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Somalia fuels child slavery through the use of young soldiers
Published on December 2, 2014 by admin ·
Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Child slavery comes in a multitude of forms, as I saw and heard at the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s Trust Women Conference, but it’s the thought of Somalia’s child soldiers that most haunts me.
Growing up in violent and conflict-ravaged Somalia – a country that’s yet to find a solution to a 23-year-long civil war – the sight of children toting guns was part of my everyday life.
On my way to school in Mogadishu every morning, I would pass other children standing or sitting with loaded, fully automatic Soviet-made AK-47s – and I’d see them on my way home too. Some of them were as young as 11 – thin, malnourished, scary-looking boys with bloodshot eyes in tattered clothes.
But these children weren’t fighting for themselves. They worked for the warlords who had turned Somalia’s capital – once a peaceful, civilised and dynamic city – into a ghost town.
Most of them were from rural areas, orphans whose parents had either died from famine or in the war. They were either forced to join armed Somali rebels in the 1980s or they chose to do so, probably because it was the only way to survive.
Young and immature, they were easily manipulated into child labour, providing the warlords with an endless supply of fighters.
They helped overthrow the country’s central government in 1991, even if they didn’t know why they were doing it. But their lives only got worse. And when the warlords turned their guns on each other, fighting over the control of strategic entities like the airport and seaport, the children fought their battles for them.
The warlords who controlled these young, loyal soldiers did achieve something, however. They seized power and money by becoming presidents, ministers and national army commanders as well as diplomats. Once in power, they let the child soldiers keep their guns, but there was no salary, no job and no rehabilitation.
Today, the warlords don’t have the leverage they once had and they have little control over child soldiers but the most disturbing thing is that the government – now run by academics and civil society activists – still recruit children into the army.
The number of child soldiers is not known but the United Nations, which asked the Somali government to end the recruitment of child soldiers, found that more than 220 children served in the army in 2013.
Local NGOs who monitor the recruitment of child soldiers into the army say the number is much higher. They estimate that 20 percent of the government’s soldiers are under the age of 18. And if you visit the frontlines of the fight against insurgents or look at the government’s checkpoints in Mogadishu, you’ll see these young fighters.
These children – some of whom deserted from the Islamist al Shabaab group – are used for intelligence gathering and combat operations. There is no plan to remove them from the army because the government needs everyone on board, children or not, to fight al Shabaab, one security official told me.
But keeping these children on the battlefields rather than giving them an education or jobs will not help the country progress. Instead, Somalia will be left with a generation of uneducated and psychologically damaged children, unless it manages to reintegrate its child soldiers before it’s too late.
What can the government do? It can implement both its own constitution that outlaws child labour and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention it ratified recently, which bans the worst forms of child labour.
But if the government itself can’t stop recruiting children into its army, how is it going to stop al Shabaab from using children to fight and carry out suicide attacks, and how is Somalia ever going to tackle child slavery?
(Editing by Katherine Baldwin)
((Muhyadin Ahmed Roble was a participant on a Reporting Trafficking and Slavery course held by Thomson Reuters Foundation in parallel with the foundation’s Trust Women Conference. Muhyadin is a producer and presenter at Radio Ergo, a Somali-language humanitarian broadcaster based in Nairobi, and a freelance correspondent for Inter Press Services (IPS).))
Source:- trust
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Marriage in Islam
This was originally posted on Mirza Yawar Baig
All praise be to Allah
the Lord of the Universe. Peace and blessings be on His Messenger Muhammad 
, his family and companions. Then, Allah said:
And among His signs is this: He creates for you mates out of your own kind. So that you might find contentment (sukoon) with them, and He engenders love and tenderness between you: in this, behold, there are signs (messages) indeed for people who reflect (think!) [Rum: 21]
As I am sure you are aware, marriage in Islam is a legal contract. It is a contract between two people in the presence of witnesses the Best of whom is Allah
Himself before whom this contract is made and to whom the ones making
the contract will be accountable. It is therefore essential that they
understand what they are contracting to do. I recited before you an ayah
(a verse) from the Qur'an where Allah
speaks about the institution of marriage, calls it one of His signs and
mentions specifically three special features about this institution. He
uses three critical words in this ayah:The first word Allah
used is the word Sukoon.Allah
said: And among his signs is this: He creates for you mates out of
your own kind so that you may find sukoon with them. So what is sukoon?
