The Full Spectrum of Generosity

Believers of Islam are encouraged to be generous. If we describe generosity as just financial aid to the needy, we will have stiflingly narrowed our understanding of it. A broader perception of generosity will inspire us to be purer in our intentions and give us a higher consciousness while helping people.  

The world and we are consequences of Almighty Allah’s generosity. Allah the Most High had a spirit of His own creation breathed into us, and then we came into existence with His grace and gift. Sadly, we usually forget this fact. The reason for this attitude is our false assumption that generosity is only related to material things.  

So What is Generosity?

Generosity is lavishing on a disadvantaged person without waiting for them to express their need and with no feeling but heartfelt pleasure attached to the act of giving. This favor can be everything within the frame of Islam: offering a warm-hearted smile to someone who needs to see a friendly face, providing knowledge to someone who asks for it, helping someone who is stranded or struggling, etc. We do not associate these acts of kindness with generosity in our minds, but its definition according to Islam certainly does.

Believers are encouraged to be generous by Allah, who is the most generous of  all: “Whatever you spend in charity, He will compensate you for it.” (Saba, 39) 

Likewise, generosity is considered a means to ascend to Jannah as stated in the hadith: “generosity is a tree in paradise of which he who is generous will keep a branch, and the branch will not leave him till it brings him into paradise” (Faydu’l-Qadir, v. 6, p. 158).

More than just giving money

Believers of Islam are encouraged to be generous. If we describe generosity as just financial aid to the needy, we will have stiflingly narrowed our understanding of it. A broader perception of generosity will inspire us to be purer in our intentions and give us a higher consciousness while helping people. This awareness increases the variety of the good deeds we commit.

To help someone who needs physical assistance is one kind of generosity. However, an important caveat remains here that the act of aid should not constitute a sin by going against other criteria of Islamic fiqh concerning physical interaction. In addition, the helper should not expect any compensation and must offer their help only as a gratuitous act of kindness. Helping after being asked to is not generosity because generosity is a magnanimous feeling that flows from one’s heart without requiring prompt or invocation. In the case of helping someone because assistance is requested, it is more appropriate to call this good deed a sadaqah.

Another type of generosity that we can elaborate on is one that draws on the strengths of our mental faculties and is, therefore, of a more intellectual nature. If someone meets the needs of another with their knowledge and experience, we can say that this good deed was done with their mind. This can be sharing information, helping with a project or innovation, and even giving effortless but essential advice. Suppose the subject is suitable according to Islam, and the act of intellectual service is done just for the sake of Allah without waiting for any request from the person in need. In that case it is a good example of generosity that is offered with our minds.

If a Muslim prays for their brothers and sisters, or for all people, it is also a most graceful kind of generosity. This kind of generosity is realized with the tongue. When a Muslim utters good words just for Allah the Most Merciful’s sake or says that “I like you as my brother/sister” to another Muslim, this type of generosity originates from heartfelt love. Of course, the same condition for genuine generosity stands in this case as well as in the previous examples—showing generosity without waiting for any request from those in need.

The Least of Generosity

If a servant cleanses their heart with love and awe of Allah Almighty and sacrifices the desires of their nafs, it also counts as a kind of generosity. This type of generosity is called “the least of generosity” or “the weakest kind of generosity” in tasawwuf. The reason for this naming is that the said deed is for Allah the Almighty Who bestows numerous blessings on His servants, but the kind of generosity mentioned above is a weak act when compared to His blessings. If someone cannot be generous even at this level, we can say that they are truly stingy. Ibn al-Farid (quddisa sirruhu) says, “If someone doesn’t sacrifice their nafs for the sake of the one they love, even if they give away the whole world, they are still a miser.” 

In this adage, the main point of generosity is to bridle the nafs and sacrifice one’s desires for Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) because the most valuable thing to sacrifice for the sake of our Lord is our nafs. The most generous person is one who purifies their heart from inner illnesses and disciplines their nafs by getting rid of worldly desires. 

Now we see that disciplining the nafs is the biggest example of being generous. So, if we want to be generous, we have to try to control the desires of our nafs. It is possible to do so by asking for help from an experienced mentor. This mentor is a kamil murshid, a perfect guide who can walk others through the challenges of the long, hard road ahead. They teach people the best ways to control the nafs because they have the required knowledge for this important task and have experienced the validity of this knowledge by exercising it on their own nafs. It is vital to take the road with a guide because the nafs does not accept being under control due to its rebellious nature. Having a mentor on this arduous road provides many advantages to the traveler.

One can say that generosity is a merit that has moral and material facets. Of course, financial aid is undeniably a good deed. Our beloved prophet, Rasulallah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Save yourself from Hell-fire even by giving half a date fruit (given in charity); and if you cannot afford even that, you should at least say a good word.” Muslim, Zakat 703); however,  as mentioned before, generosity is not purely a monetary virtue. It allows poor believers to share in its benefits by showing generosity in a myriad of different forms. 

In summary, everybody can be generous to the extent of their capacity and and in a way suited to their personality; they can open up their hearts to the sense of elation associated with this noble virtue as long as their aim is to please Allah the Most Generous through generosity.

İbrahim Aksu