1113 - حَدُّ الصَّدَقَةِ

1113. THE AMOUNT OF CHARITY TO BE GIVEN

(وَلا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُوْلَةً إلَى‏ عُنُقِكَ وَلا تَبْسُطْها كُلَّ البَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُوْماً مَحْسُوراً).¹

“Do not keep your hand chained to your neck, nor open it all together, or you will sit blameworthy, regretful.”²

3547.رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : المُعتَدي في الصَّدقةِ كَمانِعِها .³

3547.The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The one who gives excessive charity is as the one who withholds it.’⁴

3548.الإمامُ الكاظمُ عليه السلام : لا تَبذُلْ لإِخوانِكَ مِن نفسِكَ ما ضَرُّهُ علَيكَ أكثَرُ مِن مَنفَعَتِهِ لَهُم .⁵

3548.Imam al-Kazim (AS) said, ‘Do not give away of yourself to your brothers so much that the loss incurred for you supercedes the benefit to them.’⁶

1112 - فَضلُ صَدَقَةِ السِّرِّ وآثارُها

1112. THE VIRTUE OF GIVING CHARITY IN SECRET AND ITS GOOD EFFECTS

(إنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقاتِ فَنِعِمّا هِيَ وَإنْ تُخْفُوها وَتُؤْتُوها الفُقَراءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُمْ مِنْ سَيِّئاتِكُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيْرٌ).¹

“If you disclose your charities, that is well, but if you hide them and give them to the poor, that is better for you, and it will atone for some of your misdeeds, and Allah is well aware of what you do.”²

3542.الإمامُ عليٌّ عليه السلام : إنَّ أفضَلَ ما تَوَسَّلَ بهِ المُتَوَسِّلُونَ إلى اللَّهِ سبحانَهُ وتعالى‏، الإيمانُ بهِ وبرسولِهِ ... وصَدَقةُ السِّرِّ فإنّها تُكَفِّرُ الخَطيئةَ، وصَدَقةُ العَلانيَةِ فإنّها تَدفَعُ مِيتةَ السَّوءِ .³

3542.Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Among the best means by which those who seek nearness to Allah may have recourse to His nearness, Blessed and most High, are: faith in Him and in His messenger …, giving charity secretly for verily it atones for one’s misdeeds, and giving charity openly for verily it protects against an undignified death.’⁴

3543.الإمامُ الباقرُ عليه السلام - في الإمامِ زينِ العابِدِينَ عليه السلام - : إنّهُ كانَ يَخرُجُ في اللَّيلةِ الظَّلماءِ، فَيَحمِلُ الجِرابَ على‏ ظَهرِهِ حتّى‏ يَأتِيَ باباً باباً، فَيَقرَعَهُ ثمّ يُناوِلَ مَن كانَ يَخرُجُ إلَيهِ، وكانَ يُغَطِّي وَجهَهُ إذا ناوَلَ فَقيراً لِئلّا يَعرِفَهُ .⁵

3543.Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, describing his father Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS), ‘He used to go out in the dark night carrying a sack on his back and going from door to door, knocking on each and giving to whoever came out to answer it. He used to cover his face when giving to the poor in order that they may not recognise him.’⁶

3544.الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : لا تَتَصَدَّقْ على‏ أعيُنِ الناسِ لِيُزَكُّوكَ؛ فإنّكَ إن فَعَلتَ ذلكَ فَقَدِ استَوفَيتَ أجرَكَ، ولكنْ إذا أعطَيتَ بِيَمِينِكَ فلا تُطلِعْ علَيها شِمالَكَ؛ فإنَّ الذي تَتَصَدَّقُ لَهُ سِرّاً يَجزِيكَ عَلانِيَةً .⁷

3544.Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Do not give charity openly for people to see and commend you for it, for verily when you do that, you have already received your reward for it [in their commendation]. However, if you give with your right hand such that your left hand does not come to know it, then the One for whose sake you have secretly given charity will surely reward you for it openly.’⁸

3545.الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : الصَّدَقةُ واللَّهِ في السِّرِّ أفضَلُ مِنَ الصَّدَقةِ في العَلانِيَةِ، وكذلكَ واللَّهِ العِبادَةُ في السِّرِّ أفضَلُ مِنها في العَلانِيَةِ .⁹

3545.Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘By Allah, charity given secretly is better than charity given openly, just as, by Allah, worship performed secretly is better than worship performed openly.’¹⁰

3546.الإمامُ الصّادقُ عليه السلام : إنّ صَدَقَةَ الليلِ تُطفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ، وتَمحُو الذَّنبَ العَظيمَ، وتُهَوِّنُ الحِسابَ، وصَدَقةَ النَّهارِ تُثمِرُ المالَ، وتَزِيدُ في العُمرِ .¹¹

3546.Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Verily charity given at night [i.e. secretly in the dark of the night] extinguishes the wrath of the Lord, wipes away grave sins and facilitates one’s account [on the Day of Resurrection]. Charity given during the day [in broad daylight] makes one’s wealth thrive and increases one’s lifespan.’¹²