Rare Ahadith about Charity

يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ مَنْ سَأَلَ النَّاسَ عَاشَ وَ مَنْ سَكَتَ مَاتَ قُلْتُ فَمَا أَصْنَعُ إِنْ أَدْرَكْتُ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانَ قَالَ تُعِينُهُمْ بِمَا عِنْدَكَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فَتُجَاهِدُ.

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that a time will come when people who ask for help will survive, and those who do not ask for help will die. I then asked, ‘What shall I do if I find myself in such a time?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘Help people by means of what you have and strive hard if you do not have anything.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ صَدَقَةٌ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى‌[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The most virtuous charity is that which is given from someone without need (wealthy).’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ صَدَقَةٌ تَكُونُ عَنْ فَضْلِ الْكَفِّ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The best charity is that which is out of surplus in (one’s) hands.’”

هُوَ الزَّمِنُ الَّذِي لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ لِزَمَانَتِهِ‌[4].

“This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘feed the despondent poor one . . .’ (22:29) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Such a time is when he is unable to go out for help due to his illness.’”

فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطى‌ وَ اتَّقى‌ وَ صَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنى‌ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يُعْطِي بِالْوَاحِدَةِ عَشَرَةً إِلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ فَمَا زَادَ- فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرى‌ قَالَ لَا يُرِيدُ شَيْئاً مِنَ الْخَيْرِ إِلَّا يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ لَهُ- وَ أَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَ اسْتَغْنى‌ قَالَ بَخِلَ بِمَا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ كَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنى‌ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يُعْطِي بِا

“This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘. . . As far as the one who gives (charity), observes piety and believes in good words (receiving good rewards from Allah). . . .’, Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘To such people Allah gives a tenfold reward or up to one hundred and even more.’ ‘.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ وَكَّلْتُ بِهِ مَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ غَيْرِي إِلَّا الصَّدَقَةَ فَإِنِّي أَتَلَقَّفُهَا بِيَدِي تَلَقُّفاً[2] حَتَّى إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَصَدَّقُ بِالتَّمْرَةِ أَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ فَأُرَبِّيهَا لَهُ كَمَا يُرَبِّي الرَّجُلُ فَلُوَّهُ وَ فَصِيلَهُ‌[3] فَيَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ هُوَ مِثْلُ أُحُدٍ وَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أُحُدٍ.

"Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted, says: 'There is nothing for which I have not appointed someone to take it, except charity, for I personally receive it with My own hand. Even when a person gives a date or a piece of a date in charity, I nurture it for him as a man nurtures his foal or his young camel, until it come

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ هُمَا جَالِسَانِ عَلَى الصَّفَا فَسَأَلَهُمَا فَقَالا إِنَّ الصَّدَقَةَ لَا تَحِلُّ إِلَّا فِي دَيْنٍ مُوجِعٍ أَوْ غُرْمٍ مُفْظِعٍ أَوْ فَقْرٍ مُدْقِعٍ‌[4] فَفِيكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ مِنْ هَذَا قَالَ نَعَمْ فَأَعْطَيَاهُ وَ قَدْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ سَأَلَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ وَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَأَعْطَيَاهُ وَ لَمْ يَسْأَلَاهُ عَنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْه

7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from those who narrated to him from ‘Abd al-Rahman al-‘Arzamiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that a man once came to al-Hassan and al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, when the two of them were sitting on

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَا تَسْأَلُوا أُمَّتِي فِي مَجَالِسِهَا فَتُبَخِّلُوهَا.

‘Do not ask my followers for charity in their gatherings, because you may make them seem stingy.’”

فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْفِقُوا مِنْ طَيِّباتِ ما كَسَبْتُمْ وَ مِمَّا أَخْرَجْنا لَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَ لا تَيَمَّمُوا الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنْفِقُونَ‌[2] قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا أَمَرَ بِالنَّخْلِ أَنْ يُزَكَّى يَجِي‌ءُ قَوْمٌ بِأَلْوَانٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ وَ هُوَ مِنْ أَرْدَى التَّمْرِ يُؤَدُّونَهُ مِنْ زَكَاتِهِمْ تَمْراً يُقَالُ لَهُ الْجُعْرُورُ وَ الْمِعَافَأْر

“This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘Believers, give charity of good quality things that you have earned and of what We make to grow for you from the land. You must not aim at less valuable things to give for charity. . . .’(2:267) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When the Messenge

كَانَ الْقَوْمُ قَدْ كَسَبُوا مَكَاسِبَ سَوْءٍ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمُوا أَرَادُوا أَنْ يُخْرِجُوهَا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ لِيَتَصَدَّقُوا بِهَا فَأَبَى اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِلَّا أَنْ يُخْرِجُوا مِنْ أَطْيَبِ مَا كَسَبُوا.

