Finding a Proper Recipient of Benevolent Assistance

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ يَا مُفَضَّلُ إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَ شَقِيٌّ الرَّجُلُ أَمْ سَعِيدٌ فَانْظُرْ سَيْبَهُ‌[2] وَ مَعْرُوفَهُ إِلَى مَنْ يَصْنَعُهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ يَصْنَعُهُ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَهْلُهُ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ إِلَى‌ خَيْرٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَ يَصْنَعُهُ إِلَى غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ[1].

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to Mufaddal ibn ’Umar, ’O Mufaddal, if you want to know whether a man is the most wicked or most fortunate, find out to whom he provides Benevolent Assistance. If he finds a properly deserving recipient, it is information for you that good consequences await him; if he provides Benevo

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا مُفَضَّلُ إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَعْلَمَ إِلَى خَيْرٍ يَصِيرُ الرَّجُلُ أَمْ إِلَى شَرٍّ انْظُرْ أَيْنَ يَضَعُ مَعْرُوفَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ يَضَعُ مَعْرُوفَهُ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهِ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يَصِيرُ إِلَى خَيْرٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَ يَضَعُ مَعْرُوفَهُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ‌ لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاقٍ‌[2]*.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), once said to me, ‘O Mufaddal, if you want to know whether a man ends up as good or wicked, consider where he places his Benevolent Assistance. If he provides such assistance for a properly deserving recipient, he is headed toward a good direction; if he provides it for an undeserving recipient,

أَتَى أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ رَهْطٌ مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ فَقَالُوا يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَوْ أَخْرَجْتَ هَذِهِ الْأَمْوَالَ فَفَرَّقْتَهَا فِي هَؤُلَاءِ الرُّؤَسَاءِ وَ الْأَشْرَافِ وَ فَضَّلْتَهُمْ عَلَيْنَا حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَوْسَقَتِ الْأُمُورُ[4] عُدْتَ إِلَى أَفْضَلِ مَا عَوَّدَكَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْقَسْمِ بِالسَّوِيَّةِ وَ الْعَدْلِ فِي الرَّعِيَّةِ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَ تَ

“Once a group of Shi`a people came to ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), with the following request: ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin, we request you to distribute the wealth at your disposal (public treasury) among the chiefs and elite people. In so doing, they will receive preference, which will strengthen your affairs. Thereafter, you c

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَوْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ أَخَذُوا مَا أَمَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ فَأَنْفَقُوهُ فِيمَا نَهَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ مَا قَبِلَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَ لَوْ أَخَذُوا مَا نَهَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَأَنْفَقُوهُ فِيمَا أَمَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْخُذُوهُ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَ يُنْفِقُوهُ فِي حَقٍّ.

“I heard Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘If people achieve what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, has commanded them to achieve, but spend where Allah has prohibited such spending, it is not accepted. If people achieve what Allah has prohibited and spend on matters that Allah has commanded them to spend on, thi

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّمَا أَعْطَاكُمُ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْفُضُولَ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ لِتُوَجِّهُوهَا حَيْثُ وَجَّهَهَا اللَّهُ وَ لَمْ يُعْطِكُمُوهَا لِتَكْنِزُوهَا.

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘Allah has granted you the extra wealth so that you spend it the way Allah wants you to spend. He has not given you this to keep for safe keeping.’”