنْفَقُوْا  مِمَّا  رَزَقْنٰہُمْ سِرًّا وَّ عَلَانِیَۃً وَّ یَدْرَءُوْنَ بِالْحَسَنَۃِ السَّیِّئَۃَ  اُولٰٓئِکَ  لَہُمْ  عُقْبَی الدَّارِ (ۙ۲۲)

And those who adopt patience while seeking the pleasure of their Lord, and establish the prayer, and spend from that which We have provided them secretly and publicly and repel evil with righteousness; for those very people there is the ˹good˺ abode of the Hereafter.[11]

Avenues of spending in the way of Allah

Just as spending in the way of Allah Almighty is an important act, knowing its rightful avenues of expenditure is also essential. When people asked the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم about this matter, Allah Almighty provided guidance and outlined the avenues of spending in His way, such as on parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, and acts of goodness. It is mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah:

یَسْـَٔلُوْنَکَ مَا ذَا یُنْفِقُوْنَ ۬ؕ قُلْ مَاۤ اَنْفَقْتُمْ  مِّنْ خَیْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَیْنِ وَ الْاَقْرَبِیْنَ وَ الْیَتٰمٰی وَ الْمَسٰکِیْنِ وَ ابْنِ‌السَّبِیْلِ ؕ وَ مَا تَفْعَلُوْا مِنْ خَیْرٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ بِہٖ عَلِیْمٌ (۲۱۵)

They question you about what they should spend, say, “The wealth that you spend of good so that is for your parents, and close relations, and orphans, and the destitute, and the traveller, and whatever good you do, indeed, Allah knows it.”[12]

Surah al-Baqarah, verse 273 also mentions the rightful recipients of charity:

لِلْفُقَرَآءِ الَّذِیْنَ اُحْصِرُوْا فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰہِ لَا یَسْتَطِیْعُوْنَ ضَرْبًا فِی الْاَرْضِ ۫ یَحْسَبُہُمُ الْجَاھِلُ اَغْنِیَآءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ ۚ تَعْرِفُہُمْ بِسِیْمٰہُمْ ۚ لَا یَسْـَٔلُوْنَ النَّاسَ اِلْحَافًا ؕ وَ مَا تُنْفِقُوْا مِنْ خَیْرٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ بِہٖ عَلِیْمٌ (۲۷۳)

For the poor, those who were impeded in the way of Allah; they are incapable of journeying in the earth. The naive one deems them to be rich due to their avoidance of asking. You will recognise them through their sign; they do not beg obtrusively from the people—and whatever good you spend, Allah knows it.[13]

Specifying wealth to be spent

What should be spent in the way of Allah Almighty? This too is a fundamental question. The noble Quran provides guidance on this as well, that after fulfilling one’s needs, whatever remains should be spent in the way of Allah Almighty. As mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah:

وَ یَسْـَٔلُوْنَکَ مَا ذَا یُنْفِقُوْنَ ۬ؕ قُلِ الْعَفْوَؕ کَذٰلِکَ یُبَیِّنُ اللّٰہُ  لَکُمُ الْاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَتَفَکَّرُوْنَ (۲۱۹)ۙ

” And they ask you about what they should spend (in the way of Allah)? Say, “The excess.”  Thus, Allah states verses for you that you may reflect.[14]