Spending on Deserving Causes

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said that when the sun rises, there are four angels with it. One angel calls, ‘O people of good deeds, complete your good deeds and for you there is glad news.’ Another angel calls, ‘O people of evil deeds, you must stop and stay away from evil deeds.’ The other angel says, To spend for deserving causes is a saving, and to withhold such spending is a sure loss.’ One angel keeps throwing water on it; otherwise, the earth catches fire.”

“This is about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, Thus Allah shows them their deeds that will make them regretful. (2:162)’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, This is a man who keeps his property without spending in obedience to Allah due to his stinginess. He then dies and leaves it (the property) for one who spends it in obedience to Allah or in disobedience of Allah. If it is spent in obedience of Allah and finds it in the balance of the other person, he then becomes regretful; it was his property. If it is spent in disobedience of Allah, he is the one who enabled the spender through that property to disobey Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious.’”

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, “When one who believes with certainty in receiving reward (from Allah), his soul allows him to spend generously.’””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, in one of his speeches, ‘If one extends his hand to provide Benevolent Assistance when he is able to do so, Allah replaces, in this world, what he has spent and will grant them double reward in the next life.’”

“I have read in a letter of abu al-Hassan, al-Rida, to abu Ja‘far (a.s.). It is said, ‘O abu Ja’far, I am told that the servants lead you out of the house through the small door so that no one receives any assistance from you and it is due to their stinginess. I ask you through my rights upon you; you must not use any other door for your exit or entrance besides the main door. When you want to ride, you must have gold or silver with you. Whoever asks you for help, you must not turn him away empty-handed. If any of your uncles asks you for help, you must not give him less than fifty dinars; but it is up to you if you want to give more. If any of your aunts asks you for help, you must not give her less than twenty-five dinars, but it is up to you if you want to give more. I want Allah to grant you higher position. Spend on deserving causes, and do not be afraid of the owner of the Throne’s making you poor.’”

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, There are three kinds of hands: the asking hand, the withholding hand, and the spending hand, of which the best hand is the spending hand.’”

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘O Husayn, you must spend (for deserving causes) and be certain about Allah’s replacing what you have spent. Any male or female servant (of Allah) who withholds spending for deserving causes that please Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ends up spending a double amount on such things that displeases Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah or abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘Allah sends help from Heaven equal to the amount of expenditure. When one is certain about (Allah’s) replacing what is spent, his soul allows him to spend generously.”

“The narrator has said, ‘Once, one of the servants of abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), came in and the Imam asked, “Have you spent (for deserving causes) anything today?” He (the servant) replied, “No, I have not done so.” Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), then said, “Wherefrom will Allah then grant us replacement? You must spend (for deserving causes), even if it would be one dirham only.’””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one who is ready to guarantee to do four things will get four guaranteed homes in Paradise. They are: spending (for deserving causes) without fear from poverty, yielding to justice for people even against one’s own-self, offering greetings of peace loud and clearly in the world, and avoiding unneeded arguments, even if one is on the right side.”