Despite the religion, color, or race, as humans we innate sense of morality. We all admire bravery, justice, honesty, compassion, and generosity. Generosity is a universal moral standard which every religion mostly suggests its believer to do so. In Islam, generosity is an important aspects adherence good manners and high moral standards.
Islam teaches generosity to its believer as it is a big-heartedness. Generous person spends his wealth, time, and energy in the way of Allah and helps the poor and needy people. Sometimes, generous people sacrifice their own needs in order to provide for others. Generosity stands for offering food, money, and other forms of lawful gaining from one’s free will. The benefits of generosity are tremendous as the following.
1. Investment in the future
Generosity can serve as wise investment in the future in terms of reward. This is because every generous act comes with reward from God. Generosity is one of many ways to earn reward from Allah. See also importance of good manner in Islam.
2. It does not have to be money or wealth
Generosity may mean giving out some of our wealth or money. However, it does not always have to be in the form of money. It can be in the form of speak kindly, good actions, time, energy, and also kindness with other people. See also importance of offering food to fasting people.
“Never will you attain the good (reward) until you spend (in the way of Allah) from which you love..” (Quran 3: 92)
Although money is important in this world to continue our life, it doesn’t mean that all generosity must be done by money, as well as wealth. It is important to us to give our feeling of generosity to our moeslem siblings. As example, giving out places to stay for traveler who need place to rest, or giving out our old clothes which is unused to people who needed cloth. However, please take care about the clothes. It will be good if the clothes still wearable.
3. Immense of reward
Those who spend their wealth and time for charity and generosity will receive immense reward. Immeasurable and unlimited blessing and mercy of Allah will only go to generous people.
” Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah and then do not follow up what they have spent with reproaches and affronts, they shall have their reward near their lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.” Quran 2: 262)
4. Achieve Allah SWT’s blessing
Generous person will share what he has as well as think others as he thinks of himself. He enjoys helping others people in need without worrying about what he will get in return. These people will receive immense blessing from Allah for everything that they intend to do. See also the importance of helping others in Islam.
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5. Avoid Allah SWT’s irate
We all want to live in prosperity and even wealthy. However, many people think that being stingy will bring them prosperous but it actually only make them closer to poverty.
“Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and Bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing and knowing.” (Quran Al-Baqarah: 268)
6. Remove obstacles in life
Generous people will receive endless blessing from Allah. Allah makes life easier for those who follow the path of obedience and generous. Allah will remove obstacle in life as a way to reward generous people. Learn more about charity and giving out in Islam.
“Those who give their wealth by night and day, secretly and openly, they shall have their reward near their lord, and they will have no fear, now will they grieve.” (Quran Surah Al-Baqarah: 274)
7. Allah SWT promises Paradise for generous people
Generous people have specific places in Islam. It is as a pave way to paradise. The more generous a person, the closer he gets to Allah and His paradise. In Islam, generosity can be a protection against hellfire.
“The prophet Muhammad said “protect yourself from the hellfire even by giving a piece of a date as charity.” (Hadith Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
8. Close to Allah and humanity but far from hell-fire
Generosity makes a person close to Allah and humanity. He gives only goodness for the people around him. In reverse, stinginess makes a person far from Allah and close to hellfire.
As narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet said:
“Generosity is close to the people and far from the fire. Stinginess is far from Allah, far from Paradise, and close to the fire. The ignorant generous person, is more beloved to Allah than the worshipping stingy person.” (Hadith Jami’ at-Tirmidhi)
Islam highlights the importance of generosity because it has huge impact for the humanity. Worship is important but without generosity, worship becomes less appreciated.
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9. Increase in God’s provision and sustenance
Never afraid to go broke when being generous. No generous man will ever go broke or bankrupt because he helps other people. In fact, Allah guarantees to multiply the reward as replacement for the generosity and donation in the world and hereafter.
“… and He will repay whatever you may spend and He is the best providers.” (Quran surah 34:39)
“Indeed those who recite the Book of Allah (Quran) and maintain the prayer, and spend secretly and openly out of what We have provided them, expect a commerce that will never go bankrupt.” (Quran 35:29)
10. Combat poverty
Lots of people struggle with poverty. Generosity can be a good way to combat poverty. Muslims are encouraged to be unselfish and benevolent with our possession, time, and also exemplary behavior. With generosity, we can make the world as better place for those who are in poverty. See also benefits of kindness in Islam.
Other Importances
The importance of generosity still continues as the following benefits.
- Physically and mentally healthy
- Good deed for the society
- Sharing is caring
- Keep the “goodness” cycle
- Wipe of sins
God is the one who gives and provides us with everything that we need. He expects us to share it generously with other people. This is because Islam teaches its believer to always be constructive and become beneficial members of the society through helping those who are in needs. Being generous is not only in the form of wealth, every good deed can describe as act of charity.