It is a word that we use in Urdu as well so I am sure all my friends who
understand Urdu have an idea about its meaning. In Arabic sukoon is the
opposite of Al – Haraka – or movement. In Arabic grammar the equivalent
of the maatra on the letter is called Al-Haraka which tells us how the
letter “moves” meaning, how it is to be pronounced. When there is a
sukoon on the letter it means that the letter remains as it is and will
not move and will be pronounced in its original form.Allah
has used the term sukoon as the first purpose of the marriage. He said
that He creates mates for us so that we may find sukoon with them. So
that we may find contentment with them. The first condition of the
contract is that the spouses are undertaking to promise that they will
henceforth lead their lives in such a way that they will make their
companionship, their home, their being together and their support for
one another a source of contentment and sukoon for each other. They are
making Allah a witness that henceforth they will not look elsewhere other than towards each other for all the requirements of marriage.That their eyes, ears, hearts, hands, feet will not stray away from their spouse. That there will be no Haraka, no movement away from the spouse. I ask Allah
to give them and all those who are here in this gathering, sukoon with
their spouses. It also means that both will make an effort to create a
home which is a place of sukoon which they look forward to returning to
after having been away from it for various reasons.The second word that Allah
has used in this ayah is: Al-Mawaddah: where He said: Wa ja'ala
bainakum mawaddah: And He puts love between you. This refers to the love
that the spouses feel for one another. This love is both physical and
emotional. Love is an outcome of respect. We can't love someone for whom
we feel no respect. It is essential therefore for the spouses to pay
attention to the good from each other and to forgive the mistakes. The
spouses are like mirrors to each other. They reflect what they see but
they have selective memory. When a new image comes before the mirror it
is reflected with reference to the good from earlier images, whatever it
was. Someone sent me a story which talked about writing the good about
our friends in stone and writing their mistakes in the dust. One remains
for a long time while the other is blown away by the first breeze that
comes.I believe this is the single most important secret of a good marriage. To have this selective memory for the good and selective amnesia for the bad. Unfortunately many people have the opposite which is the root cause of all problems. The good is taken for granted as one's right. While any mistake is seen as a premeditated crime and treated accordingly. Islam advises the opposite. To forgive not once but 70 times, without reservation.
For the spouse, his or her companion is their best friend. The marriage is a contract where the spouses are undertaking to make each other, their best friends from this day on. It is important to remember however that friendship is only as good as the amount of investment you make in it. It is not magic. It is not automatic. It does not happen. It is made. Consciously. With effort. And the results are directly proportional to the investment.
It is necessary to spend time with your spouse, not with your other friends in some club. It is necessary to develop common interests. It is necessary to take pleasure in each other's work and activity. It is necessary to support each other in all that is good. It is necessary to ensure that you give feedback with care and concern and never in public. It is essential to remember that between spouses there are no defenses because there is trust. And for that reason it is essential for the spouses to exercise special care in dealing with each other's emotions. It is necessary to build a language together, a language of looks, words, signs.
A language that over time becomes almost magical in how it enables one spouse to know what the other is feeling without explanation. A language which is a joy to see when you look at those who have been happily married for many years. It is necessary to consciously remember the good that one spouse does for the other, especially when they are having a bad day and are acting strange. This is the love that Allah
talks about when He says that He has put it between the spouses. Like
all potential wealth, it has to be accessed or it will remain buried
under the sand.The last word that Allah
used in the ayah is Rahma: Mercy; when He said: Wa ja'ala bainakum mawadaatawn wa Rahma. Rahma is a special quality of Allah Himself. It is the mercy that He shows to His creation even when they don't deserve it.He used this word to describe the relationship between the spouses in the marriage. We are merciful to those who we feel responsible for. We are merciful to our children whereas we may not exercise the same mercy for strange children. However when you are the teacher in a school the same children become your wards and you are merciful to them. The word Rahma in the context of marriage draws our attention to the responsibility that the spouses have for one another. It also draws attention to the fact that over the years each has made a lifetime's investment in the other. To show Rahma – to be merciful – is to honor that investment and to thank the other for making it. Not to take this for granted. Rahma is also the quality when for reasons of life and destiny, when one of the spouses is unable to look after the other or to satisfy them, the other still treats him or her with love and respect and mercy. Rahma is to give without asking for return. To give because there is a pleasure in the giving itself.
Marriage in Islam is therefore a commitment made to each other, of integrity, love, respect and mercy that the spouses are undertaking to make to each other in the presence of Allah
who is Witness to all our thoughts, intentions and actions.I ask Allah
to bless this union, to fill the lives of these young people with His
Mercy and to make them standard bearers of Islam in every sense of the
term so that when they stand before Him on the Day when all of us will
stand before Him, He will be pleased with them.I ask the same du'a for all of us.
Marriage – The making of it
Critical Requirements of Marriage
Hadith Bukhari – Narrated Abu Hurairah:Many of my young friends who are now getting ready to commit matrimony are asking me for advice about selecting a spouse. My advice is common to both men and women.
The Prophet
So here goes with the 6 critical requirements:
1.Islam:
As Rasoolullahr said in the hadith above a woman is married for four things but her religion is the most important. The same applies to the men. So the first thing to look for is whether your prospective spouse is observant of at least the basics of Islam. These would be the following:Religion: salah, fasting, charity (ask about this), Qur'an (can they at least read it fluently? It is a shame that grown up men and women ready to get married can't even read the Qur'an fluently and correctly with Tajweed.)
Character: Courage, patience, a sense of honor (gheera), confidence, presence, manliness (in men), shyness (in women) modesty (in both), composure, a sense of peace and harmony, comfort with silence, not talking incessantly, dignity.
Appearance: Hijaab for the women and beards for the men. You don't want to marry an effeminate man who looks like a woman. It is confusing. Style (there's nothing endearing about looking like something the cat threw up). Most men end up looking like their fathers and most women like their mothers. So take a good look at the father and mother and decide; because that is who you are going to be looking at every morning.
