Spending for God’s Cause

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh Swalih ibn Muhammad al-Ja’fari, (q.s.) wrote, on spending for God’s Cause, “You must, O brother in God, spend many precious breaths in beholding the Creator, in His remembrance, and in the teaching of wisdom by speaking beneficial words.  Know that the more you spend of your knowledge, the more God Gives you of it.  Our master ‘Ali was asked, ‘Is knowledge better or money?’ 

He replied, ‘Knowledge.’ 

They asked, ‘Why?’ 

He replied, ‘Because money decreases by spending it, and knowledge increases by it.’ 

Know also that your treasuries are full, for you have ears that hear, eyes that see, hands that grasp, feet that walk, a tongue that speaks, and a mind that thinks.  Spend then of your hearing on the best of speech.  He Said, ‘Those who listen to what is said and follow the best of it.’” 

سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَر

ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَمِعُونَ ٱلۡقَوۡلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحۡسَنَهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ … (١٨) 

Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning) in it ... (Surah az-Zumar:18) 

He further wrote, “As for your eyes, use them to look at the realms of the skies and the Earth.  He Said, ‘Did they not look at the sky above them, how We have Built it and Adorned it, with no rifts in it?’” 

سُوۡرَةُ قٓ

أَفَلَمۡ يَنظُرُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَوۡقَهُمۡ كَيۡفَ بَنَيۡنَـٰهَا وَزَيَّنَّـٰهَا وَمَا لَهَا مِن فُرُوجٍ۬ (٦) 

Do they not look at the sky above them? ― How We have Made it and Adorned, it and there are no flaws in it? (Surah Qaf:6) 

He continued, “As for your hands, spend from them in assisting and supporting the weak.  As for your legs, use them to walk to the mosques, especially for the prayers that take place when it is dark.  As for your tongue, use it to command what is good and forbid what is evil, and teach the Muslims.  And as for your mind, use it to contemplate the Creations of God.  He Said, ‘They reflect on the Creation of the heavens and earth.’” 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

… وَيَتَفَڪَّرُونَ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ … (١٩١) 

… and contemplate the (wonders of) Creation in the heavens and the earth ... (Surah Ali ‘Imran:191) 

“He who spends goodness from his limbs, God will Bring down goodness on him, and the reward of the next life is greater.  As for he who spends evil from his limbs, he will find evil in this world, and the punishment of the next life is greater and more lasting.” 

سُوۡرَةُ طٰه

وَكَذَٲلِكَ نَجۡزِى مَنۡ أَسۡرَفَ وَلَمۡ يُؤۡمِنۢ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ‌ۚ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ أَشَدُّ وَأَبۡقَىٰٓ (١٢٧) 

And thus do We Recompense him who transgresses beyond bounds and believes not in the Signs of his Lord: and the Penalty of the Hereafter is far more grievous and more enduring. (Surah ThaHa:127) 

“Know that you will not arrive at what the serious ones achieved until you make all of your limbs sources of pure goodness, and you are constantly aware of God’s Sight of you, and you teach yourself good manners, and thus make your soul grow.  I do not see anything that will correct you quicker than that.  You must, O brother, listen to what I have said.  May God Give you success!  Soon you will see the wonders of your soul, from you, by you, where there is no veil that veils you, and nothing that preoccupies you.  You will witness the Real, a witnessing beyond all that could be sensed or imagined - denying and affirming, connected and separated, perishing and abiding.  There you will taste the sweetness of faith that the writers and poets described.”