Conversations About Generosity

Hadiths about Generosity

There are numerous hadiths that emphasize the virtue of generosity. Some of them include:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “There is no envy except in two cases: a man whom Allah has granted wealth, and he spends it in the right way; and another whom Allah has bestowed wisdom, and he judges and teaches others with it.”
He (peace be upon him) also said: “Every day, two angels descend. One of them says: ‘O Allah, grant the spender a replacement,’ while the other says: ‘O Allah, grant the miser destruction.’
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked about Islam, he gave generously. A man came to him, and he gifted him a flock of sheep between two mountains. The man returned to his people and said: ‘O my people, embrace Islam, for Muhammad gives a gift that he does not fear poverty.'”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “Which of you prefers his inheritance to his own wealth?” They replied: “O Messenger of Allah, none of us prefers his wealth over his inheritance.” He said: “Indeed, his wealth is what he has sent forth, and the wealth of his inheritor is what he has kept behind.”

The Quran also contains several verses that address the theme of generosity. Some of these verses include:

Allah, the Exalted, states in Surah Al-Baqarah: “The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed that sprouts seven ears; in every ear is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is All-Encompassing and Knowing.”
In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah says: “And whatever you spend of good, indeed Allah is Knowing of it. Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and publicly, they will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
Allah, the Merciful, also mentions in Surah Al-Baqarah: “And whatever you spend of good is for yourselves, and you do not spend except seeking the Face of Allah. And whatever you spend of good, it will be fully returned to you, and you will not be wronged.”
In Surah Sabaa, Allah asserts: “And whatever you spend of anything, He will replace it.”

There are various hadiths that criticize miserliness. Some of these include:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from the burden of debt, and from the oppression of men.”
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) illustrated the contrast between the miser and the charitable by saying, “The example of the miser and the charitable is like two men wearing iron armor. As the charitable gives charity, the armor expands around him until it covers him completely. Conversely, when the miser intends to give charity, the armor constricts, and every link tightens in place. I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) signaling with his finger into his own pocket, as if he could not expand it even in the manner he wished.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned: “Beware of oppression, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection, and beware of miserliness, for miserliness destroyed those before you, leading them to shed each other’s blood and to violate each other’s sanctities.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised Banu Salamah, saying: “Who is your leader?” They replied: “Our leader is Jabbin bin Qais, but we are miserly with him.” He asked, “What disease is worse than miserliness? Rather, your leader is the noble Amr ibn al-Jamuh.”