Al-Kafi 6084

Translation

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Haroun Bin Muslim, from Mas’ada Bin sadaqa, (It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^asws that Amir Al-Momineen^asws sent five baskets of Al-Bagheyba dates to a man, and the man was from the ones who hoped for his^saww voluntary gifts and hoped for attaining these, and his^asws support, and he did not used to ask Ali^asws for something nor anyone else. A man said to Amir Al-Momineen^asws, ‘By Allah^azwj! So and so has not (even) asked you^asws, and it would have sufficed him had it been one basket rather than the five (you^asws have given to him)’. So Amir Al-Momineen^asws said: ‘May Allah^azwj not Make the likes of you to be among the Believers! Why are you exercising the stinginess while I^asws am the (one^asws who is) giving it? For the Sake of Allah^azwj! You, (listen)!  If I give charity to a person who expects to receive charity from me only after his request, I, in fact, have not given him the cost of what I have already taken from him.  Such cost is my compelling him to risk the dignity of his face, which he places on the ground before my Lord^azwj and his Lord^azwj during his worship and his appeal before Him^azwj for his needs. With this kind of dealing with a Muslim whom one knows as deserving of one’s charity and gifs, one has not proved oneself as truthful before Allah^azwj, in one’s prayer when one appeals verbally before Allah to admit one’s Muslim brother into Paradise.  On the other hand, one exercises stinginess in matters of worthless belongings.  This happens when a servant of Allah says in his prayer: O Allah, Grant forgiveness to male and female believers.  Appealing for forgiveness is asking Paradise for male and female believers.  It is unjust not to support one’s words with one’s deeds.

Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.