- Caveat: If he/she does not care about what Allah
2.Forget falling in love:
Falling is never a good thing. Love as we know it (from our romantic notions) is simply another word for physical attraction. It lasts usually for 2 weeks. Since you want your marriage to last a bit longer than that, it is a good idea to focus on respect which will grow into love. Not falling into but growing into. What does that mean? It means that 25 years after you have been married every time you look at your spouse you 'fall' in love all over again. Growing in love means evolving a common language of looks, signals and words that only you two can understand. It is almost magical to see it work. I wish it for all those who read this. That is heaven on earth. So it is respect, honor and dignity that result in love. This love is where your spouse will stand up for you and defend you, never laugh at you in public, be considerate of your faults and hide them and be focused on the many good things that you bring to the marriage. This love means that she/he will not complain about the difficulties that may happen along the way but will work with you to overcome them and stand in the night and cry before Allah
and ask for His intervention. This is the person who will never leave
your side as long as you live and will pray for your forgiveness when
you are gone. In my experience this is the only person who you can rely
on to do it, for all others will forget after a while.3. Manners:
If their religion is good, then watch how they treat their servants, parents, other siblings. Watch how they speak to the waiters in the restaurants, drivers and other service people. Do they show kindness and concern for others? Do they have compassion? Do they show respect for others? Table manners are very important as well. Do they say 'Thank you or Jazakallah' and 'Sorry'? Do they smile often or do they look like you will have to take them to the dentist to see their teeth. Do they laugh? What kind of jokes do they make?- Caveat: I know what you are thinking; if their
religion is good then their Akhlaaq must automatically be good. But you
know as well as I do that today, this can't be taken for granted.
Manners are critical because the day after your honeymoon you are going
to be at the receiving end of them. So you'd better make sure you like
what you are about to receive. Kindness, concern, compassion and a sense
of humor are worth their weight in gold. They are what will make your
marriage and your home a heaven on earth.
4.Conversation:
What do they talk about? Airheads are of all types, genders and without blond hair and will drive you insane; unless of course you are one of them. Listen to them more than you talk because you are doing the assessment. Look for a breath of knowledge, depth of perception, structured thinking and overall understanding of situations. Ask what they read; authors, books and topics. See if they are more critical than forgiving; do they look for faults more than look for excuses for those faults; do they talk more about problems or about solutions? Do they talk more about material stuff or about the Aakhira? When they talk about religion are they more critical of others or more focused on their own conduct, shortcomings and need for change? Do they sound like they are dogmatic and bigoted and overly sold on this or that Jamat and critical of all others? In other words are they focused more towards commonalities with others or differences; are they more towards dividing or bringing people together?- Caveat: Conversation is the lifeblood of a marriage. Without it you have nothing. Most couples stop talking to one another less than six months into the marriage. Make sure you are not one of them and for that you need someone you can talk to, share interests with, respect, are interested in and who you can learn something from. Without conversation your marriage won't go too far.
5.Common Life Goal:
Look for commonalities in interests, life goal and passions (especially if you are passionate about something). You are going to live together for the next 20-30 years and so you'd better be focused in generally the same direction. Otherwise you are going to spend a lot of time alone or end up fighting.- Caveat: You need support in your life goal; whether it is to change the world or to bring up children (it is the same thing, believe me). You need someone who will share your pain and joy, give you ideas and listen to you with interest. You need someone who doesn't run your life goal down as being unimportant. You need someone who has a life goal that inspires you to invest your time, energy, emotion and thought in. Serious long term pursuits are the secret of happy marriages. Not kitty parties, boys nights out and the bowling alley.
6.The Family:
Look at the whole family; their aqeedah, religious practice, culture, habits, lifestyle, norms, and customs. Can you live with them? Some Aqeeda issues are completely incompatible, e.g. families that are into grave worship and dargahs. Other issues may not be totally incompatible but still difficult to live with, e.g. issues to do with purdah (segregation), seriousness about salah and so on.- Caveat: I know you did not marry the whole family but believe me, especially in our (Middle East, Subcontinent) cultures [Ed.Note The shaykh lives and preaches to a mostly non Western audience] the family is very much a part of the equation. So if you don't want to spend the rest of your life fighting to keep your wife or husband on the right track, then you'd better make sure the family is on the same track as you are. The same goes for their lifestyle, manners, food habits, things they give importance to and so on. It is not necessary to have a replica of your own home, but the degree to which there is a difference to that degree you will have to adjust and change. Remember that all change is painful and so the less you have, the happier you will be.
- If you marry into a joint family and have to live with your husband's (or in rare cases) with the wife's family then the degree of adjustment will be far more. I am not saying that you should not marry into a joint family but if you do, please do it with your eyes wide open and a big heart, a thick skin, lots of patience and willingness to change yourself and adjust with people. Otherwise you are headed for sublime torture which will kill your marriage sooner or later. Living in a joint family can be very trying in the here & now but can be very rewarding when you grow old. So keep your eye on the future and accept the present as the price for not being lonely in your old age and dying alone in an old age home. If you still don't think you can take it, then don't marry into a joint family.
- Joint families mean a lot of support especially in the upbringing of children as well as in a whole gamut of situations. But it also means that others will have an opinion about you and will 'interfere' with your life. Whether you see that 'interference' as concern or as being 'nosey' is up to you. Both have consequences. Leaving the family to live on your own may not be an option at all or may be possible only with major heartburn on all sides leaving bruised egos, emotions and relationships. Not something that you will enjoy and so something much to be avoided if possible.
