An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
10. Giving For The Cause of God
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fetch wood from the forest, and not to come back
for another fifteen days. The Helper started work,
hewing wood from the forest and then carrying it
to the town to sell it. Two weeks later he
reappeared before the Prophet, and in the
account he gave him of what he had spent and
what he had earned, it turned out that he had
saved ten dirhams after meeting all his expenses.
The Prophet was well pleased and said: “This is
more fitting than that on the Day of Resurrection,
you should have the mark of the beggar upon
you.
(ABU DAWUD, IBN MAJAH)
EXTRAVAGANCE IS COMMITTED AT THE
COST OF WORTHWHILE EXPENDITURE
The Prophet is reported to have said: “For every act
of extravagance, a righteous cause is left by the
wayside.” This means that when anyone is
extravagant, he is at one and the same time
neglecting to spend on a worthy cause. For every
opportunity that there is to be extravagant, there is
a parallel opportunity to give where it is really
needed.
