Charity in the Noble Qur'an: A Qur'anic, Exegetical and Juristic Study — Basira

Charity in the Noble Qur'an: A Qur'anic, Exegetical and Juristic Study — Basira

Verses commanding spending and stating its merit: such as the words of Allah the Exalted: ﴿مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ﴾ (al-Baqara: 245)
“Who is it that will lend Allah a goodly loan, so that He may multiply it for him?”, likening the giver of charity to one who lends to Allah the Exalted, with the promise of multiplication. And such as the verse: ﴿مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ … كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ …﴾ (al-Baqara: 261)
“The example of those who spend their wealth … is like that of a grain that sprouts seven ears …”, which strikes a parable for the multiplication of reward.
Verses on the categories of recipients and obligatory charity: the most prominent being ﴿إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ…﴾
“Charities are only for the poor and the needy…”, which restricts the recipients of zakāt to eight categories. Among these verses also are the words of Allah the Exalted: ﴿خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِمْ بِهَا﴾ (al-Tawba: 103)
“Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them to grow”; the exegetes have explained that it was revealed concerning the obligatory zakāt on wealth.
Verses on voluntary charity and its etiquette: such as the words of Allah the Exalted: ﴿إِنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ ۖ وَإِنْ تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ﴾ (al-Baqara: 271)
“If you disclose your charities, how excellent that is; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you”, in which Allah praised both giving charity openly and concealing it. Giving charity openly contains a call and a good example that encourages others to give, and it comforts the hearts of the needy when they see mutual solidarity in their society. Concealing charity, on the other hand, is “further removed from showing off, reproach and injury” and protects the poor person's dignity from disgrace. For this reason the Qur'an forbade reproach and injury after giving charity: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالأَذَى﴾ (al-Baqara: 264)
“O you who believe, do not invalidate your charities with reproach and injury”; for beneficence is joined to safeguarding the feelings of the poor.
Verses on trial, and on the hypocrites, concerning charity: such as the verse in which some Muslims were reproached for their reluctance to give voluntary charity before privately consulting the Prophet ﷺ (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): ﴿فَقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَةً﴾ (al-Mujādila: 12)
“Then present a charity before your private consultation”, after which they were pardoned in the following verse. And such as His words about the hypocrites: ﴿وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَلْمِزُكَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ…﴾ (al-Tawba: 58)
“And among them are some who find fault with you concerning the charities…”, that is, they impugned the Prophet's ﷺ distribution of the charities. These categories of verses together draw a comprehensive outline of the concept of ṣadaqa in the Qur'an: its great merit, its being obligatory on specific kinds of wealth, its designated recipients, and its etiquette and inner conditions.

As for Tafsīr Majmaʿ al-Bayān by Shaykh al-Ṭabrisī (6th century AH), it combines linguistic exposition with transmitted reports, focusing on the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt where the exegeses differ. For example, when commenting on the verse ﴿إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ…﴾ (al-Tawba: 60)
“Charities are only for the poor…”, he relates the views of the jurists on the categories of those entitled, then points to the view of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (ع) on its details: he reports from Imam al-Bāqir (ع) that the share of al-muʾallafa qulūbuhum (those whose hearts are to be reconciled) remains valid “on condition that there is a just Imam to reconcile them”, and he reports from our companions (the Imāmī scholars) that they permit, from the share of ﴿وفي الرقاب﴾
“and for [freeing] slaves”, the purchase of a believing slave in order to free him, and that ﴿في سبيل الله﴾
“in the way of Allah”, according to our companions, encompasses all the interests of the Muslims and not only armed jihād. These are conceptual additions that distinguish Shīʿī exegesis, in which the meaning of sabīl Allāh (the way of Allah) broadens to include building mosques, bridges and similar charitable projects. Shīʿī exegesis has likewise been distinctive in emphasising certain occasions of revelation specific to the Ahl al-Bayt (ع) in the verses on charity, such as their interpretation of the words of Allah the Exalted ﴿إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللّٰهُ… وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ﴾ (al-Māʾida: 55)