“This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘Pay charity out of good things you have earned. . . .’ (2:264) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ‘people before Islam had made loathsome earnings. After accepting Islam they wanted to pay such earnings for zakat, but Allah, the most Blessed, t

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص فَقَالَ إِنِّي شَيْخٌ كَثِيرُ الْعِيَالِ ضَعِيفُ الرُّكْنِ قَلِيلُ الشَّيْ‌ءِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مَعُونَةٍ عَلَى زَمَانِي فَنَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُهُ وَ قَالَ قَدْ أَسْمَعَنَا الْقَوْلَ وَ أَسْمَعَكُمْ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ كُنْتُ مِثْلَكَ بِالْأَمْسِ فَذَهَبَ بِهِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ فَأَعْطَاهُ مِرْوَداً مِنْ تِبْرٍ وَ كَانُوا[4] يَتَبَ

‘I am an old man with a large family to feed, of weak health and poor. Is there any help to overcome my difficulties?’ The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, looked to his companions and his companions looked at him. He said, ‘He made us an

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِمِنًى وَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا عِنَبٌ نَأْكُلُهُ فَجَاءَ سَائِلٌ فَسَأَلَهُ فَأَمَرَ بِعُنْقُودٍ[1] فَأَعْطَاهُ فَقَالَ السَّائِلُ لَا حَاجَةَ لِي فِي هَذَا إِنْ كَانَ دِرْهَمٌ قَالَ يَسَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ فَذَهَبَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ رُدُّوا الْعُنْقُودَ فَقَالَ يَسَعُ اللَّهُ لَكَ وَ لَمْ يُعْطِهِ شَيْئاً ثُمَّ جَاءَ سَائِلٌ آخَرُ فَأَخَذَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع ثَلَاثَ حَبَّاتِ

“Once we were in the presence of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), in Mina (a place in Makkah). We were eating grapes when a man came asking for help. Imam told someone to give him a bunch. The man said, ‘I do not need this. I need dirhams.’ The Imam said, ‘May Allah grant you a great deal.’ The man went away and then came back s

إِذَا ضَاقَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيُعْلِمْ أَخَاهُ وَ لَا يُعِينُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that if it becomes difficult for one of you, you should inform your brother (in belief) while you are unable to help yourself.”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فِي بَعْضِ خُطَبِهِ‌ إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الْفِعَالِ صِيَانَةُ الْعِرْضِ بِالْمَالِ.

14. Muhammad ibn Ali has narrated from Mu’ammar in a marfu‘ manner from ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), who has said the following: “In one of his speeches, ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘The best deed is protecting one’s dignity by means of wealth.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ ثَلَاثَةٌ إِنْ يَعْلَمْهُنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُ كَانَتْ زِيَادَةً فِي عُمُرِهِ وَ بَقَاءَ النِّعْمَةِ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ وَ مَا هُنَّ قَالَ تَطْوِيلُهُ فِي رُكُوعِهِ وَ سُجُودِهِ فِي صَلَاتِهِ وَ تَطْوِيلُهُ لِجُلُوسِهِ عَلَى طَعَامِهِ إِذَا أَطْعَمَ عَلَى مَائِدَتِهِ وَ اصْطِنَاعُهُ الْمَعْرُوفَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ.

“I heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘There are three things which would help lengthen his life if a believing person comes to know them and make his wealth more durable.’ I then asked, ‘What are those things?’ The Imam replied, ‘They are remaining in Ruku’ for a long time, as well as in his Sajdah during prayer (Sala

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قُلْتُ قَوْمٌ عِنْدَهُمْ فُضُولٌ وَ بِإِخْوَانِهِمْ حَاجَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ وَ لَيْسَ تَسَعُهُمُ الزَّكَاةُ أَ يَسَعُهُمْ أَنْ يَشْبَعُوا وَ يَجُوعَ إِخْوَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّ الزَّمَانَ شَدِيدٌ فَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ لَا يَظْلِمُهُ وَ لَا يَخْذُلُهُ وَ لَا يَحْرِمُهُ فَيَحِقُّ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ الِاجْتِهَادُ فِيهِ وَ التَّوَاصُلُ وَ التَّعَاوُنُ عَلَيْهِ وَ الْمُوَاسَاةُ لِأَهْ

“Once I explained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a people who are affluent, but have certain ones among them who are extremely needy. Zakat is not enough for them. ‘Can these affluent people live satisfied while their people suffer from hunger in such a difficult time?’ The Imam said, ‘The Muslims are each other’s