The Philosophy of Islamic Teachings (10)
The second moral quality in this category is equity, the third is benevolence, and the fourth is affection as shown to one's relatives. God the Glorious has said:
"Verily, Al'lah requires you to abide by justice; to treat others with kindness; to give as kinsmen give to one another; and He forbids indecency, manifest wickedness and transgression." (16:91)
God Most High forbids transgression and the exercise of benevolence when it is not due, and its omission when the moment requires it; He likewise condemns the lack of affection shown to relatives on due occasion, and the excess of affection when circumstances do not require it. This verse establishes three degrees of kindness.
The first degree consists of returning good for good. This is the lowest degree, and even an ordinary man can easily succeed in doing good to his benefactors.
The second degree is perhaps a little more difficult to attain than the first, and consists of taking the initiative to do good to others out of pure benevolence. This is the intermediate degree. Most men show benevolence towards the poor, but this benevolence conceals a certain defect, for the person who shows it does so seeking praise and thanks in return for his charity. If on another occasion the object of compassion opposes the benefactor, the latter considers him ungrateful, or reminds him of his act of charity, making it regrettable to him. God Most High warns the benefactors:
"Do not make your alms vain by reproaches and grievances." (2:265)
The Arabic word denoting alms (Sadaqah) is derived from the root (sidq) which connotes sincerity. If the action of giving alms is not inspired by sincerity of heart, then it ceases to be alms and becomes a matter of ostentation. Since benefactors tend to remind the beneficiaries of their acts of kindness, God Most High warns them against it.
The third degree of benevolence is affection such as that shown to relatives. God Most High states that in this degree there should be no idea of charity, nor any desire for gratitude, but that good should be done out of true affection, like the affection of a mother for her child. This is the highest degree, beyond which nothing can be aspired to. But God Most High has imposed a condition on all these degrees: that the good should always be done at the right time and in the right place. The verse quoted above clearly states that if not exercised with great care, these virtues tend to degenerate into vice. For example, excessive fairness produces displeasure by becoming indecent. Abuse of benevolence would be rejected by conscience and reason; affection between relatives becomes oppression. The Arabic word for oppression is "baghy", which connotes excessive rain that ruins crops. Thus, both lack and excess in the execution of what is just is considered as "baghy". In short, any one of these three qualities, exercised improperly, becomes a vice. For this reason all three are conditioned by opportunity. It must be borne in mind that equity, benevolence and affection are not, in themselves, high moral qualities. They are natural conditions of man, faculties displayed even by children before they develop the faculty of reason. Reason is one condition of the exercise of a moral quality, and another condition is that all high moral qualities be exercised in the proper place and on the proper occasion.
The Holy Quran provides us with several pieces of advice about benevolence, all of which refer to the condition of place and occasion. It states:
"O believers! Spend of the good things you have earned ... and do not choose the evil to give out of charity." (2:268)
"Do not make your alms vain by reproaches and grievances, as one who uses his wealth to be seen by men" (2:265).
"And do good; verily, Al'lah loves those who do good" (2:196).
"However, the virtuous will drink from a cup softened with camphor; a spring from which the servants of Al'lah will drink. They will make it gush forth." (76:6-7)
The reference to camphor means that all the burning desires and impure impulses of the world will be erased from their hearts. The root of the Arabic word denoting camphor means to suppress or cover, and therefore indicates that impure emotions will be suppressed, and virtuous men will be made pure in heart and refreshed with the coolness of the understanding. "Then they will drink from the spring which, through their efforts, will gush forth from the earth". This indicates a profound mystery of the philosophy of Paradise. He who would understand, let him understand.
"And they feed - out of love for Him - the poor, the orphan and the prisoner, saying: "We feed you only to please Al'lah; We desire no reward or thanks from you." (76:9-10)
This is proof that they have attained the third degree of benevolence, which stems from pure affection.
"And He gives His money for His sake to relatives and to orphans, to the needy and to the traveller, and to those who ask for charity, and for the ransom of captives." (2:178).
"And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, but moderate between the two extremes". (25:68)
"And those who gather together what Al lah has commanded to be kept together, fear their Lord and dread the fateful accountability." (13:22)
"And in their wealth there is a share for the beggar and the needy" (51:20).
By "those who cannot beg" is meant animals, such as dogs, cats, sparrows, oxen, donkeys, goats and all creatures that cannot express their needs in words.
"Those who spend in prosperity and in adversity." (3:135).
"They spend from what We have provided for them - secretly and publicly". (13:23)
secretly so that they will not be seen by others, and publicly so that it will serve as an example to others.
"Alms are only for the poor and the needy, for the employees engaged in their collection and distribution, for those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for the release of slaves, for those in debt, for the cause of Al'lah and for the traveller: here is a command from Al'lah. For Al'lah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." (9:60).
"You will never attain godliness unless you spend that which you love". (3:93)
"And give to the kinsman what is due him, and also to the needy and to the wayfarer, and do not waste your goods with extravagance". (17:27)
This teaching is intended to prevent people from spending money unnecessarily on weddings and births and other luxuries.
(lpbD) - peace and blessings of God be upon him.
[We will continue with installment 11, where we will continue detailing the moral qualities mentioned in the Holy Quran related to doing good, setting out the verses in Arabic along with their English translation].