Mom, will we eat anything this week?”

“Mom, will we eat anything this week?” 
 “Mom, will we eat anything this week?”
By Hasan Abdullah
While some of us spend the day squandering hundreds of pounds on expensive designer gear, over 30,000 children will die that day from poverty. While in some parts of the world people dispose their half-eaten kebabs, others, only a few hundred miles away would rejoice if only they could find a few dusty grains to eat.
While some spend a fortune on luxurious fur coats, others cannot afford a piece of cloth to wrap their dead. While some footballers earn over £14,000 a day, nearly half of the world population lives on less than £1.40 a day.


This is not some fictitious tale but an undisputable and sad reality. We live in a bizarre world where selfishness and greed are rampant; a world where your intellect can be questioned if you give precedence to aiding the needy over purchasing the latest smash hits album. Unfortunately many Muslims today have become accustomed to fulfilling their material desires and showing a total disregard for the needy.

Allah says in the Quran:


Have you seen him who belies the rewards and punishments of the Hereafter? He it is who drives away the orphan and does not encourage the feeding of the poor. [Quran 107:1-3]


Give to the near of kin his due, and also to the needy and the wayfarers. Do not squander your wealth wastefully; for those who squander wastefully are Satan's brothers, and Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord. [Quran 17:26-27]
Prophet Muhammad (saw) said:
“He is not a believer who eats his fill while his neighbour remains hungry by his side.” How could we who have been blessed with Islam act in such a despicable manner? Will we only stand up when there is a death in our family? A single life is precious and we must make a stand now.
If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. [Quran 5:32]
By the time you finish reading this; approximately 20 children around the world would have died from poverty.
The author is the Director of Public Relations at IACN and is a Software Engineering student at the Nottingham Trent University. Click here to comment on this article
Taken from http://www.iacn.org.uk


DON'T DELAY GIVING IN CHARITY

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once had several coins that he asked his wife to distribute in charity. But due to the Prophet's illness at the time, she did not have an opportunity to give out the coins. When the Prophet learned of this, he asked for the coins, placed them in his hand, and then said: "What would God's Prophet think if he were to meet God, who is Great and Glorious, while (still) possessing these?" - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 586

The Prophet also said: "Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity." - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 589

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARITY

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity." - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 604

The Prophet also said: "Every act of goodness is charity." - Sahih Muslim, Hadith 496
EVERY MUSLIM MUST GIVE IN CHARITY

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every Muslim has to give in charity." The people then asked: "(But what) if someone has nothing to give, what should he do?" The Prophet replied: "He should work with his hands and benefit himself and also give in charity (from what he earns)." The people further asked: "If he cannot find even that?" He replied: "He should help the needy who appeal for help." Then the people asked: "If he cannot do (even) that?" The Prophet said finally: "Then he should perform good deeds and keep away from evil deeds, and that will be regarded as charitable deeds." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 524

SMILING IS CHARITY

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Charity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises." He was then asked: "From what do we give charity every day?" The Prophet answered: "The doors of goodness are many...enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one's legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of one's arms--all of these are charity prescribed for you." He also said: "Your smile for your brother is charity." - Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 98

BEST FORM OF CHARITY

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Shall I guide you to the best (form of) charity? It is to provide for your daughter when she (returns) to you (because of divorce or other circumstances) and has no one but you to provide for her." - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1296

SPEND IN CHARITY

"Spend (in charity) out of the sustenance that We have bestowed on you before that time when death will come to someone, and he shall say: "O my Lord! If only you would grant me reprieve for a little while, then I would give in charity, and be among the righteous." - The Holy Quran, 63:10

CHARITY SAVES

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Save yourself from hellfire by giving even half a date-fruit in charity." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 498

CHARITY IS A PURIFIER

A man once said to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "I have plenty of property, a large family, a great deal of money, and I am a gracious host to my guests. Tell me how to conduct my life and how to spend (my money)." The Prophet replied: "Give (regular charity) out of your property, for truly it is a purifier, and be kind to your relatives and acknowledge the rights of the poor, neighbors and (those in need who seek your help)." - Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 3

CHARITY AND PAYING DEBTS ENCOURAGED

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "If I had (a mountain of) gold, I would love that, before three days had passed, not a single (coin) thereof remained with me if I found somebody to accept it (as charity), excluding some amount that I would keep for the payment of my debts." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Hadith 334

GOD IS AWARE OF THE GOOD THAT YOU DO

"They ask you (O Muhammad) what they should spend in charity. Say: 'Whatever you spend with a good heart, give it to parents, relatives, orphans, the helpless, and travellers in need. Whatever good you do, God is aware of it.'" - The Holy Quran, 2:215


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