Thursday, Ramadan 27, 1446 AH (27/03/2025)
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation. May Allah extol the Messenger in the highest company of Angels and grant him peace; and likewise, his family, his Companions and all those who truly and sincerely follow him until the Day of Resurrection.
Dear brothers and sisters! The lives of the noble Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his companions are role models for Muslims. Muslims follow the instructions and try their best to design their lives according to the provided role models. A few stories are very inspiring and reading them leaves an indelible impact on our minds. Islamic history is full of such inspiring stories. In this serie, I will tell you a similar parable of a companion of the noble Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and I am sure this story will inspire you to expenditure in the way of Allah.
This story is the story of the generosity of Uthman Ibn Affan, the third Caliph of Muslims. He was generous and pious by nature. Even before the message of Islam, he used to help the poor and needy. But, the Islamic teachings and the company of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) made him help others by leaps and bounds.
During the time of the caliphate of Abubakar, food was scarce due to no rain for a longer period. People went to Abubakar and reported the public issue to him. He replied to them don’t be sad. Allah is the most generous and He will give you some relief. As head of the caliphate, He must have planned some strategy but at the same time, he was worried about the hardships of the people.
A caravan approached Madinah in the evening. There were wheat-ladened camels in the caravan. They were carrying wheat from Syria to Madinah. All the traders of Madinah headed towards the house of Uthman Bin Affan. They went to him and narrated the condition of the production of the lands. They showed their wish to buy the grains from Uthman Bin Affan with a good deal of profit. He let them in and asked them to make a deal for the grains.
They looked at unloaded wheat and offered him profit rates to make a deal. He asked how much you can pay for the food that I bought from Syria, a far-off land. They replied to the companion of the Prophet “We can pay you twelve in return for ten.“ Uthman did not agree and said I had a better offer than this. One of them offered “Fifteen for ten. “The companion of the Prophet answered, “I have a better offer than this.“ They were amazed and this answer compelled them to ask “There are no traders other than us then Who is offering you such a profit?” He replied that Allah has promised me to give ten for every Dirham. Can you give me enough profit?”
They answered No. Uthman Ibn Affan said: “I call upon Allah to bear witness that I am giving this food as charity for the poor people.” [See al- Raqqah wal – Buka’ by Ibn Qudamah, page 190]
Dear brothers and sisters! These stories should be a guideline for our behaviour today. We must be ready to sacrifice everything for the prosperity of our brothers and sisters. Allah made a promise to us in the Qur’an and wallahi He fulfills his promise. Allah Almighty says:
“The example of those who spend their wealth on the cause of Allah is that of a grain that sprouts into seven ears, each bearing one hundred grains. And Allah multiplies ˹the reward even more˺ to whoever He wills. For Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.” [Surah Al Baqarah, 261]
We should keep this verse of the noble Qur’an in our minds every time we donate in the way of Allah. Uthman Ibn Affan gave a practical model of this verse from the noble Qur’an. No doubt, the life of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and His companions is an example of the instructions of the noble Qur’an.
Respected brothers and sisters! Charity is one of the best ways to help those in need. Commit to giving charity regularly, no matter how small the amount. Every act of charity has great value in the eyes of Allah.
Don’t hesitate to help others in difficulty. It can be material assistance, physical effort, or simply providing moral support. Your small actions can make a big difference to those in need.
If you have certain knowledge or skills, share them with others. This can include teaching children religious studies, providing training, or sharing knowledge through social media.
Don’t forget to be generous to your parents. Respect them, take good care of them, and spend time with them. This is a very noble form of generosity.
Participating in social or charitable activities can be an effective way to help those in need. Joining charitable organisations or communities with good purposes is a great way to contribute.
We can all learn a lot from the inspiring stories of generous Islamic figures. Generosity is a value highly prized in Islam, and our small actions can make the world a better place. May these stories inspire you to be more generous and benefit others. Remember, every act of kindness has a significant impact on building a better society.
Beloved brothers and sisters! Know that today is Thursday, 27 Ramadan, 1446 AH (27 March, 2025) according to the Sultanate Council. 03 Days countdown to the month of Shawwal.
Ya Allah, on this day, bestow on us the blessings of Lailatul-Qadr, change our affairs from (being) difficult to (being) easy, accept our apologies, and decrease for us [our] sins and burdens, O the Compassionate with His righteous servants.
May Allah give us the ability to observe all our daily worships, accept them and reward us with Jannatul Firdaws, ameen.
All perfect praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of: Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque; and Late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: [email protected]; or +2348038289761.