“Your guardian is only Allah… and those who believe, who establish prayer and give zakāt while they are bowing” as having been revealed concerning Imam ʿAlī (ع) when he gave his ring in charity while bowing. Abū Jaʿfar al-Bāqir and Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ṣādiq (عليهما السلام) (peace be upon them both) and all the Imāmī scholars narrated that this verse was revealed specifically concerning ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, whereas some other exegetes said that it applies generally to the believers. Shīʿī exegesis here adds the dimension of walāya (divinely appointed guardianship) connected to this unique charitable act, and sees in the verse evidence of the exalted rank of Imam ʿAlī (ع), such that Allah joined his walāya to the walāya of His Messenger in the context of giving in the way of Allah. Similarly, their works of tafsīr gave attention to Sūrat Hal Atā (al-Insān) because of its connection to the Ahl al-Bayt's (ع) charity of their food for breaking the fast, and they unanimously held that it was revealed in glorification of their great self-sacrifice. Al-Ṭabrisī and others say that the sūra immortalised a historical event in which Imam ʿAlī, Fāṭima, al-Ḥasan, al-Ḥusayn and Fiḍḍa (عليهم السلام) (peace be upon them) gave their food in charity for three consecutive days to the beggar, the needy and the captive, whereupon the verses were revealed: ﴿وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا ۞ إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللّٰهِ لا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلا شُكُورًا﴾
“And they give food, despite their love for it, to the needy, the orphan and the captive. [Saying,] ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah; we desire from you neither reward nor thanks’”, in honour of them and their self-sacrificing stance. This kind of exegesis highlights the link between the occasion of revelation and the practical application of the verses in the life of the Ahl al-Bayt, which lends a particular depth to the concept of charity in the Shīʿī view.

Shīʿī ḥadīth sources abound with narrations highlighting the merit and etiquette of charity, many of which are reported from the Noble Prophet (ص) (may Allah bless him and his family) and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (ع). Among the best-known of these reports is the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله) (may Allah bless him and his family): «تصدقوا ولو بشقِّ تمرة»
“Give charity, even if only half a date”, urging people to give however little, and his saying: «اتقوا النار ولو بشق تمرة»
“Shield yourselves from the Fire, even with half a date”. He (ص) urged people not to be ashamed of giving little, because “ما نقص مالٌ من صدقة”
“No wealth is diminished by charity”, meaning that charity does not diminish one's provision but rather increases it in blessing. In another ḥadīth narrated from the Messenger (ص): «استنزلوا الرزق بالصدقة»
“Bring down provision through charity”, that is, draw an increase in provision by giving charity, «وداووا مرضاكم بالصدقة»
“and treat your sick with charity”; it is reported that Imam al-Ṣādiq (ع) said, from his forefather the Messenger of Allah: «داووا مرضاكم بالصدقة»
“Treat your sick with charity”, pointing to the effect of charity in lifting affliction and illness, by Allah's leave. He also narrated: «الصدقة تدفع البلاء المبرَم»
“Charity repels firmly decreed affliction”, that is, affliction destined to occur, «فداووا مرضاكم بالصدقة»
“so treat your sick with charity”. Likewise: «الصدقة تدفع ميتة السوء عن صاحبها»
“Charity repels an evil death from the one who gives it”, such as death by burning, drowning and the like. It is reported from Imam ʿAlī (ع), traced back to the Prophet: «صدقة السر تطفئ غضب الرب»
“Secret charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord”, a narration accepted by Shīʿa and Sunnis alike, which affirms that hidden charity has a great effect in averting the displeasure of Allah the Exalted from the servant. Among the counsels of Imam al-Ṣādiq (ع) as well: «لا صدقةَ وذو رَحِمٍ محتاج»
“There is no charity while a relative is in need”; meaning that spending on a needy relative takes precedence, so one should not neglect a poor relative and give charity to a stranger. Numerous narrations have affirmed this meaning, so much so that Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn (ع) said: «أفضل الصدقة على الرحم الكاشح»
“The best charity is that given to a hostile relative”, that is, one who is hostile to you, for it entails maintaining the ties of kinship and reconciling hearts.

