Part of Riyad as-Salihin — Gardens of the Righteous (series completed)
· Lesson 37 of 190
Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (47) | Chapter on spending on one’s children, and chapter on spending on what one likes and is good
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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Riyad al-Salihin (The Gardens of the Righteous)
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From the Words of the Master of the Messengers,
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peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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Chapter: Spending on One's Dependents.
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Allah the Exalted said:
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“Mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years; (that is) for those who wish to complete the suckling. The duty of feeding and clothing nursing mothers in a seemly manner is upon the father of the child. No-one should be charged beyond his capacity. A mother should not be made to suffer because of her child, nor should he to whom the child is born (be made to suffer) because of his child. And on the (father's) heir is incumbent the like of that (which was incumbent on the father). If they desire to wean the child by mutual consent and (after) consultation, it is no sin for them; and if ye wish to give your children out to nurse, it is no sin for you, provide that ye pay what is due from you in kindness. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is Seer of what ye do.” (2:233)
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"and their clothing according to what is customary."
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And the Exalted said:
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“Let him who hath abundance spend of his abundance, and he whose provision is measured, let him spend of that which Allah hath given him. Allah asketh naught of any soul save that which He hath given it. Allah will vouchsafe, after hardship, ease.” (65:7)
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“Let him who hath abundance spend of his abundance, and he whose provision is measured, let him spend of that which Allah hath given him. Allah asketh naught of any soul save that which He hath given it. Allah will vouchsafe, after hardship, ease.” (65:7)
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“Let him who hath abundance spend of his abundance, and he whose provision is measured, let him spend of that which Allah hath given him. Allah asketh naught of any soul save that which He hath given it. Allah will vouchsafe, after hardship, ease.” (65:7)
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"Allah does not burden any soul"
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"beyond what He has given it."
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And the Exalted said:
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"And whatever you spend of anything,"
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"He will replace it."
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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
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"A dinar that you spend in the cause of Allah,"
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"a dinar that you spend in freeing a slave,"
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"a dinar that you give in charity to a needy person,"
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"and a dinar that you spend on your family:"
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"the one with the greatest reward is that which you spent on your family."
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Narrated by Muslim.
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"In freeing a slave" (fi raqabah):
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That is, in the manumission of a male or female slave.
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"Your dependents" ('iyalak):
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That is, the members of your household and those you support.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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Spending on one's family is among the greatest of acts that bring one close to Allah,
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and one of the most virtuous forms of expenditure.
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For it is an obligatory maintenance,
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and drawing near to Allah through obligatory deeds is more beloved to Him than anything else.
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Moreover, it upholds the ties of kinship,
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fosters love and affection,
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unites hearts, and brings the family together.
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The avenues of spending in the cause of Allah are numerous,
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including spending in the cause of Allah to equip warriors,
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emancipating slaves so they may attain their freedom,
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and striving to care for the needy and the impoverished.
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On the authority of Abu 'Abdullah,
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who is also called Abu 'Abd al-Rahman,
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Thawban ibn Bujdud, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
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"The best dinar a man spends"
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"is a dinar he spends on his dependents,"
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"a dinar he spends on his riding animal in the cause of Allah,"
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"and a dinar he spends on his companions in the cause of Allah."
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Narrated by Muslim.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prioritized forms of spending
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and clarified their importance and virtue.
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The greatest of them is spending on one's dependents,
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followed by spending on outfitting oneself
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and preparing weapons for jihad in the cause of Allah,
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and then spending on one's brothers-in-faith
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to assist them in setting out as fighters in the cause of Allah.
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Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
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"O Messenger of Allah,"
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"Will I have a reward for spending on the children of Abu Salamah?"
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"For I cannot leave them wandering like this and that;"
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"they are only my children."
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He replied, "Yes,"
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"you will have the reward for whatever you spend on them."
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Agreed upon.
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"Leaving them like this and that":
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Meaning wandering right and left in search of sustenance.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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The virtue of spending on orphans.
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The permissibility of a woman giving her zakat to her husband.
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The profound compassion and mercy of a mother toward her children.
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A mother earns reward and recompense by spending on her children,
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even if she spends on them driven purely by maternal compassion and mercy.
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It is commendable for a person of authority to encourage Muslim men and women to perform righteous deeds.
