HIS GENEROSITY
What has been narrated in the two Saheehs from Ibn Abbas, he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most generous of people, and he would be most generous in Ramadan when Jibreel would meet him and teach him the Qur’an. Indeed, The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was more generous than the strong uncontrollable wind [in readiness to give charity]. This similitude is the epitome of eloquence in making a similitude with the uncontrollable wind in its generality and limitless abundance.
In the two Saheehs from Jabir bin Abdullah, he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was never asked anything and then replied, “No.””
Narrated by Anas, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was not asked for anything upon Islam except that he gave it to him. A man came to him and asked him, so he ordered for [as] many sheep [as filled] between two mountains from the sheep of Zakat. Then he returned to his people and said, “O my people, embrace Islam for indeed Muhammad gives in the manner of someone who doesn’t fear poverty.”
And from him – may Allah reward him – he said, “A man asked the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) so he gave him some sheep [such that they filled the space] between two mountains. Then he came to his people and said, “O my people embrace Islam, for by Allah Muhammad gives in the way of the one who does not fear poverty.” Indeed a man would come to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) not wanting anything but worldly [matters], then he would not reach the evening until his religion would be more beloved and dear to him than the world and that which is in it.”
And this giving [in charity] indeed pleases the hearts of those with weak hearts [faith] in [staying on] Islam and encourages others to enter into Islam, just as he did in the Battle of Hunain when he distributed the abundant wealth from camels, sheep and silver among those who were al-Mu’allafatu Quloobuhum [bringing hearts together for Islam]. Despite that he did not give the Ansar and the majority of the Muhajiroon anything. Rather, he distributed [the spoils] amongst those whose hearts he wanted to bring upon Islam and left them because of the richness and goodness that was [already] in their hearts.
When condoling whoever questioned him about the wisdom behind this distribution, and answering those who rebuked him from a group of the Ansar, he said, “Are you not satisfied that the people leave with sheep and camel and that you leave with the Messenger of Allah, returning with him to your homes?” They said, “We are satisfied, O Messenger of Allah.”
Similarly, he gave his uncle al-Abbas after he embraced Islam when the fortune from Bahrain came to him and was placed in front of him in the mosque. Al-Abbas came to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah give me [from the fortune] because I redeemed myself in the Battle of Badr and I redeemed ‘Aqeel [he paid for his and ‘Aqeel’s freedom], so he said, “Take.” Then he removed his thawb and began to place some of the fortune in it, then he stood up to carry it but he couldn’t, then he said to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), “Lift it on my back.” He said, “I will not do so.” So [al-Abbas] said, “Order some of them to lift it on my back.” So he said, “No.” So he removed something from it and still couldn’t carry it. Then he asked him to lift it or tell some of them to lift it yet he did not, so he removed some of it and carried the rest. And he left the mosque carrying it whilst the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) watched him in amazement at his zeal.”
I say: al-Abbas was a tall, strong nobleman, so the least of what he could carry would have been close to 40,000 And Allah (SWT) knows best. Al-Bukhari mentioned it in his Saheeh in some places in suspended form [without mentioning the transmitter] in the form of certainty [that it is a Saheeh hadeeth].
And this is mentioned from the virtues of al-Abbas because of His statement the Most High: “O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: “If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” [Soorah al-Anfal: 70]
It has preceded from Anas bin Malik, his (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) servant that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most generous of people and the most courageous of them….”And how could it not be so, when he is the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and formed with the most perfect of attributes, firm in belief in what is in Allah’s hands the Great and the Almighty, the one to whom Allah revealed His perfected great book: “And what is the matter with you that you spend not in the Cause of Allah? And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth” [Soorah al-Hadeed: 10]
And He said, the Most High: “And whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers.” [Soorah Saba’: 39]
He is the one who said to his Mu’aththin Bilal and he is the truthful and his truthfulness is attested in promise and speech, “Spend O Bilal, and do not fear diminution from the Possessor of the Throne [Allah].”
He (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is the one who said, “There is not a day that the slaves [mankind] wake in the morning except that two angels descend, one of them says, “O Allah give the one who spends a replacement [reward for charity].”And the other says, “O Allah give the miser loss.” And in the other hadeeth, he said to ‘A’ishah, “Do not gather your wealth and be miserly with it lest Allah is miserly with you. And do not prevent [anyone] from what you have lest Allah will prevent you [from what he has].”
In the Saheeh he (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Allah the Great and the Almighty says: “Spend O son of Adam, I will spend on you.”And how couldn’t he be the most generous of the people when there was nobody who had greater reliance [on Allah] than him, with firm belief in Allah’s provision and help, the one who sought aid from his Lord in all of his affairs? He was – before his Prophethood, after it and before his migration – a source of refuge for the poor, widows, orphans, the weak and the poor as mentioned previously in the famous poem by his uncle Abu Talib.
By Ibn Katheer
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