O WOMEN, GIVE CHARITY Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said, “O you who believe! Shall I guide you to a deal that will save you from a painful torment? It is that you believe in Allah and His Messenger and wage jihad for His cause with your wealth and your souls. That is best for you if you only knew” (Surah As Saff 61:10-11) Belief in Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and waging jihad for His cause with wealth and soul are emphasized here, and jihad using one’s wealth is mentioned first because wealth is used initially in order to prepare equipment and arm the troops, and because jihad using one’s physical self (soul) has exemptions – those who are excused from fighting – and the woman is exempt there from. As for waging jihad with one’s wealth, then there is no excuse for anyone whom Allah has enriched from His bounty and who has yet to spend. There is no difference, in this regard, between men and women, the old and the young, the blind and the seeing, and the sick and the healthy. As for the one who is poor, then there is no sin upon him for not being able to spend. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said, “Nor upon those who, when they came to you in order that you carry them (to battle), you said, ‘I do not have that upon which to carry you’” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:92) Narrated by Anas (رضي الله عنه) that, Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Wage jihad against the mushrikin with your wealth, your souls, and your tongues” (Abu Dawud) Regarding the wisdom in mentioning jihad with one’s wealth before jihad with one’s soul, Ibnul-Qayyim (رحيم الله) said, “And a second point of interest is that wealth is dearly beloved by the soul, which exerts its effort in obtaining it, undergoes risks, and may even be exposed to death while seeking it. This proves that wealth is dearly beloved to the soul. So, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) commissioned those who love Him – the mujahidin for His cause – to spend what is dear and beloved to them in seeking His pleasure. For verily the goal is for Allah to be the most beloved thing to them, and for nothing else in existence to be more beloved to them than Him. So, if out of His love they freely gave something they loved, He would move them on to another, better position – which is that they freely give their souls to Him, and that is the greatest extent of love” (Badai’ Al-Fawaid) It is known that women – other than those whom Allah protects, and they are very few – often engage in nonsense, showing ingratitude towards their husbands, backbiting, and other grave sins. So, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) guided them to that through which they could atone for some of what they have committed in this worldly life. Narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) that, Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) went out to the place of prayer on one of the days of Eid, either Adha or Fitr, and he passed by the women. So, he said, “O women, give charity, for verily I was shown that you make up the majority of the people of Hellfire.” They said, “Why, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “You curse so much and are ungrateful to your husbands…” (Bukhari) A good example for women is Asma Bint Abi Bakr (رضي الله عنهم) who, despite her poverty and need, and though she did not own any gold or jewelry, would ask the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) about charity. She said, “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have nothing except what az-Zubayr placed in my house [of what he gave her]. Should I give some of it [in charity]?’ He said, ‘Give and do not horde things, lest Allah keep things from you’” (Bukhari and Muslim) Ibn Hajar (رحيم الله) said, “The meaning of this hadith is the prohibition of restricting charity due to a fear of depletion, as That is the greatest reason for the absence of blessing, since Allah rewards – without measure – those who give. And whoever gives freely without counting how much he gave, then he will be given without measure [by Allah]. And whoever knows that Allah provides for him from whence he does not expect should give and not calculate” (Fath Al Bari) Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that, Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Verily Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) accepts charity, takes it by His right hand and raises it for one of you, as one of you raises his foal, until a morsel becomes like the size of Uhud” (at-Tirmidhi) How, then, about the charity given to help prepare the mujahidin for Allah’s cause? Does anyone establish the religion and protect the lands of Islam other than the mujahidin? Does anyone defend honor and spite the kuffar other than the mujahidin? Narrated by Zayd Ibn Khalid (رضي الله عنه) that, Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Whoever prepares a fighter for Allah’s cause has himself fought, and whoever takes care of the family of a fighter for Allah’s cause has himself fought.” (Saheeh Bukhari, Chapter: The Excellence of One Who Prepares a Fighter or Takes Care of His Family)