Final Words of Caution:
- A word of caution for those intrepid souls who believe they can change others. Allah
- Marrying someone by looking at a profile on the internet is like playing Russian roulette: One of the chambers will have a bullet in it. It is a gamble which I would seriously advise you not to take with your life. I have seen too many ruined. If you don't know enough about your spouse don't marry them. Islam permits you to make enquiries and to meet the spouse before marriage along with your Mahram to ensure that you find out enough about them. All that I have mentioned above can be ascertained in one or two meetings if you know what you are looking for and keep your eyes open. Make sure you do that.
Learn a Dua’a That Protects From All Evil
As-salaamu alaykum,
One of my great teachers, Shaykh Waleed Basyouni (may Allah protect him) and his friend were spending some time reading Qur'an over someone who was possessed with jinn. Subsequently, by the will of Allah, the brother who was possessed had been cured. As the three of them were walking, Shaykh Waleed suddenly said that he heard a lash, as if someone was struck with a whip, and the brother who had been possessed jumped a few steps forward. Shaykh Waleed immediately rushed to the brother and uncovered his back. He found a mark on his back due to the hit that he heard. (Note that the brother had been with the Shaykh for at least the last 24 hours, which allowed Shaykh Waleed to confirm that this mark was due to the hit he just heard.)
The Shaykh had recognized how angry the jinn was after the man was freed from them and later on as the brother was possessed once again and Shaykh Waleed continued to recite Qur'an on the brother, he spoke to the jinn and asked if it was them who had struck the brother on his back. The jinn said yes and when the Shaykh asked why, the jinn responded with a strange voice stating that he hated the man and was so angry. The Shaykh asked the jinn why he did not hit him and his friend Adel as they had been nearby. The jinn replied that he had wished to do the same to them but was unable to because the Shoyoukh had said a du'a for protection during the day, which made the jinn unable to reach or harm them.
Subhana Allah. What was the du'a?
I was blessed to see Shaykh Waleed Basyouni after and he told me the du'a'a that he had read and that helped protect him by the will of Allah. This is what he said –
Rasoola Allah
taught
us to recite several du'a'as and supplications, whereby we can gain the
protection of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala from all evil. He said in this
authentic hadith in Saheeh ibn Majah:
“There is no person who says, in the morning and evening of every day: (بِسْمِ اللَّهِ) In the name of Allah (الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ) with Whose Name nothing on earth or in heaven harms (وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ) and He is the All-Seeing the All-Knowing (ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ) 3 times (فَيَضُرَّهُ شَىْءٌ) and is then harmed by anything.”
Allahu akbar!
Remember to recite this 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening for protection from all evil.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillaahil-lathi la yaDorro ma'asmehe shay'on feel-ArDe wala fees-samaa' wa who-wa As-samee'o Al-Aleem.
Do your best to share this with your friends and family. May Allah bless you and protect you.
Your Brother Majed Mahmoud
One of my great teachers, Shaykh Waleed Basyouni (may Allah protect him) and his friend were spending some time reading Qur'an over someone who was possessed with jinn. Subsequently, by the will of Allah, the brother who was possessed had been cured. As the three of them were walking, Shaykh Waleed suddenly said that he heard a lash, as if someone was struck with a whip, and the brother who had been possessed jumped a few steps forward. Shaykh Waleed immediately rushed to the brother and uncovered his back. He found a mark on his back due to the hit that he heard. (Note that the brother had been with the Shaykh for at least the last 24 hours, which allowed Shaykh Waleed to confirm that this mark was due to the hit he just heard.)
The Shaykh had recognized how angry the jinn was after the man was freed from them and later on as the brother was possessed once again and Shaykh Waleed continued to recite Qur'an on the brother, he spoke to the jinn and asked if it was them who had struck the brother on his back. The jinn said yes and when the Shaykh asked why, the jinn responded with a strange voice stating that he hated the man and was so angry. The Shaykh asked the jinn why he did not hit him and his friend Adel as they had been nearby. The jinn replied that he had wished to do the same to them but was unable to because the Shoyoukh had said a du'a for protection during the day, which made the jinn unable to reach or harm them.
Subhana Allah. What was the du'a?
I was blessed to see Shaykh Waleed Basyouni after and he told me the du'a'a that he had read and that helped protect him by the will of Allah. This is what he said –
Rasoola Allah
taught
us to recite several du'a'as and supplications, whereby we can gain the
protection of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala from all evil. He said in this
authentic hadith in Saheeh ibn Majah:“There is no person who says, in the morning and evening of every day: (بِسْمِ اللَّهِ) In the name of Allah (الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ) with Whose Name nothing on earth or in heaven harms (وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ) and He is the All-Seeing the All-Knowing (ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ) 3 times (فَيَضُرَّهُ شَىْءٌ) and is then harmed by anything.”
Allahu akbar!
Remember to recite this 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening for protection from all evil.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillaahil-lathi la yaDorro ma'asmehe shay'on feel-ArDe wala fees-samaa' wa who-wa As-samee'o Al-Aleem.
Do your best to share this with your friends and family. May Allah bless you and protect you.