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On the authority of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him,
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in his lengthy hadith which we cited earlier at the beginning of the book
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in the chapter on intention:
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said to him:
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"Indeed, you will never spend any expenditure seeking thereby the Face of Allah"
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"except that you will be rewarded for it,"
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"even the morsel of food you put in your wife's mouth."
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Agreed upon.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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Reaping reward and recompense by spending on one's wife,
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even though it is in return for the marital enjoyment of her,
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because permissible actions, when accompanied by a sound intention,
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are elevated to the rank of acts of obedience.
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On the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Badri, may Allah be pleased with him,
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from the Prophet, peace be upon him, who said:
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"When a man spends on his family seeking Allah's reward,"
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"it is counted for him as charity."
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Agreed upon.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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Spending on one's wife and children is an obligation.
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Reaping reward and recompense by spending on one's family.
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The believer seeks by his deeds the Face of Allah
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and the reward and recompense that reside with Him.
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On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
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The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
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"It is sufficient sin for a person"
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"to neglect those he is responsible to feed."
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Narrated by Abu Dawud and others,
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and Muslim narrated it in his Sahih with a similar meaning, where he said:
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"It is sufficient sin for a person to withhold sustenance from those under his care."
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"It is sufficient sin for a person":
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That is, it is sin enough for him to neglect his dependents.
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"Those under his care":
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Meaning those whom he is obligated to maintain and provide for.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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The prohibition of neglecting the affairs of one's dependents and withholding maintenance from them.
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A man is responsible for those entrusted to his care,
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such as his dependents and servants.
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Spending on those you support is among the most virtuous forms of spending.
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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
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that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
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"Never does a day dawn upon the servants"
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"except that two angels descend,"
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"and one of them says:"
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"'O Allah, give replenishment to the one who spends!'"
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"while the other says:"
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"'O Allah, bring ruin to the one who withholds!'"
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Agreed upon.
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"Replenishment" (khalafan):
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Meaning compensate him with what is better for what he spent and bless him in it.
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"Ruin" (talafan):
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Meaning destroy what he hoarded and withheld from those entitled to it.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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The permissibility of praying for the generous person to receive further recompense
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and that Allah grant him better than what he spent.
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The permissibility of praying against the miser
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for the ruin of his wealth that he withheld and hoarded.
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Allah answers the supplication of a servant for his brother in his absence.
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The supplication of the angels
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and their asking forgiveness for the righteous believers who spend in charity,
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praying for goodness and blessing for them;
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and that their supplications are answered,
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for assigning them an action without purpose would be futile,
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and Allah, Glorified is He, is far exalted above futility.
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The encouragement to spend in the cause of Allah,
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because it is a means to receiving an increase in blessing.
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The Exalted said:
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"If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]."
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The prohibition of miserliness and stinginess,
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because it is a cause of ruin and destruction.
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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
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from the Prophet, peace be upon him, who said:
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"The upper hand is better than the lower hand;"
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"start with those you support;"
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"the best charity is that given out of surplus wealth;"
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"and whoever seeks chastity, Allah will keep him chaste,"
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"and whoever seeks self-sufficiency, Allah will enrich him."
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Narrated by al-Bukhari.
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"The upper hand":
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It is the hand that spends and gives.
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"The lower hand":
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It is the hand that begs.
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"The best charity":
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Meaning the most virtuous charity that a Muslim gives.
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"Out of surplus wealth" ('an zahri ghina):
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Meaning without being in dire need of it himself,
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after securing a sufficient amount of wealth for his family and dependents,
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or setting it aside to settle his debt.
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"Seeks chastity" (yasta'fif):
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Meaning he asks Allah for modest self-restraint,
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which is to refrain from what is forbidden.
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"Allah will keep him chaste" (yu'iffahu Allah):
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Meaning Allah grants him the divine enablement
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so that he becomes chaste, abstaining from unlawful things.
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"Seeks self-sufficiency" (yastaghni):
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Meaning he remains content with what Allah has apportioned to him.
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Among the benefits of the hadith:
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Hands are of four ranks:
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the highest of them
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is the hand that spends in the cause of Allah without boastful reminders or insult,
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followed by the hand that restrains itself from taking,
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even when in need,
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followed by the hand that accepts without begging or covetous expectation,
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and the lowest of them is the begging hand.
