Teachings of the Holy Quran

How the holy Quran encourages us to spend in Allah’s way

Mawlana Rashid Ali Attari Madani

The teachings of the holy Quran are not optional for us, but a necessity. It provides us with a complete way of life, teaching us spiritual, moral, social, and economic matters in a balanced and harmonious manner. Spending in the way of Allah is included as a fundamental principle. In numerous Quranic verses, Allah Almighty emphasised how a person should spend in His way from whatever he earns and the blessings he receives. This spending can be done via intellect, strength, resources, and the means granted to him. The purposes, objectives, manners, and avenues of this spending were acutely detailed. The holy Quran also contains encouragement and warnings pertaining to this.

In summary, the holy Quran contains:

1. Encouragement and praise of spending in Allah Almighty’s way.

2. It explains the worldly benefits of this.

3. It shows how this benefits our Hereafter.

4. It explains the ways this can be done.

5. Specifies what can be spent to this end.

6. Highlights the manners related to this.

7. Explanation of the conditions for valid spending.

8. It condemns not spending in Allah’s way.

9. Shows what one can do if they have no means to do this.

10. Distinguishes the danger of rejecting this act of worship.

Encouragement and praise of spending in Allah’s way

The holy Quran encourages us to spend in Allah’s way. These methods are in accordance with human nature and reflect the highest levels of submission.  

A trait of the God-fearing

It praises those who spend in the way of Allah Almighty, showing their action contains piety and other noble qualities.

ھُدًی  لِّلْمُتَّقِیْنَ ۙ(۲) الَّذِیْنَ یُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِالْغَیْبِ وَ یُقِیْمُوْنَ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ  مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ  یُنْفِقُوْنَ ۙ(۳)

guidance for those who fear Allah. Those who believe in the unseen, and establish the prayer (salāh), and spend in Our way from the sustenance We have granted them.[1]

Spending in the way of Allah Almighty from the sustenance He provided is a characteristic of the pious.

Glad tidings of everlasting reward

Spending from the sustenance given by Allah Almighty is a blessing, as it will be of benefit on the Day of Judgement.

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اَنْفِقُوْا مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰکُمْ مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ یَّاْتِیَ یَوْمٌ لَّا بَیْعٌ فِیْہِ وَ لَا خُلَّۃٌ وَّ لَا شَفَاعَۃٌ ؕ وَ الْکٰفِرُوْنَ ھُمُ  الظّٰلِمُوْنَ (۲۵۴)

O you who believe! Spend in the way of Allah, from the sustenance that We provided you, before the arrival of that Day in which there will be no trade and neither friendship nor intercession for disbelievers; and the disbelievers, they are the oppressors.[2]

Spending to earn reward

The example of those who spend in the way of Allah Almighty is that for every single thing they spend, they receive the reward of a hundred in return.

مَثَلُ الَّذِیْنَ یُنْفِقُوْنَ اَمْوَالَہُمْ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ کَمَثَلِ حَبَّۃٍ اَنْۢبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِیْ کُلِّ سُنْۢبُلَۃٍ مِّائَۃُ حَبَّۃٍ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ یُضٰعِفُ لِمَنْ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ  وَاسِعٌ عَلِیْمٌ (۲۶۱)

The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like the grain which produced seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains; Allah may increase it more for whomsoever He wills—And Allah is Most-Bestowing, All-Knowing.[3]

Those who spend in the way of Allah Almighty are given the glad tidings of being true believers, attaining a high status, being granted forgiveness, and acquiring honourable provision.

الَّذِیْنَ یُقِیْمُوْنَ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ  یُنْفِقُوْنَ ؕ(۳) اُولٰٓئِکَ ھُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ حَقًّا ؕ لَہُمْ دَرَجٰتٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّہِمْ وَ مَغْفِرَۃٌ وَّ رِزْقٌ کَرِیْمٌ ۚ(۴)

Those who establish prayer and spend in Our way from the sustenance We provide for them. It is they who are truly believers, for them there are ranks with their Lord, and forgiveness, and sustenance of honour.[4]

You will receive the complete reward of whatever you spend in the way of Allah Almighty, without any loss.

وَ مَا تُنْفِقُوْا مِنْ شَیْءٍ  فِیْ  سَبِیْلِ  اللّٰهِ  یُوَفَّ اِلَیْکُمْ  وَ  اَنْتُمْ  لَا  تُظْلَمُوْنَ (۶۰)

And all that you will spend in the way of Allah, you will receive complete recompense for it, and you will not be wronged.[5]

Emphatic command

One should spend in the way of Allah Almighty from their lawful and pure earnings, as well as from the sustenance of their fields.

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اَنْفِقُوْا مِنْ طَیِّبٰتِ مَا کَسَبْتُمْ وَ مِمَّاۤ اَخْرَجْنَا لَکُمْ مِّنَ الْاَرْضِ ۪

O you who believe! Spend in the way of Allah from the pure assets that you have earned and from that which We have produced for you from the earth[6]

It is only possible to attain goodness when a person spends in the way of Allah Almighty from that which they love.

لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتّٰی تُنْفِقُوْا مِمَّا تُحِبُّوْنَ ۬ وَ مَا تُنْفِقُوْا مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِہٖ  عَلِیْمٌ (۹۲)

You will never attain piety until you spend in the way of Allah that which you hold dear. And whatever you spend, indeed, Allah is aware of it.[7]

The perishable nature of wealth

Spend in the way of Allah Almighty from the wealth you have been made successors of. If one does this, they will earn immense reward.  

اٰمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رَسُوْلِہٖ  وَ اَنْفِقُوْا مِمَّا جَعَلَکُمْ  مُّسْتَخْلَفِیْنَ فِیْہِ ؕ فَالَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مِنْکُمْ وَ اَنْفَقُوْا لَہُمْ  اَجْرٌ کَبِیْرٌ (۷)

Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend in the way of Allah from that wealth in which He has made you inheritors. As for those from you who believed and spent in His way, there is great reward for them.[8]

Life is short

You can spend in the way of Allah Almighty today. Consider these days of this borrowed life a blessing and make use of them by doing this. Otherwise, there will be regret on the Day of Judgement, and that regret will be of no benefit.

وَ اَنْفِقُوْا مِنْ مَّا  رَزَقْنٰکُمْ مِّنْ  قَبْلِ اَنْ یَّاْتِیَ  اَحَدَکُمُ  الْمَوْتُ فَیَقُوْلَ  رَبِّ لَوْ لَاۤ  اَخَّرْتَنِیْۤ  اِلٰۤی  اَجَلٍ قَرِیْبٍ ۙ فَاَصَّدَّقَ وَ  اَکُنْ  مِّنَ  الصّٰلِحِیْنَ (۱۰)

And spend in Our way—from the sustenance We have provided you—before death comes to one of you and he cries, “My Lord! Why did you not grant me respite for a short term so that I would give charity and be from the righteous.”[9]

Spending in the way of Allah Almighty benefits you

Whatever you spend in the way of Allah Almighty benefits you.

وَ مَا تُنْفِقُوْا مِنْ خَیْرٍ فَلِاَنْفُسِکُمْ ؕ

And whatever good you spend so that is beneficial for you.[10]

There is no loss in spending from what Allah Almighty has provided.

وَ مَاذَا عَلَیْہِمْ لَوْ اٰمَنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ الْیَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَ اَنْفَقُوْا مِمَّا رَزَقَہُمُ ا للّٰهُ ؕ وَ کَانَ ا للّٰهُ  بِہِمْ  عَلِیْمًا (۳۹)

And what loss will they incur if they believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they spend from that which Allah has provided them in His way; and Allah knows them.[11]

Spending generously is a quality of Allah Almighty

Spending generously (in a manner befitting Him) is amongst the attributes of Allah Almighty.

بَلْ یَدٰہُ مَبْسُوْطَتٰنِ ۙ یُنْفِقُ  کَیْفَ یَشَآءُ ؕ

Rather, the hands of Allah are open (as befits His Majesty); He spends as He wills.[12]

Please Allah Almighty by spending in His way

Allah Almighty calls the believers His servants and commands them to spend from the sustenance He gave to them.

قُلْ لِّعِبَادِیَ الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا یُقِیْمُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ یُنْفِقُوْا مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ سِرًّا وَّ عَلَانِیَۃً مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ یَّاْتِیَ یَوْمٌ  لَّا بَیْعٌ  فِیْہِ  وَ لَا  خِلٰلٌ (۳۱)

Say to My people, those who believe, to establish the prayer and spend in Our way from the sustenance We have granted them secretly and publicly before the arrival of the Day in which there will neither be trade nor friendship.[13]

Humility and modesty are great blessings from Allah Almighty. Those who spend from the wealth He granted are described by Allah Almighty as humble.

الَّذِیْنَ اِذَا ذُکِرَ  اللّٰهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوْبُہُمْ وَ الصّٰبِرِیْنَ عَلٰی مَاۤ  اَصَابَہُمْ وَ الْمُقِیْمِی الصَّلٰوۃِ ۙ وَ  مِمَّا  رَزَقْنٰہُمْ  یُنْفِقُوْنَ (۳۵)

Those whose hearts tremble when Allah is remembered, and to those who are patient upon the calamity which befalls them, and establish the prayer, and spend from the sustenance We have provided them.[14]

A sign of faith

Spending in the way of Allah Almighty from the wealth He provided has been described as a sign of true faith.

اِنَّمَا یُؤْمِنُ بِاٰیٰتِنَا الَّذِیْنَ  اِذَا  ذُکِّرُوْا بِہَا خَرُّوْا  سُجَّدًا  وَّ سَبَّحُوْا بِحَمْدِ رَبِّہِمْ وَ  ھُمْ  لَا  یَسْتَکْبِرُوْنَ (ٛ۱۵)  تَتَجَافٰی جُنُوْبُہُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ یَدْعُوْنَ رَبَّہُمْ خَوْفًا وَّ طَمَعًا ۫ وَّ مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ  یُنْفِقُوْنَ (۱۶)

Only those believe in Our signs who, when they are advised through them, fall prostrate and glorify Allah with the praise of their Lord and they do not resort to arrogance. Their sides remain away from the places of rest and they call upon their Lord in fear and hope; and they spend in charity from what We have granted them.[15]

Footnote: Verse 15 is a verse of prostration. Reciting or listening to this verse or its translation necessitates a prostration of recitation سجدہ تلاوت.

To be continued.