Your Brother Majed Mahmoud
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
Monday, 29 September 2014
NECESSITY OF GIVING MORE FOR CHARITY:
A Relatively Ignored phenomenon by many Muslims
By. Dr. Amir Parviz Parsa
Introduction:
Sadly
many practicing Muslims have ignored giving enough in charity or for
good causes. It is the purpose of this
brief writing to remind them of their duties and setting up their
priorities in a right manner, rather than ignoring something which is
very significant.
We
are told that Abu Bakr, one of the four Khalifas, gave everything he had
for the pleasure of God and for the
advancement of Islam. It is also narrated to us that Ali Ibn Abi
Talib used to dig up wells to extract water from them to establish date
gardens and their products were
frequently given to the poor and the needy. We are also informed
that Omar Ibn Khattab also gave half of everything he possessed for the
progress of Islam.
Are we then stingy, or unwilling, to set up our priorities right, or what?
Some Reminders from the Holy Quran:
Verse 77 of Surah 28 says:
وَابْتَغِ
فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ
الدُّنْيَا
وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ
الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
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| “But seek with the wealth that God has bestowed on you, the Abode of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world; but do thou good as God has been good to thee and seek not mischief in the land….” |
There is great pleasure in giving to charities, but that does not mean you have to impoverish yourself, or live like a poor
person.
Verse 2 of Surah 35 also informs us that whatever
God, out of His Mercy, wants to give to someone, there is none who can withhold it & vice versa. He says:
مَا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ
لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
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| What Allah out of his Mercy does bestow on mankind there is none can withhold: what He does withhold, there is none can grant, apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom. |
Verses 7 and 8 of Surah 99 also verify that even an atom’s weight of goodness or evil shall not be ignored.
The Ayahs say:
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
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| So. he who has done an atom's weight of good shall see it And he who has done an atom's weight of evil shall see it. |
Verse 20 of Surah Hadeed (57) informs
the believers:
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ
بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ...
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| “Know you all that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying in rivalry, among yourselves, riches and children.... |
إِنَّ الْمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَالْمُصَّدِّقَاتِ وَأَقْرَضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا
يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمْ وَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ
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| For those who give in Charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold to their credit, and they shall have, besides, a liberal reward. |
Verse 261 of Surah 2 tells us
that the worth of charity giving might become seven hundred
times or more in return, if God wants to reward it. Show me an
investment which would immediately become seven
hundred times or more, right away, other than this! The Ayah
says:
مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ
أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّئَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاء وَاللّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
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| The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it grows seven ears, and each ear Has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases: And Allah cares for all and He knows all things. |
Verse 195 of Surah 2 tells us:
وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَلاَ تُلْقُواْ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى
التَّهْلُكَةِ وَأَحْسِنُوَاْ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
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| And spend in the way of Allah and cast not yourselves to perdition with your own hands, and do good (to others); surely Allah loves the doers of good. |
As
Muslims we have several responsibilities to God, to the society, to our
families, and to ourselves. There is
an expression in Persian which tells us if there is a light that
the household needs it, it would be forbidden to be given away even to a
mosque.
The Prophet (pbuh) has admonished us in the following Hadiths:
 |
Allah loves moderation, and dislikes
excess even in charity.
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The
believer is the one whose earning is unblemished and wholesome, whose
character is righteous,
whose intention is sound, who gives in charity, refrains himself
from frivolous talk, does not harm others, and puts others above himself
in terms of fairness.
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If a Muslim plants a field or a tree, and men, birds,
and beasts eat of it, then it will be considered as an act of charity.
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Smiling
at your brother is charity.
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A good
word in itself is charity.
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أفضَلُ الصَدَقهِ، أن
تَصدَّق وأنت صَحيحٌ شَحيحٌ تَأمَلُ الغِنَىْ وتخشى الفَقْر
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The Good Charity Is To
Give Of Your Wealth When You Are A Miser And You Hope To Be Rich And Are Afraid Of Poverty.
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ورجلٌ تَصدَّق بصدقَةٍ
فأخفاها حتى لا تَعلمَ شِمالُهُ ما تُنفقُ يَميـنَه
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The Best Of Alms Is What
The Right Hand Gives, And The Left Hand Does Not Know Of It
Bukhari
|
People
of other religions occasionally make more sacrifices than we do.
Although this cannot be accurately
measured/generalized, pragmatic observations show that Jews have
many hospitals, factories, mass communication media, etc. than we do as
Muslims. We are not to be jealous of
them at all, but you shall sow what you reap. When and if they
make more sacrifices, they deserve to benefit from their rewards also.
Indeed we have been made vicegerents of
Allah on the planet earth, and as He is so Kind and Compassionate,
as well as Most Merciful and Overly Generous, we must constantly
remember that we do not deserve to be
deputies of God when we ignore the legitimate needs of the others.
In fact, according to verse 19 of Surah 51,
in the wealth of Believers there is a given right, set aside for the needy and for the Prevented (from asking) people.
وَفِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ
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| And in their wealth and property is a portion due to the one who begs and to the one who is indigent |
A cursory glance at the style of living
of many Muslims clearly shows that they live in luxury houses,
have multiple cars, all amenities, appliances, furniture and other
things that they need; yet very easily
they neglect the fact that there might be someone in their
community who does not have anything to eat for dinner and must go to
bed by being hungry!
