Page 51 - Loyalty Described in the Qur'an

The Faithfulness of Believers
doers, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat at-
Tawba, 91)
No matter how trying a believer's circumstances may be, if he has
something to offer he will gladly give it. No matter what his situation

may be, he will willingly fulfill his obligation. For this reason, Allah
refers to believers in a verse as, "those who give in times of both ease
and hardship" (Surah Al ‘Imran, 134). In another verse, Allah says that,
no matter what conditions he finds himself in, a believer will show de-
termination in the matter of giving, and will continually fulfill this ob-
ligation, either openly or in secret:

Those who give away their wealth by night and day, secretly
and openly, will have their reward with their Lord. They will
feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara, 274)
Another advantage that comes to believers out of being generous
is that this act of worship is a means by which he can draw nearer to
Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that this is one of the hidden pur-
poses of spending in the way of Allah:
And among the desert Arabs there are some who believe in
Allah and the Last Day and regard what they give as some-

thing which will bring them nearer to Allah and to the
prayers of the Messenger. It does indeed bring them near.
Allah will admit them into His mercy. Allah is Ever-
Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat at-Tawba, 99)
The fact that believers regard these acts of worship as a way to
"bring them nearer to Allah and to the prayers of the Messenger," is an
indication of how sincere and submissive they are to Him. Believers
use their possessions to do good deeds by which they will win Allah's

favor; in doing so, their desire is to show Him gratitude and draw

49