The ethics and etiquette of the giver in the narrations: The ḥadīths of the Ahl al-Bayt stressed the importance of the giver's intention and sincerity, and warned against reproaching the poor with one's favour. It is narrated that Imam al-Ṣādiq (ع) saw a man giving to a poor person in charity, and said to him: «أنت أحوج إلى ما أعطيته في آخرتك من حاجة ذلك الفقير إليه في دنياه»
“You are more in need of what you have given him, for your Hereafter, than that poor man is in need of it in his worldly life”. This is an eloquent statement that shows the Ahl al-Bayt's (ع) awareness that the true favour in charity belongs to the poor over the rich; for when the poor person accepts the charity, he grants the rich person an opportunity to purify himself and his wealth, and were it not for his acceptance, the rich person's sins and the impurities of his wealth would remain uncleansed. Hence it is reported from them (ع) that secret charity extinguishes the wrath of Allah because it is sincere and free of showing off, and that the spiritual effect of the deed extends first to the giver himself. Imam al-Bāqir (ع) narrated that charity falls into the hand of Allah before the hand of the poor person, and in this there is a profound spiritual meaning: that Allah the Exalted receives the servant's charity and rewards it directly. This led some of the Imams to kiss the hand of the beggar after giving him charity, as a sign that it had reached the hand of the All-Merciful first. From here comes the Qur'anic counsel: «لا تُبطِلوا صدقاتكم بالمنّ والأذى» (al-Baqara: 264)
“Do not invalidate your charities with reproach and injury”; for reproach removes the reward of charity, since it makes the rich person imagine that he is the one bestowing favour, whereas the truth — according to the gnostic perspective of the Ahl al-Bayt — is that the poor person is the one bestowing favour on the rich by accepting it.

Practical applications in the lives of the Ahl al-Bayt (ع): The Ahl al-Bayt embodied the value of charity practically in their lives, setting the finest examples of self-sacrifice and spending, seeking the Face of Allah. Among these is Imam ʿAlī's (ع) giving his ring in charity while bowing in prayer, whereupon the noble verse was revealed praising this act and making it a distinguishing mark of the perfect believer. Likewise there is the story of the Ahl al-Bayt (ع) (ʿAlī, Fāṭima, al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn) feeding a needy person, an orphan and a captive with three loaves of barley bread that were all they possessed for breaking their fast, over three consecutive days while they were fasting; they preferred these needy people over themselves and spent the nights hungry, and so Sūrat al-Insān was revealed concerning them, praising their deed and enumerating their great reward with Allah. Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (ع) was known for his abundant secret charity at night; he would carry a sack of bread on his back under cover of darkness and distribute it to the houses of the poor in Medina without anyone recognising him, so that when he came in secret they would say: “The man with the sack has come”. When he (عليه السلام) (peace be upon him) passed away and they washed his body, they found marks on his back from the weight of what he used to carry. Abū Ḥamza al-Thumālī said: «كان علي بن الحسين يحمل جراب الخبز بالليل على ظهره فيتصدّق به ويقول: إن صدقة السر تطفئ غضب الرب»
“ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn used to carry a sack of bread on his back at night and give it in charity, saying: Secret charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord”. After his death that giving ceased, and people realised that it was he who had been supporting them in secret. It is likewise narrated that Imam Mūsā al-Kāẓim (ع) had a poor neighbour who used to wrong him, and he (ع) would send him charity secretly without his knowing; when the neighbour learned of this after the Imam's death, he grieved. These examples, and many others, show that beneficence and charity were a prominent feature in the lives of the Imams; they regarded serving the poor and destitute as part of their religious responsibility and their moral character. Biographical works mention that Imam al-Ḥasan al-Mujtabā (ع), renowned for his generosity and munificence, divided his wealth with Allah more than once, giving half of his wealth in the way of Allah. And Imam Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn freed hundreds of slaves in the way of Allah as ongoing charities (ṣadaqāt jāriya).

