Giving Charity After an Appeal From a Recipient

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once, ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), decided to give five Awsaq (a certain amount of) dates from al-Bughaybighah (a place in al-Madinah) to a man who had hoped to benefit from the generosity of the Imam and his gifts. However, he would not appeal before the Imam or other people for any help. A man said to ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), ‘This man has not appealed before you. One is enough for him instead of five Awsaq.’ ’Amir al-Mu’minin then said, ‘I wish Allah will not create more people like you among the believers. Why do you exercise stinginess about the charity that I have decided to give to a needy person? You must take notice, for the sake of Allah! If I give charity to a person who expects to receive charity from me only after his appeal, I, in fact, have not given him the cost of what I have already taken from him. Such cost is my causing him to risk the dignity of his face, which he places on the ground before my Lord and his Lord during his worship and his appeal before Him for his needs. With this kind of dealing with a Muslim whom one knows as deserving of one’s charity and gifts, one has not proved oneself as truthful before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, in one’s prayer when one appeals verbally before Allah to admit one’s Muslim brother into Paradise. On the other hand, one exercises stinginess in matters of worthless worldly belongings. This happens when a servant of Allah says in his prayer, ‘O Allah, grant forgiveness to male and female believers.’ Appealing for forgiveness is asking Paradise for male and female believers. It is unjust not to support one’s words with one’s deeds.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that charity is that which is given before an appeal by the recipient. Giving charity after an appeal by the recipient is compensation for using the dignity of his face when he appealed and his passing the night worried and anxious in hope and despair without knowing which direction to go for his needs. He then decides to come before you with his heart beating fast and his muscles shaking. You can see (the color of) his blood on his face. He does not know whether he will turn back sadly or with happiness.’”

“Once I was in the presence of abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), and I was speaking to him before a large gathering that wanted to ask him about lawful and unlawful matters. At such time, a tall man of fair complexion came in and offered his greetings of peace, addressing the Imam as ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, I am from those who love you and your ancestors. I am coming from Hajj. I have lost my supplies as well as whatever was with me. I cannot reach my destination. If you consider it proper, help me so I can go home. It will be a great favor to me. When I arrive home, I will give as charity whatever amount you ask me to give; I am an undeserving recipient of charity.’ The Imam said, ‘Sit down. May Allah grant you blessing.’ He then spoke to people until they left. Only he (the Imam), Sulayman al-Ja’fariy, Khaythamah and I remained. The Imam then asked, ‘Can I go inside?’ Sulayman said, ‘Allah has already given priority to your affairs.’ He went inside where he remained for a while before he came out and closed the door. He then stretched his hand from the top of the door and said, ‘Where is the man from Khuransan?’ The man replied, ‘Here I am.’ The Imam said, ‘Get this two hundred dinar, use it for expenses and enjoy its blessings. You must not give any charity on my behalf. You may leave before I see you or you see me.’ Then the Imam came out, and Sulayman said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, you have been generous and kind to him. Why did you hide your face from him?’ The Imam replied, ‘I was afraid to see the effect of humiliation on his face due to appealing for help. Consider the words of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, that say, “Giving charity out of public sight is equal in reward to seventy times performing Hajj. One who publicizes sins is disgraced, and those who do not do so are granted forgiveness.” Consider the words of the people who lived long before: “Whenever during a day I come to him to appeal for help, I return home without any damage to the dignity of my face.’””

“Once, I was speaking to ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), and said, ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin, I need something.’ He said, ‘Do you think I can help you?’ I replied, ‘Yes, O ’Amir al-Mu’minin.’ He said, ‘May Allah grant you good reward on my behalf.’ He then went to the lantern and turned it off, sat down and said, ‘I turned the lantern off so I cannot see the effect of humiliation due to your appeal for help on your face as you speak. I have heard the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, say, “Needs are trust of Allah in His servants’ chests. For those who keep such trust out of public sight, the reward for worship is written for them; for those who make such trust public, it then becomes necessary for those who come to know it to help.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the best means and recourse of approaching me for help is the appeal of a man who has received help from me once, then asks for help again. My hands have done a good deed for him before the Lord. I have found denying a later appeal for help cuts off the appreciation for the favor already received. I dislike for my soul to deny help for the second time, which may cause to discontinue the appreciation for the earlier help and favor. It is just as the poet has said: “If you face to risk the dignity of your face, you should face such risk before a kind and generous person. If a generous person promises to do a favor for you and he does it in time without any delays; and if the favor comes as soon as an appeal is made, the appeal becomes more preferable than the favor.”