Different Forms Of Charity - An Nawawi 25
Nawawī’s Arbaýīn
A Collection of Forty Traditions of the Prophet ﷺ
§
Different Forms Of Charity - Hadith 25
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالُوا لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ذَهَبَ أَهْلُ الدُّثُورِ بِالْأُجُورِ؛ يُصَلُّونَ كَمَا نُصَلِّي، وَيَصُومُونَ كَمَا نَصُومُ، وَيَتَصَدَّقُونَ بِفُضُولِ أَمْوَالِهِمْ. قَالَ: أَوَلَيْسَ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مَا تَصَّدَّقُونَ، إنَّ بِكُلِّ تَسْبِيحَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَكْبِيرَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَحْمِيدَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَكُلِّ تَهْلِيلَةٍ صَدَقَةً، وَأَمْرٌ بِمَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ، وَنَهْيٌ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ صَدَقَةٌ، وَفِي بُضْعِ أَحَدِكُمْ صَدَقَةٌ
قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيَأْتِي أَحَدُنَا شَهْوَتَهُ وَيَكُونُ لَهُ أَجْرٌ؟ قَالَ: أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ وَضَعَهَا فِي حَرَامٍ أَكَانَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرٌ فَكَذَلِكَ إذَا وَضَعَهَا فِي الْحَلَالِ، كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرٌ. رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ
Narrated by Abū Dharr radiyAllāhu Anhu that a few people among the companions of RasūlAllāh ﷺ told him: O Messenger of Allāh ﷺ! The wealthy folk have garnered plenty of reward; they pray as we pray; they fast as we fast – however, they give in charity from the wealth they have in excess [1].
Heﷺ replied:
[Why do you say so?][2] Has Allāh táālā not given you the means to [compete with their] charity? Every tasbīĥ [3] is charity; Every takbīr [4] is charity, Every taĥmīd [5] is charity; Every tahlīl [6] is charity. Enjoining the good is charity. Forbidding from evil is charity. And [permitted] [7] sexual intimacy is [a form of] charity.
The companions asked: “O Messenger of Allāh ﷺ! If we go near [our women] with lust, will we get a reward?”
He ﷺ replied:
Do you not see, that if he had done that in a manner that is forbidden, it would be a sin? Similarly, if he did that in a manner that is permissible, he certainly deserves a reward.
Reported by Muslim.[8]
Notes:
[1] That is, we pray and they pray; we fast and they fast. But they give in charity from the wealth they possess – but we are poor and we do not have enough to satisfy our own needs. So they get reward for their charity – and thus they have surpassed us in gaining reward. And we have remained behind due to our circumstances.
[2] See Al-Fat’ĥ al-Mubīn
[3] Glorifying Allāh; uttering the phrase: Sub’ĥānAllāh.
[4] Proclaiming that Allāh is the Greatest; uttering the phrase: Allāhu Akbar.
[5] Praising Allāh; uttering the phrase: Al-ĥamdu lillāh.
[6] Proclaiming that Allāh is One; uttering the phrase: Lā ilāha ill’Allāh.
[7] That is with one’s spouse, or in earlier times, with one’s own slavegirl.
[8] Muslim 1006.
References:
Nawawī’s Arbaýīn, Collection of Forty Traditions of the Prophet ﷺ, Hadith 25
[ English Translation ]
Mawlana Abu Hasan Ridawi,
Ridawi Press.