Generosity means that you give to the less fortunate, even when you yourself don’t have much.
Generosity also means to give preference to others over oneself.
Allah is the creator and owner of everything, including ourselves and our wealth.
Our wealth belongs to Allah and it must be used on ourselves and shared with others in a manner that pleases Allah.
We are only guardians of the wealth we have and we will have to answer for its proper use on the Day of Judgement.
So when we generously give our wealth we are not actually giving, but rather using the wealth that really belongs to Allah in a way that pleases Allah.
There are different degrees of generosity.
Giving to the less fortunate and receiving recognition, thanks and praise for our generosity is the lowest form of generosity.
This is because we receive praise and thanks in exchange for a generous act.
A higher form of generosity is to give anonymously, not expecting any recognition, thanks or praise.
This is a higher form of generosity because we give only for the pleasure of Allah and don’t desire anything in exchange for our generosity.
This form of generosity is most loved by Allah.
An even higher form of generosity is to give what is in our hearts – compassion, patience, love and forgiveness.
Giving what is in our hearts is the greatest way to please Allah.
It is one of the best ways to worship Allah.
Generosity is not only about giving money to the less fortunate but includes giving our time, knowledge, labour, and our skills to those who may need them.
Having little money is no excuse for not being generous.
If we are generous to others, Allah will be generous to us. If we spend on others, Allah will spend on us.
Whatever we give generously, Allah will replace what we’ve given with something better.
Whatever we give generously, we will receive at least ten times as much in return in this world.
Whatever we give generously, is for our own benefit, especially in the hereafter where we will receive an everlasting reward for it.
Wealth which we spend on ourselves is only enjoyed for a short time, while wealth which we spend on others will be enjoyed in Jannah forever.
Allah causes the life of the one who generously gives to increase, while he causes the life of the one who selfishly withholds to decrease.
Allah knows and records every act of generosity we do for his sake.
No small or large act of generosity is overlooked by Allah. And Allah keeps a clear record.
Amongst those whom Allah loves most is the wealthy man who spends his wealth generously on the less fortunate, and the learned man who acts on his knowledge and teaches the ignorant.
Gifts of wealth benefit people materially, and gifts of knowledge benefit people intellectually and spiritually.
It is a great blessing to have wealth, but an even greater blessing to have the knowledge and ability to spend it wisely and generously on the less fortunate.
The wealth of this world will vanish, but the wealth we spend generously on others will last forever in the reward we receive for it in Jannah.
What we give generously to others will stand as a protective guard for us in the hereafter against the fires of Jahannam.
Even giving a small morsel of food in charity will serve as a protection for us from Allah’s anger and punishment.
What we selfishly keep for ourselves will be fuel for the fires of Jahannam which will increase our suffering in the hereafter.
The generous are guaranteed to enter Jannah.
The miserly are guaranteed to enter Jahannam.
We should not give everything we have away either, and cause unnecessary difficulty to ourselves and to our families.
Rather we must keep what we need and give the excess away.
A true Muslim never says ‘NO’ to anyone who asks. A true Muslim always gives generously even if it be a little.
The holy Prophet Muhammad [s] always gave to those who asked, even when he had very little himself.
Sometimes the holy Prophet Muhammad [s] would borrow from others just to give to the needy who asked from him. And if borrowing was not possible, he would promise to give later to the needy one who asked.
Amongst the best deeds in Islam is to generously feed the poor and the needy, and to greet those whom you know and those you do not know.
Feeding the poor removes the hatred the poor may have for the rich and brings them closer together, and greeting people removes hostility between people and brings people closer together.
A Muslim must spend his excess wealth on the less fortunate.
When giving charity we must begin with our closest needy relatives, then friends, then neighbours, then people in our suburb, then people in our town, then people in our state, then people in our country, then those in neighbouring countries and so on.
A true Muslim always gives generously without any fear of poverty.
Fear of poverty stops people from giving generously.
Fear of poverty is from shaytaan.
Fear of poverty is evil.
By giving generously we can win the hearts of non-Muslims over to Islam.
Giving to non-Muslims is an effective way of removing any hatred they may ignorantly have for Islam.
Giving generously is an effective way to spread the message of Islam.
Those who give generously are better in the sight of Allah than those who receive.
Giving generously is a way of strengthening iimaan (faith) and tawakkul (trust in Allah).
Giving generously increases the qualities of compassion, humility and courage in a person.
Giving generously is a cure for miserliness, pride, cowardice and fear.
Those who are generous are honoured and admired, and those who are miserly are disgraced and humiliated.
Those who spend generously on others are helped by Allah, and those who do not spend on others are left to themselves and do not receive Allah’s help.
Allah is always close to the generous and far from the miserly.
Allah is Most Generous and He loves the generous givers.