How to Help the Needy - Ramadhan Reflections 2019 [Day 7]

Seven Ears of Corn    مَثَلُ   الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ   سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَنْ   يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ٢٦١ The attribute of those who spend their wealth in the cause   (way) of Allah is like the attribute of a grain (of corn) which sprouts seven   ears, each ear bearing a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies further for whomsoever   He pleases, for Allah is Bountiful, All-Knowing.[1] Commentary NUMBER 7: Islam is a religion which is as concerned about our relationship with the Almighty, as it is with our relationships to one another – and so we have ṣalāt AND zakāt – and you can not have one without the other.  The Quran seeks to encourage us to do good deeds, as some people require inspiration and reassurance that what they are doing is worthwhile, and that it will “give them” something back – more than just a tax receipt from their Federal government!  In this beautiful verse – which in actuality is a part of a collection of verses spanning from verses 261 to 268, Allah offers one of the most poignant examples of the importance of charity in our lives, and lays down many requirements for this generous act of giving. Allah begins by giving us a parable of those who spend their property in the way of Allah as being like growing a seed in the earth which then sprouts a plant which has seven ears, and in each ear there are 100 grains – and by doing the math Allah promises us a 700x reward – however He does not stop there and goes on to confirm that He multiplies and gives even more to whom He pleases – therefore, in actuality the rewards are endless! In the passages which follow this verse, Allah lays down some strict conditions for charity, including the following: 1. A person must not humiliate or insult the ones that they have helped; 2. One must not give charity to show off or for any other ulterior motive; 3. Charity given must be done only to seek the pleasure of Allah and to confirm one’s belief in Him; 4. One must not focus on the quantity – rather, focus on the quality of the gift. 5. Give as much as possible – do not be miserly nor overly generous. If we follow these and other the traits of donors, then we can await our grand rewards from Allah!  Point of Reflection Charity does not only grant its contributor a reward in the world to come, but even in this world, they will gain benefits – AS LONG AS they have maintained the requirements of giving – and it is up to us to learn “how” to donate and then make it a habit of being generous to those who are in need around us.       [1] Quran, Sūrah al-Baqara (2), Verse 261.