The prohibition of obligatory charity to Banū Hāshim: Shīʿī jurists are agreed that it is not permissible to give zakāt on wealth or zakāt al-fiṭra to those descended from Banū Hāshim (that is, the sayyids from the progeny of the Prophet ﷺ) if the giver is not a Hāshimī. According to Sayyid al-Sīstānī, strong disapproval also extends to small charities given to ward off affliction if they lead to the humiliation of a poor Hāshimī. As for a Hāshimī, he may give his charities (obligatory or recommended) to Hāshimīs and non-Hāshimīs without any difficulty, and a non-Hāshimī may give sayyids from his recommended charities provided this involves no humiliation for them. These restrictions are based on narrations among the Ahl al-Bayt that forbid humiliating the family of the Prophet ﷺ with the impurities of people's wealth, and on the obligation to safeguard their station.
The priority of maintenance and dependants: The jurists point out that a person's expenditure on those whose maintenance is obligatory upon him (such as parents, children and wife) takes precedence over giving voluntary charity. It is not legally valid for him to regard, for example, what he spends on his parents as charity, since it is obligatory maintenance in the first place. He may, however, give them from recommended charity if they are poor and it is in addition to the maintenance he owes them. Imam Khamenei has explicitly stated that it is permissible to give charity to relatives without restriction in recommended charity, and in obligatory charity if they are poor and not among those whose maintenance is obligatory upon him, for relatives have the greater claim to kindness. The jurists have also affirmed what is reported in the narrations, that providing amply for one's dependants is better than giving charity to others; that is, spending on one's family and providing them with what suffices them is better than voluntary charity to strangers. If there is a needy relative, charity to him is better than to a stranger; indeed, charity to a hostile (estranged) relative is considered better because of its effect in softening his heart.
The conditions and etiquette of charity in fiqh: Intention (the intention of drawing near to Allah) is a condition for the validity of recommended charity, as with all other acts of devotion. It is recommended to hasten to give it at the beginning of the day to ward off the evil one may face during the day, and at the beginning of the night to ward off the affliction of the night. It is also recommended to give it secretly if one fears showing off or humiliating the poor, and it is permissible to give it openly if that encourages others, but on condition of sincerity. Among the recommended acts that the jurists mention on the basis of the ḥadīths are that the giver should hand his charity to the poor person with his own hand and show cheerfulness and a bright face when giving, and that he should not turn away a beggar, even if only with something small; for from Imam al-Kāẓim (ع): «ردُّ السائل كسْرٌ لقلبه»
“Turning away a beggar breaks his heart”. It is disliked (makrūh) for a person to take back what he gave in charity or to buy it from the one to whom he gave it; it is stated among the disapproved matters: “It is strongly disliked for the giver to take ownership of what he gave in charity to the poor person, whether by purchase or gift”. It is also disliked to give in charity inferior wealth or food that one would be ashamed to accept, because of the words of Allah the Exalted: ﴿وَلا تَيَمَّمُوا الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَ﴾ (al-Baqara: 267)
“And do not aim for the inferior of it to spend from”.
The recipients of recommended charity: The basic principle is that it is for the poor and the needy and for meeting the needs of those in want. Is it permissible to spend charity on public projects? Shīʿī fiqh distinguishes between charity funds designated for the poor and general donations. Sayyid al-Sīstānī, for example, permits spending general donations on building a mosque, a ḥusayniyya or the like, whereas private charities for the poor may be spent only on them. Nevertheless, the jurists have included many forms of righteousness under the heading of ṣadaqa jāriya (ongoing charity, which is any charitable work of continuing benefit), counting the building of mosques and schools, the printing of beneficial books, and endowments for orphans and the poor as ongoing charity.
Giving charity to non-Muslims: The jurists hold that it is permissible to give charity to a poor non-Muslim (Jewish, Christian or even an idolater) so long as he is not obstinate and hostile towards the believers. Indeed, Sayyid al-Sīstānī has stated that it is preferable (recommended), although giving to a poor believer is better. This stems from the spirit of humanity in Islam and the entrenchment of the principle of solidarity with all human beings. The conduct of the Imams indicated this; Imam ʿAlī (ع) gave charity to non-Muslims, and even made bequests to his enemies if they were in want.
