Chapter 4 - On Generosity and Stinginess

“One is more generous with what is in the hands of others than with what is in his own hands.”

“Heaven is the residence of generous people.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “A generous person is one who spends his wealth in the way of God.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Generosity is abstaining from what is forbidden, and being pleased with spending what you legitimately earn in God's way.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Any believer who is generous and good-tempered is always protected and guided by God until he enters Heaven.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “A sinful but generous young man is dearer to God than a worshipping but stingy old man.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) was questioned about the limits of generosity. He said: “It is to allocate the portion of your wealth that God has prescribed for spending in His way.”

“Generosity is a tree rooted in Heaven with its branches hanging over the Earth. Whoever grabs one of those branches will climb up it to Heaven.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Abraham (a.s) was the father of all hosts. Whenever he did not have any guests, he would leave the house, close the door, and take his keys and go to look for some guests. One night when he returned home, he saw a man or someone similar to a man in his house. He asked “O' servant of God! With whose permission did you enter this house?” He said: “With the permission of the owner of the house.” And he repeated it three times. Abraham (a.s) realized what had happened and praised the Lord. The guest said: “Your Lord has sent me to one of His servants whom He has chosen as His friend.” Abraham said: “Please introduce me to that friend (of God), so I get to know him before I die.” The man said: “You are that friend.” Abraham asked: “Why?” He said: “Since you never asked anyone for anything, and never turned down anyone who asked you for something.”

Imam Kazim (a.s) said: “How bad it is for someone to be asked for something and he says no.”

Someone asked Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) during his circumambulation of the Kaaba: “Let me know who is generous?” The Imam (a.s) said: “There are two implications for what you ask. If you mean to ask about the creatures, generous ones are those who pay what God has prescribed. But if you mean to ask about the Creator, He is always generous, whether or not He gives. Since if He gives you something, He has given you what does not belong to you, and if He does not give you anything, He has not given to you what does not belong to you.”

Imam Reza (a.s) said: “Generous people eat other people's food so that others eat their food, but stingy people do not eat other people's food so that others do not eat their food.”

Imam Ali (a.s) asked his son Imam Hassan (a.s): “O' my son! What is generosity?” He said: “It is giving freely during affluence and destitution.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) was asked what the most suitable characteristics of a man are. He said: “Dignity without being awesome, generosity without demanding something in return, and attending to affairs other than worldly affairs.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “The gates of Heaven are open to the poor, and Mercy will descend upon the merciful, and God is pleased with the generous people.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “The most generous people are those who pay their alms tax. The most outstanding people are those who do not consider this world to be important. Stingy people have the least comfort. The stingiest people are those who are stingy about what God has prescribed.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God the Almighty approved of Islam as your religion, so combine it with generosity and being good- tempered.”

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “Stinginess is the cause of destitution, and cowardliness is the cause of deficiency. Be generous, but do not be a spendthrift. Give in charity in a reasonable amount, but do not be too stingy. Do not be shy to give a little amount of charity, since by depriving the poor from even a little amount will even end up in less for them. I am amazed at stingy people who rush into poverty from which they have escaped, and love self-sufficiency while they are seeking it, and live like the poor in this world while they are just as accountable as the rich in the Hereafter. Stinginess is the combination of all wickedness, and is what draws man to all that is evil.”

“O' Muhammad! Your Lord sends greetings and says: “Do not kill this one since he is generous and good-tempered with his people.” The Jewish captive whose head was about to be chopped off said: “Is this the Messenger from your Lord who is informing you?” The Prophet (a.s) said: “Yes.” He said: “I swear by God that I have never taken anyone else's money even as much as one Durham. I have never turned away from participating in a war. I witness that there is no god but your God, and you are Muhammad, His Prophet.” God's Prophet (a.s) said: “This is one of the persons drawn to Heaven by his generosity and good temper.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “A generous person is close to God, Heaven and the people, and is far away from the Fire (of Hell). A stingy person is far away from God, Heaven and the people, and is close to the Fire (of Hell).”

Imam Sajjad (a.s) said: “The generous people are the masters of the people in this world, and the pious people are the masters of the people in the Hereafter.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “O' Ali! Be generous since God loves any generous person. If anyone comes to you who needs something, fulfill his needs. If he is not worthy of you, you be worthy of him.”