We
are told that the Leader of believers, Ali Ibn Abi Talib used to
consider forty houses on his four sides with
the hope that there won’t be any one going to sleep hungry at
night and poor while he had something to eat with his family.
Cases of conspicuous Consumption and real wasteful patterns of living have also been observed, even among
practicing Muslims. Can we become more aware of each other’s urgent needs and attend to them too?
Everyone
who earns his wealth and property decently has the absolute right of
benefiting from them without
restrictions, anyway they please so long as it is not against
Shari’ah and the laws. Yet, morally and logically, one has to be also
cognizant of the urgent needs of others
who try not to beg others for help, yet they are really among the
needy and the poor. When we ignore the desperate needs of the others and
become too selfish for our own
needs, especially when they can be minimized, then that is the
beginning point of our responsibility before God.
A
question that comes to mind is: Why are people of some countries who are
Muslims so reluctant to give, while
Muslims of other countries donate so much more willingly? There
are different answers to this, one of which is cultural backgrounds and
views that some individuals hold
regarding their clergy.
Now we need to be looking at a few other verses of the Holy Quran and set them as our Guide for life and the
style of living that we should adopt:
In a majority of the verses of
the Holy Quran when orders are given to establish regular prayers
(Salat), the sentences are followed by
“Giving regular Charity”. See, for instance, verse 43 of Surah
two. This should serve as a reminder of the significance of giving
charity (Zakat or Alms).
وَفِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ
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| And in their wealth and property is a portion due to the one who begs and to the one who is indegent |
Allah (swt) says in Verse 155 of Surah 2:
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ
مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
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| And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient, |
لَّيْسَ
الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ
وَلَـكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ
وَالْمَلآئِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى
حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى
وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِي
الرِّقَابِ....
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| It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah and the last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars..... |
Verse 29 of Surah17 tells us:
وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ
الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا
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| And do not make your hand to be shackled to your neck nor stretch it forth to the utmost (limit) of its stretching forth, lest you should (afterwards) sit down blamed, stripped off. |
Verse 207 0f Surah 2
tells us about those who become overly generous for the cause of God:
“And there is the type of man who gives
his life to earn the pleasure of God; and God is full of kindness
to (His) devotees.”
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ رَؤُوفٌ
بِالْعِبَادِ
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| And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is Affectionate to the servants. |
- What shall we give,
- To whom shall we give, and
- how shall we give,
There are answers provided to us in verse 215 of Surah 2:
يَسْأَلُونَكَ
مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلْ مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ
فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالأَقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ
وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ
عَلِيمٌ
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| They ask thee what they should spend In charity. Say: Whatever you spend that is good, is for parents and kindred and orphans and those in want and for wayfarers. And whatever you do that is good, God knows it well.” |
Thus all recipients of charities are enlisted in the Holy Quran to include even the parents, kindred, orphans,
....
No distinction was made in this article between Khums, Zakat, Sadaqa,
Infaaq, and other charitable deeds. They all have their rewards with
Allah (swt). We are told emphatically, though, that we must do
what we wish to give before it becomes too late, before our death. In
fact, the charitable deeds of the
children and their rewards can be reaching the deceased parents,
and act like something that they can transfer from this life to the next
,with them. Verse 110 of Surah 2 tells us:
وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَاةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ
لأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌِ
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| “And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity: And whatever good ye send forth for your souls before you {before your death}, you shall find it with God, for God sees well all that you do.” |
...وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ
اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
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| ... And whatever of good you send on beforehand for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; that is best and greatest in reward; and ask forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. |
There
are, of course, people who would love to give their charities in
secret, simply to avoid show-offs. There
is nothing wrong with that. But whether you give it openly, with
the intention of encouraging others to give too, or in secret, there are
rewards for both. There are so many
other verses of the Holy Quran that deal with charitable donations
of individuals in one way or another, for the sake of brevity, however,
and the limited available space, we
won’t go into those.
Some practicing Muslims DO NOT give as much as or as frequently as they should, or as they potentially could. At
times, there are various disincentives on their mind that bars them from giving to charities. Poverty among Muslims can be totally destroyed, from an economic perspective,
if only Muslims adhere to the commands of Allah (swt) in the Quran by giving charitable donations.
How much should one give, how often, to whom, and so forth, are pretty
much stated in the Quran clearly but also left open to the taste
of individuals with the RIGHT TO CHOOSE. However, the main idea of
giving, under any title, suffers now and
currently among Muslims, because some even practicing Muslims do
not take steps in this direction at all. Our prayer is that they would
become more cognizant of their moral,
social, and religious responsibilities and obligations, so that
Islamic communities can arrive at better future, more cooperation, and
brighter and more successful societies.
The Zakat (Charity) related verses in the holy Quran
Compiled and edited by
Md Anisur Rahman
[21:73] "We made them (Abraham
and his sons) imams who guided in accordance with our commandments, and we
taught them how to work righteousness, and how to observe the Contact
Prayers (Salat) and the obligatory charity (Zakat). To us, they were
devoted worshipers."
[17:26-29] You shall give the due
alms to the relatives, the needy, the poor, and the travelling alien, but do
not be excessive, extravagant.
The extravagant are brethren of
the devils, and the devil is unappreciative of his Lord. Even if you have to
turn away from them, as you pursue the mercy of your Lord, you shall treat
them in the nicest manner. You shall not keep your hand stingily tied to
your neck, nor shall you foolishly open it up, lest you end up blamed and
sorry.