Organising charities and charitable funds: With the development of modern life, there are charitable funds and committees for collecting charity. The jurists have ruled that it is permissible to place money in charity boxes belonging to a trustworthy body, on condition that the donor is confident that the money will actually reach the deserving needy. As for investing charity funds for the benefit of the poor (for example, collecting them and then investing them in a project whose profits are spent on the needy), this is not permissible except with the prior permission of the donors who own the funds, or the permission of the legitimate religious authority (al-ḥākim al-sharʿī) who holds guardianship over public resources, because charity money must reach the one entitled to it and may not be disposed of without permission. The scholars have also ruled that it is permissible to pay a reasonable wage to someone who helps collect charity if need calls for it, provided that the wage is taken from the total donations with the implicit consent of their owners; but giving those in charge of collection additional bonuses from charity funds (beyond their salaries) is not permissible without special permission.
The ruling on charity by a debtor: If a person is deeply in debt but owns a little money, may he give something small in charity? The Shīʿī marājiʿ (senior jurisprudential authorities) have ruled that there is no harm in his giving something small in charity to ward off affliction and gain reward, even if he has debts, so long as this does not impair the repayment of his debt. But if he has filled a charity box from his own money and then decides to spend what he has collected on paying off his debt, there are two cases: if he had not intended it and actually made the money charity, he may use it for himself and repay his creditors with it; but if he had removed it from his ownership with the intention of charity, he may not take it back.

Scholars of ʿirfān (mystical gnosis) and ethics — especially in the Shīʿī school — have viewed charity as a spiritual practice that goes beyond being merely a social act. For them, charity is a spiritual discipline for purifying the heart of love of the world and of selfishness. The more a person struggles against his self and spends from what he loves, the more this is proof of his sincerity, as in the Prophetic ḥadīth: «والصدقة برهان»
“and charity is a proof”. The gnostics say that giving wealth for Allah frees the soul from servitude to the dirham and the dinar and opens the doors of divine mercy to the heart. They have cited the words of Allah the Exalted: ﴿خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا﴾
“Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them to grow” as evidence that the reality of charity is the purification of the spirit and the nurturing of virtues within it, not merely meeting the needs of the poor. Therefore we find them focusing on the intention of the giver more than on the wealth itself, and regarding reproaching the poor as a spiritual affliction that spoils the effect of charity, because it involves seeing one's own self and denying the grace of Allah. One of the gnostics said: When you give the poor person money, it is in truth the poor person who grants you the opportunity to purify and cleanse your wealth; he is the one who bestows a favour upon you, because he is the cause of your salvation and of your reward in the Hereafter. From this standpoint they interpreted the saying of Imam ʿAlī (ع): «ما أحسنَ تواضعَ الأغنياء للفقراء طلباً لما عند الله! وأحسنُ منه تيهُ الفقراء على الأغنياء اتّكالاً على الله»
“How fine is the humility of the rich towards the poor, seeking what is with Allah! And finer still is the pride of the poor towards the rich, relying on Allah” as meaning that the poor person, when he takes charity humbly, is in fact doing the rich person a favour by accepting it. Hence the gnostics stressed the necessity of feeling gratitude when giving charity, not self-admiration and superiority. It is related that one of the great ascetics, whenever he gave charity to a poor person, would kiss his hand after he had taken it; when asked about this, he said: I am kissing a hand that the hand of Allah has touched — an allusion to the ḥadīth qudsī (a divine saying transmitted by the Prophet): «يا ابن آدم مرضتُ فلم تعُدني… استطعمتك فلم تطعمني… استسقيتك فلم تسقني… أما علمتَ أنّ عبدي فلانًا مرض… وأن عبدي فلانًا استطعمك… واستسقاك… فلو عدته لوجدتني عنده… ولو أطعمته لوجدت ذلك عندي…»
“O son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit Me… I asked you for food and you did not feed Me… I asked you for drink and you did not give Me drink… Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was sick… and that My servant so-and-so asked you for food… and asked you for drink… Had you visited him, you would have found Me with him… and had you fed him, you would have found that with Me…”. This is a profound understanding of Allah's presence in the act of charity, as though the giver and the recipient were both dealing directly with Allah at that moment.