Trošenje imetka na Allahovom dž,š putu / Spending, in the way of Allah

Trošenje imetka na Allahovom dž,š putu

Postoji veliki broj muslimana danas, koji vjeruju da Allah dž,š, ništa od njih ne očekuje, osim dnevnih, heftičnih i godišnjih rituala i obaveza, bez ikakvog zalaganja i žrtvovanja za zajednicu i za druge koji su u nevolji. Takva vrsta muslimana misli da njihov namaz, post i hadž će ih dovesti do zadovoljstva Gospodara i da će ih spasiti i smjestiti da uživaju.

Neki od njih, kad ih gledaš naizgled pokazuju i bogobojaznost, i njihovo zadovoljstvo je u debatiranju i raspravljanju o nekim manje važnim stvarima, obavezno citirajući Kur'an i Hadis. Njihova preokupiranost su te sporedne stvari i predstavljaju ih kao glavni problem u životu! Takva vrsta ljudi (da nas Allah sačuva) je ispada ''formalni muslimani'' jer su oni preokupirani formom i izgledom a ne sa suštinom i stvarnošću islama.

Da li su takvi upravu? Da li će Allah primiti od nas kao formalnih muslimana? Možemo li dostići i postići cilj bogobojaznih samo sa obavljanjem namaza onako formalno? U suri Bekare 177 Allah dž,š, kaže: Nije čestitost u tome da okrećete lica svoja prema istoku i zapadu; čestiti su oni koji vjeruju u Allaha i u onaj svijet, i u meleke, i u knjige, i u vjerovjesnike, i koji od imetka, iako im je drag, daju rođacima, i siročadi, i siromasima, i putnicima, i prosjacima, i za otkup iz ropstva, i koji molitvu obavljaju i zekat daju, i koji obavezu svoju, kada je preuzmu, ispunjavaju, naročito oni koji su izdržljivi u neimaštini, i u bolesti, i u boju ljutom. Oni su iskreni vjernici, i oni se Allaha boje i ružnih postupaka klone.

U ovako lijepom ajetu nam je pojašnjeno i precizno, tačno rečeno i definisano šta je zapravo ''bogobojaznost i pobožnost''? Istinski pobožni musliman nije onaj koji samo jednostavno se okreće prema istoku ili zapadu u obavljanju rituala, već je pobožan onaj koji čitav svoj život posveti u služenju Allahu dž,š, i Njegovim stvorenima. Istinsko srce vjernika je ispunjeno strahom, poštovanjem prema Gospodaru, ovo su kvaliteti bogobojaznih i svjesnih.

Draga braćo i sestre; moramo vjerovati iskreno u sve što nas Allah dž,š, uči u Kur'anu ili što je došlo od poslanika a,s. I kao takvo ubjeđenje moramo očuvati, moramo svoje vjerovanje prevesti i sprovesti u djelo. Bez djela, naše vjerovanje nema nikakvo značenje. Obavljanjem naših obaveza i dužnosti prema Allahu dž,š, se nemogu rastaviti i izdvojiti od obavljanja naših obaveza prema ljudima, zajednici i šire. Zato možemo lahko naći oko 18 puta da se spominje u Kur'anu rečenica; Ve akimus sala ve atu zeka. Obavljajte namaz i dajite zekat.

Prvo je dužnost koju smo obavezni prema Bogu dragom, a drugo je obaveza prema Njegovim stvorenjima. Namaz draga braćo bez davanja zekata je samo neputpini ritaul, a dati zekat bez iskrenog nijeta (u ime Allaha) je pogrešan motiv, i tako bude bezvrijedan.

Mi moramo trošiti i djeliti od našeg imetka iz ljubavi prema Bogu dž,š, i samo u ime Njega i radi Njega, moramo se konstantno napominjati, da nije važno koliko smo obrazovani ili bogati ili uspješni, mi smo došli na ovaj svjet bez ičega i tako ćemo ga i napustiti, ništa niko od nas neće ponjeti sa sobom osim djela. A sa trošenjem imetka u ime Allaha mi ustvari slijedimo prirodni poredak. Jer ne postoji drugi cilj našeg postojanja osim da veličamo Allaha dž,š, i da budemo u službi prije svega Njemu i njegovim stvorenjima.

