Donation and Generosity
The infallible Imams provided the needy persons with their needs in case of having surplus and in addition to this as superior humans and models for the whole humanity in the course of history; they even offered donations at the time of their own needs. There are verses from the holy Qur’an that were revealed concerning Imam Ali (PBUH) and his wife as well as Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein (Peace be upon them) offering lessons of donation and generosity for the sake of God to those who are the followers of the infallible Imams and seek to attain human perfection.
It can be concluded that a faithful Muslim in addition to making use of blessings and amenities and while observing the religious obligations with a divine motive and fulfilling his financial obligations including alms prescribed by Islam (khoms or Quint, which is one fifth of the annual surplus income; and zakat or alms tax, which is given by owners out of certain surplus items) seeks to alleviate poverty and deprivation in the society by offering donations to the needy as much as possible.
In this way, he seeks to attain human perfection and enjoys from his dedication and generosity towards the needy and the poor. Through adopting such an approach concerning the consumption model, attaining God’s satisfaction and seeking proximity to God Almighty will become the most valuable and enjoyable deed.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
The theoretical foundations of consumption model: Recognizing forbidden and permissible commodities
