Finding a Proper Recipient of Benevolent Assistance

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to Mufaddal ibn ’Umar, ’O Mufaddal, if you want to know whether a man is the most wicked or most fortunate, find out to whom he provides Benevolent Assistance. If he finds a properly deserving recipient, it is information for you that good consequences await him; if he provides Benevolent Assistance to those who do not deserve it, notice that there is not anything good for him before Allah.”’

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me, ‘O Mufaddal, if you want to know whether a man ends up as good or wicked, consider where he places his Benevolent Assistance. If he provides such assistance for a properly deserving recipient, he is headed toward a good direction; if he provides it for an undeserving recipient, then that is proof that there is not anything for him on the Day of Judgment.’”

“Once a group of Shi`a people came to ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), with the following request: ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin, we request you to distribute the wealth at your disposal (public treasury) among the chiefs and elite people. In so doing, they will receive preference, which will strengthen your affairs. Thereafter, you can reassume your program of equal distribution of the treasury among people as Allah has commanded you to do.’ ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), then said, ‘Do you, fie upon you, make me to achieve victory through doing injustice to Muslim people, whose ruler and high authority I have become? By Allah, I will not do so as long as there is day and night and one star in the sky (is left). By Allah, even if their wealth (public treasury) was my personal wealth, I still would distribute it among them by equal measures; in fact, it (public treasury) is their wealth.’ He (the Imam) remained silent for a long time. He then raised his head and said, ‘Whoever of you is wealthy must avoid spending in a wasteful, wrongful, extravagant manner and for causes of falsehood. In so doing, one enhances the name of his friend among people, but brings it low before Allah. Whoever spends his wealth for the causes of falsehood or undeserving recipients, Allah deprives him of the blessings of their thanks and appreciation. They will love people other than such a benevolent person. Even if certain ones among them express their appreciation, thanks and good advice, it is no more than meaningless flattery and false expressions. If the shoes of their companion slip and he becomes needy of their support and returning the favor, he receives blames as a wicked friend. One of you must not spend his property for the causes of falsehood and for the undeserving recipients; otherwise, he receives no more than lip service from those who want all powers for themselves. Only wicked people may applaud him as long as he provides them favors. Only ignorant people may offer him meaningless praise. They may call him the most generous person, while in fact, in the sight of Allah he is a stingy one. No share, in fact, is more wicked and of greater loss than this share. What meaningful gain can I make through this kind of Benevolent Assistance? Whoever among you is wealthy should therefore maintain good relations with his relatives, serve his guests, provide relief to the suffering people, the captives and those who have lost their supply while on a journey; success in such matters is a noble achievement in this world and an honor in the next life.’”

“I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘If people achieve what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has commanded them to achieve, but spend where Allah has prohibited such spending, it is not accepted. If people achieve what Allah has prohibited and spend on matters that Allah has commanded them to spend on, this also is not accepted. He accepts only what they earn in a rightful manner and spend on a rightful recipient.’”

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Allah has granted you the extra wealth so that you spend it the way Allah wants you to spend. He has not given you this to keep for safe keeping.’”