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Charity of Imam Husain (A.S.), an example for others
By: Ayatullah Shaheed Syed Abdul Husayn Dastaghaib Shirazi
An Arab had to make a big payment by way of blood money, which amounted to a thousand gold coins at least. He asked people, who was the most generous gentleman in Medina? They said, "Husain." He went to Husain and said, "O My Master! I am in such and such trouble. They have directed me to you." Husain also, first asked him some questions, which will take a long time if I relate to you. It was understood that he was not a nomad. He was an intelligent person, faithful and knowledgeable. He (Husain) said, "Come with me."
Then Husain took him to his house. Husain had four thousand gold coins, which he hid in his coat. He did not open the door but gave them to that man from a little opening in such a manner that the latter may not see him and feel ashamed. Husain said, "Please accept these four thousand Dinars and excuse me, this is all that I have." He seeks excuse (You give a few Toomans in God’s path keeping your head high!  . The Arab was surprised with all this. So he asked, "O my Master! You gave me so much money but have not opened your door, why?" Husain said, "So that you may not feel ashamed, by looking at me. I have protected your self-respect. I hid myself from you." This is because he does not consider the wealth as his own and does not consider himself as a doer of a good deed.
He considers this wealth as the wealth of God. He considers himself a servant of God. He also considers this good sense also from God and knows that God has done a favor to him. One who gives something to someone and then shows his favor has made his spending void or invalid.
﴿  Ëõãøó áÇ íõÊúÈöÚõæäó ãóÇ ÃóäÝóÞõæÇ ãóäøðÇ æóáÇ ÃóÐðì ﴾
"Then, do not follow up what they have spent with reproach or injury.[240]
Religion means faith and good deeds. All the messengers arrived for this purpose.
Faith in God, the Messenger and the Hereafter does not mean only confession by tongue due to some temptation or because of habit or mere outward expression and saying: Allah, Muhammad, Hereafter and Judgment Day are true; death is true.
Inclination towards something amounts to having faith in it
The meaning of Faith in Persian is, as mentioned in all the Qur’anic commentaries, is inclination or attraction. The thing towards which man gets inclined is due to faith in that thing. Faith in God is inclination towards God. Today’s man has left God. He has no faith in Him. All the faith and inclination is towards the material world, wealth, affluence, financial power, status and position. All are running after these things.
The Jew says I am in the community of Musa and my belief is in Torah. Rather, he also has strange claims. He says, "Ruling the world is our right and Paradise is also absolutely for us."
What do the Christians say? Christians say: We are children of God and His friends. Paradise is our property and Isa lived in hell for three days so that no Christian may now go to hell, and all such nonsense.
Muslims also say Paradise is for us. I am a believer; partisan of Ali the Wali of Allah and Paradise is reserved for us, not for others.
﴿… ãóäú Âãóäó ÈöÇááøóåö æóÇáúíóæúãö ÇáÂÎöÑö æóÚóãöáó ÕóÇáöÍðÇ Ýóáóåõãú ÃóÌúÑõåõãú ÚöäúÏó ÑóÈøöåöãú æóáÇ ÎóæúÝñ Úóáóíúåöãú æóáÇ åõãú íóÍúÒóäõæäó ﴾
"…whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve."[241]
The Holy Qur’an has clearly nullified such claims. O Muslims, Allah says:
﴿Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ æóÇáøóÐöíäó åóÇÏõæÇ æóÇáäøóÕóÇÑóì æóÇáÕøóÇÈöÆöíäó ãóäú Âãóäó ÈöÇááøóåö æóÇáúíóæúãö ÇáÂÎöÑö æóÚóãöáó ÕóÇáöÍðÇ Ýóáóåõãú ÃóÌúÑõåõãú ÚöäúÏó ÑóÈøöåöãú æóáÇ ÎóæúÝñ Úóáóíúåöãú æóáÇ åõãú íóÍúÒóäõæäó ﴾
"Surely, those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve."
These titles are meaningless. The names like Jews, Christians, Sabian, Muslim etc are of no use. The path of God requires truthfulness, requires Faith or religion. Religion is in the heart. Unless the heart realizes God and Hereafter, until man is totally inclined towards God and Hereafter it is no religion.
Be, if you like, a Christian or a Shia. Unless and until heart is inclined towards God and Hereafter it is of no use. The man of today, may he belong to any community, is attracted only towards material things of this world. If you tell him: Fear your grave, think about the forthcoming questioning after death, and Judgment Day is also there, he replies: These talks have now become old. Is this man a religious believer? Maybe his name is like the names of Muslims or Christians or Jews but around what is he circling? Only around money, lust, greed, passion and desires. Who is revolving around God? Who is running after Paradise? Wherever I see, I see that all are after big bungalows and buildings. When did you turn towards the House of the Hereafter? I do not know when you turned towards the House of the Hereafter to see if its walls are aright and its construction good.
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