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The preference for wealth in the hands of a righteous man
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who fulfills the rights due upon that wealth, over the poor person.
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This is evident in several matters,
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among which:
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that the hand spending in the cause of Allah is the upper hand,
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and spending and giving can only occur
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out of surplus wealth.
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The disapproval of begging and repelling people from it,
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and that it is not permissible except out of necessity or pressing need.
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The people most entitled to your financial support
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are the members of your household and those you sustain;
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hence he said:
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"Start with those you support."
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Modest restraint and contentment are among the traits of the completely realized believers.
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It is not permissible for a person to give away all his wealth in charity
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and thereby remain a dependent burden upon others.
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Whoever seeks the help of Allah to fulfill the righteous deeds he resolved within himself to perform,
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Allah will assist him, grant him his desire, and suffice him.
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Chapter: Spending from What One Loves and from What Is of Good Quality.
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Allah the Exalted said:
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"Never will you attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love."
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And the Exalted said:
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“O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which We bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad (with intent) to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise.” (2:267)
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“O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which We bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad (with intent) to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise.” (2:267)
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“O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which We bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad (with intent) to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise.” (2:267)
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"while you would not take it"
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“O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have earned, and of that which We bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not the bad (with intent) to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of Praise.” (2:267)
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On the authority of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
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Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) possessed the greatest wealth in date-palm groves among the Ansar in Medina,
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and the dearest of his properties to him was the garden of Bayruha',
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which stood directly opposite the Mosque.
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The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to enter it
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and drink from its fresh, wholesome water.
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Anas said:
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When this verse was revealed:
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"Never will you attain true righteousness until you spend from that which you love,"
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Abu Talhah stood before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said,
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"O Messenger of Allah,
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indeed, Allah Almighty has revealed to you:
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'Never will you attain true righteousness until you spend from that which you love,'
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and indeed the dearest of my wealth to me is Bayruha',
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and it is now given as a charity for the sake of Allah Almighty.
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I seek its righteousness and its reward stored with Allah Almighty,
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so dispose of it, O Messenger of Allah, wherever Allah directs you."
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Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"Well done! That is a profitable investment!
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That is a profitable investment!
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I have heard what you said,
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and I think you should give it to your nearest relatives."
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Abu Talhah replied,
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"I shall do so, O Messenger of Allah."
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So Abu Talhah distributed it among his relatives and his cousins.
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Agreed upon [by al-Bukhari and Muslim].
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His saying, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
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"a profitable investment [rabih]"—
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it has been transmitted in the Sahih as "rabih"
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as well as "rayih",
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meaning: its lasting benefit shall continuously return to you.
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"Bayruha'" was a date-palm orchard
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facing the Mosque,
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meaning it lay in the direction of the Qiblah of the Prophet's Mosque.
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"Fresh" [tayyib] means sweet and pure water.
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"Its righteousness" [birruha] means its abundant goodness,
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and "its reward stored" [dhukhruha] means its treasure preserved with Allah.
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"Bakhin" is an expression of delight and admiration,
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said to convey deep satisfaction with something, to magnify it, and to express wonder at it.
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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
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The immense virtue of spending from the best and dearest of one's wealth.
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The swiftness of the Companions in responding to the command of Allah,
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and their eager striving to attain the high spiritual ranks beloved to Allah and His Messenger.
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The propriety of delegating people of knowledge and virtue to distribute and direct charities to worthy causes.
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The permissibility of utilizing the Mosque's vicinity and endowments for the public benefit of the Muslims.
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Encouraging righteous deeds by praising and thanking those who perform them,
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and expressing joy and admiration for their good conduct.
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The people most deserving of one's benevolence are one's kin and nearest relatives.
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The permissibility of entering gardens to seek shade beneath their trees
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and to drink of their water,
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especially when their owners are pleased by that.
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In this hadith lies a manifest virtue of Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him),
15:43
for the verse encouraged spending from that which is beloved,
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yet Abu Talhah went further by spending the very dearest of all his wealth.
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Thus the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) affirmed his noble choice, saying:
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"Well done! That is a profitable investment!"
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For whatever a servant sends forth before him to his Master,
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storing it for the Day when neither wealth nor children shall avail,
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is the truly profitable wealth and the trade that will never perish,
16:15
because whatever is with you will vanish, and whatever is with Allah will endure.