[6:141] "Eat from their fruits,
and give the due alms on the day of harvest"
[2:215] "They ask you about
giving: say, "The charity you give shall go to the parents, the relatives,
the orphans, the poor, and the traveling alien." Any good you do, God is
fully aware thereof."
[9:60] Charities(Sadaqaat) shall
go to the poor, the needy, the workers who collect them, the new converts,
to free the slaves, to those burdened by sudden expenses, in the cause of
Allah, and to the traveling alien. Such is GOD's commandment. GOD is
Omniscient, Most Wise.
[2:3] who believe in the unseen,
observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and from our provisions to them, they
give to charity.
[2:43] You shall observe the
Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and bow
down with those who bow down.
[2:83] We made a covenant with
the Children of Israel: "You shall not worship except GOD. You shall honor
your parents and regard the relatives, the orphans, and the poor. You shall
treat the people amicably. You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and
give the obligatory charity (Zakat)." But you turned away, except a few of
you, and you became averse.
[2:110] You shall observe the
Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat). Any good
you send forth on behalf of your souls, you will find it at Allah. Allah is
seer of everything you do.
[2:177] Righteousness is not
turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who
believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets;
and they give the money, cheerfully, to the relatives, the orphans, the
needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they
observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat);
and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly
persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These are the
truthful; these are the righteous.
[2:196] You shall observe the
complete rites of Hajj and`Umrah for GOD. If you are prevented, you shall
send an offering, and do not resume cutting your hair until your offering
has reached its destination. If you are ill, or suffering a head injury (and
you must cut your hair), you shall expiate by fasting, or giving to charity,
or some other form of worship. During the normal Hajj, if you break the
state of Ihraam (sanctity) between `Umrah and Hajj, you shall expiate by
offering an animal sacrifice. If you cannot afford it, you shall fast three
days during Hajj and seven when you return home - this completes ten -
provided you do not live at the Sacred Masjid. You shall observe GOD, and
know that GOD is strict in enforcing retribution.
[2:219] They ask you about
intoxicants and gambling: say, "In them there is a gross sin, and some
benefits for the people. But their sinfulness far outweighs their benefit."
They also ask you what to give to charity: say, "The excess." GOD thus
clarifies the revelations for you, that you may reflect,
[2:254] O you who believe, you
shall give to charity from the provisions we have given to you, before a day
comes where there is no trade, no nepotism, and no intercession. The
disbelievers are the unjust.
[2:262] Those who spend their
money in the cause of GOD, then do not follow their charity with insult or
harm, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to
fear, nor will they grieve.
[2:263] Kind words and
compassion are better than a charity that is followed by insult. GOD is
Rich, Clement.
[2:267] O you who believe, you
shall give to charity from the good things you earn, and from what we have
produced for you from the earth. Do not pick out the bad therein to give
away, when you yourselves do not accept it unless your eyes are closed. You
should know that Allah is Rich, Praiseworthy.
[2:270] Any charity you give, or
a charitable pledge you fulfill, GOD is fully aware thereof. As for the
wicked, they will have no helpers.
[2:272] You are not responsible
for guiding anyone. GOD is the only one who guides whoever chooses (to be
guided). Any charity you give is for your own good. Any charity you give
shall be for the sake of GOD. Any charity you give will be repaid to you,
without the least injustice.
[2:273] Charity shall go to the
poor who are suffering in the cause of GOD, and cannot emigrate. The unaware
may think that they are rich, due to their dignity. But you can recognize
them by certain signs; they never beg from the people persistently. Whatever
charity you give, GOD is fully aware thereof.
[2:274] Those who give to
charity night and day, secretly and publicly, receive their recompense from
their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
[2:277] Those who believe and
lead a righteous life, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the
obligatory charity (Zakat), they receive their recompense from their Lord;
they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
[2:280] If the debtor is unable
to pay, wait for a better time. If you give up the loan as a charity, it
would be better for you, if you only knew.
[3:92] You cannot attain
righteousness until you give to charity from the possessions you love.
Whatever you give to charity, GOD is fully aware thereof.
[3:134] who give to charity
during the good times, as well as the bad times. They are suppressors of
anger, and pardoners of the people. GOD loves the charitable.
[4:38] They give money to
charity only to show off, while disbelieving in GOD and the Last Day. If
one's companion is the devil, that is the worst companion.
[4:77] Have you noted those who
were told, "You do not have to fight; all you need to do is observe the
Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat)," then, when
fighting was decreed for them, they feared the people as much as they feared
GOD, or even more? They said, "Our Lord, why did You force this fighting on
us? If only You respite us for awhile!" Say, "The materials of this world
are nil, while the Hereafter is far better for the righteous, and you never
suffer the slightest injustice."
[4:162] As for those among them
who are well founded in knowledge, and the believers, they believe in what
was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you. They are observers
of the Contact Prayers (Salat), and givers of the obligatory charity (Zakat);
they are believers in GOD and the Last Day. We grant these a great
recompense.