A šta je sa onima koji jednostavno odbijaju da dijele svoj imetak, svoje dragocjeno vrijeme, svoj talenat, svoje vještine, sve to da koristi u zadovoljstvo Gospodara. Šta je sa onima koji su škrati i sebični, šta Kur'an o njima kaže? U suri Muhammed 38 Allah dž,š, kaže: Vi se, eto, pozivate da trošite na Allahovu putu, ali, neki od vas su škrti – a ko škrtari, na svoju štetu škrtari, jer Allah je bogat, a vi ste siromašni. – A ako glave okrenete, On će vas drugim narodom zamijeniti, koji onda kao što ste vi neće biti.

Dakle Allahu nisu dragi oni koji su sebični i koji škrtare, sebičnost je nedostatak povjerenja, nedostatak vjerovanja u Allahovu milost. Allah će učvrstiti naše vjerovanje u našim srcima, zato ne dozvolimo da se strah od neimaštine uvuče u naša srca. Pa da ne trošimo svoj imetak na božijem putu. Allah dž,š, nam je obećao u suri Ali Imran 92: Nećete zaslužiti nagradu sve dok ne udijelite dio od onoga što vam je najdraže; a bilo šta vi udijelili, Allah će, sigurno, za to znati.

U drugom ajetu u suri Bekare 245 Allah kaže: Ko je taj koji će Allahu drage volje zajam dati, pa da mu ga On mnogostruko vrati? – A Allah uskraćuje i obilno daje, i Njemu ćete se povratiti. Ovakva vrsta metafore se ponavlja u Kur'anu oko 6 puta. Jer kad insan djeli od onog s čim nas je Allah obskbio, ustvari mi tada povećavamo stvarno bogatstvo, imetak i zalihe.

Allah dž,š, kaže u suri Bekare 261-262: Oni koji imanja svoja troše na Allahovom putu liče na onoga koji posije zrno iz kojeg nikne sedam klasova i u svakom klasu po stotinu zrna. – A Allah će onome kome hoće dati i više; Allah je neizmjerno dobar i sve zna. One koji troše imetke svoje na Allahovu putu, a onda ono što potroše ne poprate prigovaranjem i uvredama, čeka nagrada u Gospodara njihova – ničega se oni neće bojati i ni za čim oni neće tugovati.

Draga braćo i sestre; kad imamo priliku da gradimo zajednički centar ili kulturni centar, i imamo priliku da učestvujemo u izgradnji i da damo nešto u božije ime, nadam se da svako ko ima vjere u Allaha neće propustiti ovu priliku!

Molim Allaha da nas sačuva straha od siromaštva, da nas sačuva sebičnosti i škrtosti!  Molim Allaha da nam da snage i vjrovanja da ono što damo u ime Njega da će nam biti od koristi na Danu Sudnjem.

Spending, in the way of Allah

There are many Muslims, who believe that Allah expects nothing more from them, than to go through the daily, weekly and yearly rituals, without stretching themselves and making sacrifices for the sake of their communities and for others in distress. These Muslims seem to think, that their prayer, their fasting and Hajj alone will earn the pleasure of Allah and secure their place in paradise. Some of them even become so outwardly pious and self-righteous, that their main pleasure is to debate the finer details of some minor issue, quoting Qur’an and Hadíth at length. It is, as if their concern for these tiny technicalities will somehow make up for their lack of involvement with the real pressing problems of the day. These people are what we might call, formal Muslims, because they are more concerned about the form, than with the substance, of Islam. 

Can they be right? Will Allah accept us as mere formal Muslims? Can we really attain the goal of truly righteous Believers by only observing our prayers in a narrow, formal way, and caring for little else?

In Sura Al Baqara, 2:177: It is not righteousness that you turn your faces toward East or West. But it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Messengers. To spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and to practice regular charity. To fulfil the contracts which you have made, and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth the Allah-fearing. 

