The Specialty of Sadqah (Charity)
A man was in a desolate part of the earth when he heard a voice from a cloud saying: “Water the garden of so-and-so” (mentioning someone’s name). Immediately, that cloud moved in a different direction and poured all its rain over a rocky area. The water flowed completely into a small stream and reached a garden. The man followed the water and saw another man diverting the water to his crops. He asked him: “O servant of Allah! What is your name?”
He gave the same name that was heard from the cloud. Then he asked: “O servant of Allah! Why did you ask for my name?”
He replied: “I heard a voice from the cloud that poured this water saying, ‘Water the garden of so-and-so’ (mentioning your name). What is the reason for this?” The man answered: “Since you have mentioned this, I will tell you. I divide the produce of this garden into three parts: one-third I give in charity, one-third I and my family consume, and the remaining one-third I spend back on the garden for its cultivation and maintenance.” (Muslim)
What is a Good Life (Al-Hayat At-Tayyibah)?
Imam Ibn Aqeel (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“A good life means entrusting all one’s affairs completely to Allah. It is like a small child who is being raised, who entrusts all his matters to his parents, places complete trust in them, and is at peace without the burden of having to choose for himself. Similarly, the one who entrusts his affairs to Allah does not try to choose for himself when Allah is the One who chooses for him.”
How Does Prayer (Salah) Help a Person?
Prayer becomes a true support for a person only when it is performed perfectly — that is, when the heart is fully focused on Allah (with ‘Khushu’), and all the obligations of the prayer are fulfilled properly.
However, for most people today, their prayer is merely a prayer of the limbs, not a prayer of the heart. That is why, as soon as a person says “Allahu Akbar” and begins the prayer, countless pointless thoughts and confusions surround him — and they all disappear only after he finishes the prayer and says the Salam.
But true prayer is that which is performed with the feeling, “I am standing before Allah”. It is a garden filled with the sweetness and blessings of all kinds of worship. Such prayer makes a person forget all his worries and sorrows, because at that moment he is connecting with his Most Beloved — Allah.
That is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The coolness of my eyes has been placed in prayer.” (An-Nasa’i)
Sadqah
The Prophet ﷺ said: “If someone gives in charity something equal to a date from honestly earned money, Allah takes it in His right (Hand) and then brings it up for its owner until it becomes like a mountain.”
