| To give in charity is a very coveted
human trait. Looking after the needs of others is an
acknowledgement of God’s favours on one’s self. It is also
our unwritten obligation towards the society. People who are
sensitive to the needs of others will find others sensitive
to their own needs. The pinnacle of this charitable attitude
towards others is to spend on them even if we ourselves are
in need. The Qur’an while extolling believers says: “Those
who, in spite of being needy, give preference to the needs
of others.” (59:9)
However, at times spending in charity is
marred by blemishes and shortcomings. We need to be very
careful about them. Some of the common ones are:
i. At times we condescendingly remind
people of our charitable behaviour towards them and in this
way hurt their self-esteem. The Qur’an has emphatically
stopped us from this and said: “Believers! Do not mar your
charity by reminders of generosity and by hurting [the
recipients].” (2:264)
ii. Many a time we show off and even
blatantly publicize the amount we spend in charity. This
obviously is very detrimental to our own inner-purification
and spiritual advancement.
iii. More often than not we shy away from
giving in charity if we do not have a substantial amount; we
may be going through stringent circumstances and can only
afford a meagre amount to give in charity. We should realize
that it is not the amount that counts; it is the concern and
capacity that we have that counts. If our capacity is to
give a few pennies, we should not shy away. It is our
responsibility to look after the needs of others in
proportion to our own financial status. The Qur’an states:
“Those who spend in all circumstances whether they are in
ease or in hardship.” (3:134)
iv. There are instances in which we do
not take pains to find out the most deserving recipients of
our charity.
At times, we do not realize that people
among our friends and relatives are in need while we spend
huge amounts in charity by giving to various charities not
directly related to us. It is the natural right of our close
ones that if they are in need they should be the foremost
recipients of our charity.
Similarly, there may be people around us
who in spite of appearing financially sound are in fact in
deep financial stress; however, their self-esteem does not
let them make fuss of the situation and they conduct
themselves in a dignified manner. It is our responsibility
to find out such people; it only requires a little insight
and careful observation. The Qur’an points out: “This
[spending] is for the poor who are stranded in the cause of
God and are not able to travel in the land to earn their
livelihood. The ignorant take them for men of wealth on
account of their modest behaviour. You can recognize them by
their faces – they are not annoyingly insistent in begging.”
(2:273)
v. At times, we end up scolding a beggar
or a person who asks for monetary help. This is something
very despicable. If a person is not in a position to help,
he can still show sympathy and then withdraw in a dignified
way. The Qur’an says: “A kind word and forgiveness [at
unpleasant instances] is better than charity followed by
inflicting hurt.” (2:262)
These are some points that we need to
ponder while spending in charity. They often go unnoticed.
Let us resolve to be more cautious and more vigilant about
them.
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