Among the Ansar of Madinah, Hazrat Abu Talha (RA) was the wealthiest and owned the largest number of date-palm trees. Of all his possessions, his absolute favorite was a garden named ‘Bairuha’, which was located directly opposite Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque). The Prophet (ﷺ) used to visit this garden frequently to drink its sweet, fresh water.
When Allah revealed the following verse in the Quran:
“Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran, 3:92)
Hazrat Abu Talha (RA) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Allah says, ‘Never will you attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love.’ Indeed, the dearest of all my wealth to me is the garden of Bairuha. I give it as charity for the sake of Allah. I seek its reward from Allah and want it to be a treasure for me in the Hereafter. Therefore, O Messenger of Allah, use it in whatever way Allah guides you.”
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied: “Bravo! That is a highly profitable wealth! I have heard what you said, and I think it is best for you to distribute it among your near relatives.”
Hazrat Abu Talha (RA) said, “I will do so, O Messenger of Allah.” He then went ahead and distributed the garden among his close relatives and his paternal cousins.
— Narrated by Anas bin Malik (RA)
The Virtue of Charity
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Charity extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire.”
— Jami` at-Tirmidhi
Allah does not accept anything except what is lawful (Halal). He will not accept any good deed funded by earnings derived from dishonest means. For a charity to yield its rewards, it is an absolute condition that the wealth spent must be pure and untainted.
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Every single morning, two angels descend to the earth. One of them supplicates, ‘O Allah! Multiply and compensate the wealth of the one who spends (in charity),’ while the other angel says, ‘O Allah! Bring destruction upon the wealth of the one who withholds (out of stinginess).'”
— Sahih al-Bukhari
The Best Time to Give Charity
A man once came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Which charity brings the greatest reward?”
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
“To give charity when you are healthy, feeling needy, fearing poverty, and aspiring to be wealthy. Therefore, do not delay giving charity until your soul reaches the throat (the final moments of death).”
He further added:
“At that final hour, saying, ‘Give this much to so-and-so, and that much to so-and-so’ holds no meaning, for at that time, your wealth already belongs to others (your heirs)!”
True charity is that which is given while the body is in good health, as it is this action that earns the highest rewards.
Sincerity vs. Showing Off
The Prophet (ﷺ) taught that among the seven types of people who will be granted shade under the Throne (Arsh) of Allah on the Day of Judgment is the one who gives charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has spent.
One must never give charity out of a desire for praise or admiration from others. Instead, it must be performed solely to seek the pleasure of Allah, as the Almighty explicitly commands in the Quran:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ كَالَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ
“O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders [of your generosity] or injury, as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day.”
— Surah Al-Baqarah: 264
Reminding others of the charity done not only completely wipes away its spiritual rewards but also brings sin upon the person. According to the Hadith, Allah will not look with a gaze of mercy on the Day of Judgment upon anyone who boasts about their charity to others.
