Generosity and Kindness must be based on faith

Ibn Katheer (rahimahullaah) said:

وقد ذكرنا ترجمة حاتم طيء أيام الجاهلية عند ذكرنا من مات من أعيان المشهورين فيها وما كان يسديه حاتم إلى الناس من المكارم والإحسان ، إلا أن نفع ذلك في الآخرة أي : ( مشروط ) بالإيمان ، وهو ممن لم يقل يوماً من الدهر رب اغفر لي خطيئتي يوم الدين .

We have mentioned the biography of Haatim Tay’ in the days of the Jaahiliyyah when we mentioned those who died of the famous people of that era, and we referred to his generosity and kindness to people. But generosity and kindness must be based on faith if they are to benefit a person in the Hereafter, but he never said one day, “O Lord, forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgement.”

[Source: al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah, 5/67]

You will be Shaded by your Charity

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that every man will be shaded by his charity on the Day of Resurrection, the day on which the sun will be brought close to people’s heads until Allaah passes judgement between them.

[Source: Narrated by Ahmad, 16882; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4510]

So hasten to give charity and strive to make your charity ongoing, so that you may benefit from it after death.

We ask Allaah to help us to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.

Allah is more kind to His servants than a woman is to her child

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (radhiAllaahu ‘anhu) reported that there were brought some prisoners to Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) amongst whom there was also a woman, who was searching (for someone) and when she found a child amongst the prisoners, she took hold of it, pressed it against her chest and provided it suck.

Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: Do you think this woman would ever afford to throw her child in the Fire? We said: By Allah, so far as it lies in her power, she would never throw the child in Fire. ‘

Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

{{ لَلَّهُ أَرْحَمُ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا }}

Allah is more kind to His servants than this woman is to her child.

[Source: Saheeh Muslim (no. 2754)]

Purification of the soul cannot be achieved except by way of the messengers

Purification (of the soul) cannot be achieved except by way of the messengers as stated by Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) when he said:

وَتَزْكِيَةُ النُّفُوسِ : أَصْعَبُ مِنْ عِلَاجِ الْأَبْدَانِ وَأَشَدُّ . فَمَنْ زَكَّى نَفْسَهُ بِالرِّيَاضَةِ وَالْمُجَاهَدَةِ وَالْخَلْوَةِ ، الَّتِي لَمْ يَجِئْ بِهَا الرُّسُلُ : فَهُوَ كَالْمَرِيضِ الَّذِي عَالَجَ نَفْسَهُ بِرَأْيِهِ ، وَأَيْنَ يَقَعُ رَأْيُهُ مِنْ مَعْرِفَةِ الطَّبِيبِ ؟

فَالرُّسُلُ أَطِبَّاءُ الْقُلُوبِ . فَلَا سَبِيلَ إِلَى تَزْكِيَتِهَا وَصَلَاحِهَا إِلَّا مِنْ طَرِيقِهِمْ . وَعَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ ، وَبِمَحْضِ الِانْقِيَادِ ، وَالتَّسْلِيمِ لَهُمْ . وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ

(مدارج السالكين (2/300

“Purifying the souls is harder and more difficult than curing the bodies. So whoever purifies his soul through exercise, hard work and being in isolation – all of which the messengers did not come with – he is like a sick person that tries to cure himself based on his own opinion. Where is his opinion with respect to the expertise of a doctor?!

The messengers are the doctors of the hearts – there is no way to purify and rectify the hearts except through their way, at their hands and by totally submitting and complying with them. And we ask Allaah for His assistance!”

[Source: Madaarij-us-Saalikeen (2/300)]

Note:

• Tazkiyat al-nafs (‘purifying the soul’) involves following the Kitab and Sunna. These are the parameters.
• It has to be based on the example of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
• The point of proper organisation and actions to purify the soul is very important. Incorrect methods of purification of the ego-self/soul may lead us to avoid doing certain actions that we are supposed to in fact do.