In one beautiful, sweeping and inspiring verse, we are told precisely, what "righteousness" really means? The truly righteous Muslim, is not one who simply faces east or west in ritual prayer. It is one whose whole life has been dedicated to the service of Allah, and of all Allah’s creatures. A true believer’s heart is full of fear and reverence and respect for his Lord. These are the qualities of Al Muttaqee, one whose heart is full of taqwa.

Brothers and Sisters, we must believe sincerely in all that Allah teaches us through his Books and Messengers. And then, just as important, we must carry out those beliefs. We must translate them into Action. Without action, our beliefs have no meaning. Doing our duties to Allah, therefore, cannot be separated from doing our duties to our fellow human beings. For this reason, we find that in no less than 18 places The Qur’an uses the expression: "aqeemus salaata, wa aatuz zakat" "Establish the prayer, and practice regular charity." The one is a duty we owe to Allah; the other is a duty we owe to our fellow human beings. It is as though the two compliment each other. Prayer without active charity would be an empty ritual, and charity that is not done in the name of Allah would have the wrong motive, and therefore be unworthy.

We must "spend out of our substance, out of Love for Him" and for that reason alone. We must constantly remind ourselves, that no matter how learned or wealthy or successful we might become, we entered this world with nothing, and we will leave it, with nothing except a record of our deeds. By spending in the way of Allah, out of love for him, we are simply following the natural order of things, just as the fruit trees and blossoms in our garden, spend their lovely fragrance and delicious fruits freely on us. There is no other reason for our existence, but to glorify Allah, and to be of service to His creation.

What about those who deliberately refuse to spend their wealth, their time, their talents and skills, in a way that pleases Allah? They range from the frugal, cautious with money types to those who are downright selfish, stingy, miserly, and niggardly. What has the Qur’an to say about them?

In the last verse of Sura Muhammad 38 we are warned that selfishness, niggardliness, is the work of shaytan:  Behold you are those invited to spend (of your substance) in the way of Allah: but among you are some that are niggardly. Any who are niggardly are so at the expense of their own souls. Allah is free of all wants and it is you that are needy. If you turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you! 

Clearly, Allah does not love those who are selfish. Selfishness betrays a lack of trust, a lack of faith in Allah’s mercy. Selfish people justify themselves by saying they are merely protecting themselves from hardship and need. Is Allah not the best of protectors? In Sura al Baqara, 268: The Evil One threatens you with poverty and bids you to conduct unseemly. Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounties and Allah cares for all and He knows all things.

Brothers and sisters let us beware of Shaytan and his many ways of undermining our iman. If we try hard with sincerity, Allah will strengthen the faith in our hearts, so we do not let the fear of poverty prevent us from spending in Allah’s way. We are promised in Sura Al-Imran 92: By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give (freely) of that which you love; and whatever you give, truly, Allah knows it well.

And, in another beautiful metaphoric verse, we are asked in Sura Al-Baqara 245: Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan which Allah will double unto his credit and multiply many times? It is Allah that gives (you) poverty or plenty and to Him shall be your return. This metaphor is repeated no less than 6 times in The Qur’an.

When we give generously out of the good things, which Allah has provided for us, we increase our true wealth, our stock of good deeds, we don’t decrease it.

This truth is beautifully described in Sura Al Baqara, 262: 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.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, when this opportunity of building our new community or cultural center came for us to spend in the way of Allah, and I hope that we don’t miss this opportunity. Let us remember this verse. "Fee Sabeelillaah" "spending in the way of Allah." 

Let us pray to Allah, that he should remove from our hearts, the fear of poverty and the selfishness that prevents us from giving freely of the bounties, which He has entrusted to us.

May Allah strengthen our hearts, so that we not only pay the minimum for Zakat and sadaqa. But, let us really want to spend as much as we can, on good causes. Better still; let us even seek out opportunities to spend our money, our time, our education, and our experience of life, for the benefit of others who are less fortunate than we are. O Allah, help us to cleanse our hearts and remove every unworthy motive, so that every time we spend out of Your bounty, we are driven purely out of love and gratitude to You. O Allah, please accept all our efforts to purify ourselves and our families and our possessions.