Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
10. The Concept of Social Welfare in Islam
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The Prophet replied: “Those who pile up heaps of wealth and
(pointing in all directions with his hands) do not spend like this and
this and this.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Since
zakah
and
sadaqah
are not only moral obligations to
society, but acts performed by believers to seek God’s pleasure, a
high standard is set for the manner of their accomplishment.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali writes of charity in his commentary on the
Qur’an:
(l) “lt must be in the way of God.
(2) No reward must be expected for it in this world.
(3) It must not be followed by references to or
reminders of the acts of charity.
(4) Still less should any annoyance or injury be
caused to the recipient, e.g. by boasting that the
giver relieved the person in his hour of need.”
Thus the spirit of kindness and well-wishing is the essence of
charity. The giver is not to expect any reward from the recipient, as
there awaits for him an abundant reward from God—material,
moral and spiritual—whatever God thinks it best to confer upon
His servant.
The Qur’an, in verse 264 of chapter 2, admonishes us not to
spend “to be seen of men.” This is false charity. Spending with this
motive is worse than not spending at all. In verse 265, God gives
us a beautiful parable to illustrate what true charity is like. It is like