[5:12] GOD had taken a covenant
from the Children of Israel, and we raised among them twelve patriarchs. And
GOD said, "I am with you, so long as you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat),
give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and believe in My messengers and
respect them, and continue to lend GOD a loan of righteousness. I will then
remit your sins, and admit you into gardens with flowing streams. Anyone who
disbelieves after this, has indeed strayed off the right path."
[5:45] And we decreed for them
in it that: the life for the life, the eye for the eye, the nose for the
nose, the ear for the ear, the tooth for the tooth, and an equivalent injury
for any injury. If one forfeits what is due to him as a charity, it will
atone for his sins. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD's
revelations are the unjust.
[5:55] Your real allies are GOD
and His messenger, and the believers who observe the Contact Prayers (Salat),
and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they bow down.
[7:156-157] "And decree for us
righteousness in this world, and in the Hereafter. We have repented to You."
He said, "My
retribution befalls whomever I will. But My mercy encompasses all things.
However, I will
specify it for those who (1) lead a righteous life, (2) give the obligatory
charity (Zakat), (3) believe in our revelations, and "(4) follow the
messenger, the gentile prophet (Muhammad), whom they find written in
their Torah and Gospel.
He exhorts them to be righteous, enjoins them from evil, allows for them all
good food, and prohibits that which is bad, and unloads the burdens and the
shackles imposed upon them. Those who believe in him, respect him, support
him, and follow the light that came with him are the successful ones."
[9:11] If they repent and
observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat),
then they are your brethren in religion. We thus explain the revelations for
people who know.
[9:18] The only people to
frequent GOD's masjids are those who believe in GOD and the Last Day, and
observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat),
and do not fear except GOD. These will surely be among the guided ones.
[9:54] What prevented the
acceptance of their spending is that they disbelieved in GOD and His
messenger, and when they observed the Contact Prayers (Salat), they observed
them lazily, and when they gave to charity, they did so grudgingly.
[9:71] The believing men and
women are allies of one another. They advocate righteousness and forbid
evil, they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory
charity (Zakat), and they obey GOD and His messenger. These will be showered
by GOD's mercy. GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.
[9:103] Take from their money a
charity to purify them and sanctify them. And encourage them, for your
encouragement reassures them. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.
[14:31] Exhort My servants who
believed to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and to give (to charity)
from our provisions to them, secretly and publicly, before a day comes where
there is neither trade, nor nepotism.
[16:75] GOD cites the example of
a slave who is owned, and is totally powerless, compared to one whom we
blessed with good provisions, from which he gives to charity secretly and
publicly. Are they equal? Praise be to GOD, most of them do not know.
[16:90] GOD advocates justice,
charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and
transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take heed.
[21:73] We made them imams who
guided in accordance with our commandments, and we taught them how to work
righteousness, and how to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and the
obligatory charity (Zakat). To us, they were devoted worshipers.
[22:35] They are the ones whose
hearts tremble upon mentioning GOD, they steadfastly persevere during
adversity, they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and from our provisions
to them, they give to charity.
[22:41] They are those who, if we
appointed them as rulers on earth, they would establish the Contact Prayers
(Salat) and the obligatory charity (Zakat), and would advocate righteousness
and forbid evil. GOD is the ultimate ruler.
[22:78] You shall strive for the
cause of GOD as you should strive for His cause. He has chosen you and has
placed no hardship on you in practicing your religion - the religion of your
father Abraham. He is the one who named you "Muslims" originally. Thus, the
messenger shall serve as a witness among you, and you shall serve as
witnesses among the people. Therefore, you shall observe the Contact Prayers
(Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and hold fast to Allah; He
is your Lord, the best Lord and the best Supporter.
[24:37] People who are not
distracted by business or trade from commemorating GOD; they observe the
Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they
are conscious of the day when the minds and the eyes will be horrified.
[24:56] You shall observe the
Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and obey
the messenger, that you may attain mercy.
[30:38] Therefore, you shall
give the relatives their rightful share (of charity), as well as the poor,
and the traveling alien. This is better for those who sincerely seek GOD's
pleasure; they are the winners.
[30:39] The usury that is
practiced to increase some people's wealth, does not gain anything at GOD.
But if you give to charity, seeking GOD's pleasure, these are the ones who
receive their reward manifold.
[41:7] "Who do not give the
obligatory charity (Zakat), and with regard to the Hereafter, they are
disbelievers."
[57:7] Believe in GOD and His
messenger, and
give from what He has bestowed upon you. Those among you who
believe and give (to charity) have deserved a great recompense.
[64:16] Therefore, you shall
reverence GOD as much as you can, and listen, and obey, and give (to
charity) for your own good. Anyone who is protected from his own stinginess,
these are the successful ones.
[98:5] All that was asked of
them was to worship GOD, devoting the religion absolutely to Him alone,
observe the contact prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat).
Such is the perfect religion.
[107:1-7] Do you know
who really rejects the faith?
That is the one who mistreats the orphans. And
does not advocate the feeding of the poor. And woe to those
who observe the contact prayers (Salat) - who are totally
heedless of their prayers. They only show off. And they
forbid charity.
[108:1-2] We have blessed you
with many a bounty. Therefore, you shall pray to your Lord (Salat), and give
to charity.
[6:114] "Shall I seek other than
God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully
detailed?"
[16:89] "We have revealed to you
this book to provide explanations for everything."
[6:114]"......He has revealed to you this book fully detailed."
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