Giving Charity After an Appeal From a Recipient

أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ بَعَثَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ بِخَمْسَةِ أَوْسَاقٍ مِنْ تَمْرِ الْبُغَيْبِغَةِ[3] وَ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِمَّنْ يَرْجُو نَوَافِلَهُ وَ يُؤَمِّلُ نَائِلَهُ وَ رِفْدَهُ‌[4] وَ كَانَ لَا يَسْأَلُ عَلِيّاً ع وَ لَا غَيْرَهُ‌ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ اللَّهِ مَا سَأَلَكَ فُلَانٌ وَ لَقَدْ كَانَ يُجْزِئُهُ مِنَ الْخَمْسَةِ الْأَوْسَاقِ وَسْقٌ وَاحِدٌ فَ

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once, ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), decided to give five Awsaq (a certain amount of) dates from al-Bughaybighah (a place in al-Madinah) to a man who had hoped to benefit from the generosity of the Imam and his gifts. However, he would not appeal before the Imam or other people for any

الْمَعْرُوفُ ابْتِدَاءٌ وَ أَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَيْتَهُ بَعْدَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَإِنَّمَا كَافَيْتَهُ بِمَا بَذَلَ لَكَ مِنْ وَجْهِهِ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَهُ أَرِقاً مُتَمَلْمِلًا يَمْثُلُ بَيْنَ الرَّجَاءِ وَ الْيَأْسِ‌[2] لَا يَدْرِي أَيْنَ يَتَوَجَّهُ لِحَاجَتِهِ ثُمَّ يَعْزِمُ بِالْقَصْدِ لَهَا فَيَأْتِيكَ وَ قَلْبُهُ يَرْجُفُ وَ فَرَائِصُهُ تُرْعَدُ قَدْ تَرَى دَمَهُ فِي وَجْهِهِ لَا يَدْرِي أَ يَرْجِعُ بِكَأْبَةٍ أَمْ بِف

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that charity is that which is given before an appeal by the recipient. Giving charity after an appeal by the recipient is compensation for using the dignity of his face when he appealed and his passing the night worried and anxious in hope and despair without knowing which direction to

كُنْتُ فِي مَجْلِسِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع أُحَدِّثُهُ وَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ يَسْأَلُونَهُ عَنِ الْحَلَالِ وَ الْحَرَامِ إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ طُوَالٌ آدَمُ‌[4] فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ- رَجُلٌ مِنْ مُحِبِّيكَ وَ مُحِبِّي آبَائِكَ وَ أَجْدَادِكَ ع مَصْدَرِي مِنَ الْحَجِّ وَ قَدِ افْتَقَدْتُ نَفَقَتِي وَ مَا مَعِي مَا أَبْلُغُ مَرْحَلَةً فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ ت

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Sandal from Yasir from al-Yasa’ ibn Hamzah who has said the following: “Once I was in the presence of abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), and I was speaking to him before a large gathering that wanted to ask him about lawful and unlawful matters. At such time, a tall man o

سَامَرْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ‌[2] فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَرَضَتْ لِي حَاجَةٌ قَالَ فَرَأَيْتَنِي لَهَا أَهْلًا قُلْتُ نَعَمْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ عَنِّي خَيْراً ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى السِّرَاجِ فَأَغْشَاهَا وَ جَلَسَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَغْشَيْتُ السِّرَاجَ لِئَلَّا أَرَى ذُلَّ حَاجَتِكَ فِي وَجْهِكِ فَتَكَلَّمْ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص

‘I turned the lantern off so I cannot see the effect of humiliation due to your appeal for help on your face as you speak. I have heard the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, say, “Needs are trust of Allah in His servants’ chests. For those

قَالَ: مَا تَوَسَّلَ إِلَيَّ أَحَدٌ بِوَسِيلَةٍ وَ لَا تَذَرَّعَ بِذَرِيعَةٍ أَقْرَبَ لَهُ إِلَى مَا يُرِيدُهُ مِنِّي مِنْ رَجُلٍ سَلَفَ إِلَيْهِ مِنِّي يَدٌ أَتْبَعْتُهَا أُخْتَهَا وَ أَحْسَنْتُ رَبَّهَا[4]- فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ مَنْعَ الْأَوَاخِرِ يَقْطَعُ لِسَانَ شُكْرِ الْأَوَائِلِ وَ لَا سَخَتْ نَفْسِي بِرَدِّ بِكْرِ الْحَوَائِجِ وَ قَدْ قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ-[1] وَ إِذَا بُلِيتَ بِبَذْلِ وَجْهِكَ سَائِلًا فَابْذُلْهُ ل

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the best means and recourse of approaching me for help is the appeal of a man who has received help from me once, then asks for help again. My hands have done a good deed for him before the Lord. I have found denying a later appeal for help cuts off the appreciation for the favor a