The Almighty God created Man and brought him into this world so as to bless him and to overwhelm him with His Charity and Generosity in this life and the life to come.
Yet when Man came and was given the freedom of choice, he deviated from the path which leads to his happiness and gain, and followed ‘the primrose path’, leading a life of ease and pleasure, and immersing himself in animalistic instincts.
Nonetheless, out of His Mercy, the Almighty does not let that unmindful creature, who bases his hopes on what is transient, lose his dignity and benefits on the grounds of his base desires and loss, and allow his invaluable existence to be wasted. He keeps giving him small shocks so that he may wake from his deep sleep and follow the path of true happiness and meaningful, everlasting gains given by Him Who never makes a mistake, and forgets nothing.
Hence, the Almighty Al’lah deals with mankind sometimes by honouring him and giving, and sometimes by afflicting him with diseases, distress, and misfortune. All of that is simply the means that helps him to correct his wrongful path and to go forward on the way which will lead to great pleasure and blessings.
Now, we have before us a fact that took place in the last years of the Turkish rule over our lands.
At that time, people had turned their backs on God’s Laws therefore He destroyed their farms and crops by sending a plague of locusts which left no green twig or leaf in any country of the empire. The locusts attacked in such large swarms that, as they flew from one place to another, a single swarm appeared as dense as dark storm clouds that shut out the light of the sun. They were a plague upon the land as they demolished every plant and twig, whether green or withered, and devoured even the bark of the trees.
As a result, a great famine prevailed in these countries because of the complete failure of all crops and fruits.
That extremely difficult and crucial period was referred to as the ‘Time of Travel by Land’, [69]for great numbers of soldiers were mobilized and driven overland to the Suez Canal to fight against the allies in World War I.
During that time, a certain farmer came from Daria (a village close to Damascus) and went into the government house where he lodged a complaint against a planter in his area. He claimed that the defendant had some sort of insecticide that could destroy the locusts but he did not give it to anyone else or advise the government about it so it could be produced for all the farmers to use.
The proof of what he was claiming was the green abundance of the planter’s orchard which was full of strong, healthy trees, and grapevines bursting with fresh green leaves and abundant fruit. Clearly, they were untouched by the locusts: but why?
Our officer Mohammad Amin decided there and then to investigate the matter! He mounted his horse and set off followed by a squad of policemen to look into the villager’s claim.
They all headed for the site of the healthy, untouched orchard, led by the informer; and there our officer saw for himself the green trees and the ripe, juicy fruits exactly as they had been described to him.
So he sent for the owner of the orchard, and when the man arrived, the inspector scolded him and held the whip in his hand so as to give him a taste of the lash if necessary. He said to him, ‘You selfish man! Why do you hide this insecticide from the farmers and keep it to yourself? Why haven’t you told the government about it so that they can get it too? You care only for your own gains and leave everyone else to their ravaged crops and fate… no food for the people! You will be so sorry when you have to answer to God for your deeds!’
‘But Sir,’ the planter replied, ‘the medicine which I use is well known to them all, yet they do not use it, in fact they undervalue it.’
In the meantime, a crowd of the village people and its notables had gathered there. So when our officer looked at them, they all bowed their heads ashamed and humbled: they said nothing!
Then Amin lowered his whip and asked the defendant,
‘What is this medicine?’
The planter answered, ‘It’s almsgiving, Sir. All my life I have been accustomed to giving alms of one tenth of my annual yield, and therefore Al’lah kept it for me.’
Our officer said to him, ‘What did you say?’
‘I said it’s almsgiving, Sir.’
‘Are you telling me that locusts can distinguish between the orchard for which alms were paid and one that wasn’t?’
‘Try for yourself, Sir! Throw some locusts onto the plants and you will see.’
There and then, our officer sprang from the back of his horse, landing nimbly on his strong legs, and grabbing some of the locusts in both hands he threw them into the orchard. What a miracle! No sooner had the locusts touched the earth of the orchard and its plants than they immediately took flight to go back out of the orchard. Not a single one of the pestilential insects remained where Mohammad Amin had thrown them!
Every last locust that Officer Sheikho had thrown into the orchard flew out without destroying even a single leaf. He repeated the experiment three times, but every time, the locusts fell back as if there was an invisible barrier preventing their access to the trees and greenery.
Just then our man remembered the saying of his beloved Prophet Mohammad (cpth) which states, “Fortify your possessions by almsgiving.”
That is why the Almighty God directed us on the matter of charity.
Through giving alms, we can be sure of God’s Satisfaction with us; and there, our spirits approach pale-faced to this Great and Perfect One relying on their own deeds, and take on the qualities of perfection from Him, the Almighty. In this way we become humanists and perform good deeds, and when we return to Him after this life, having received His Satisfaction (Glory to His Name) we will enter the Gardens
He promised us, “Enter the Gardens, because of the good which you did in the world.”[70]
God, the Almighty, urges us to give alms, for in doing so it produces love, goodwill and sympathy among the members of society; thereby the poor man loves the rich man since he is the cause of his relief and provisions, and the rich man loves the poor as he gives him money willingly because he is seeking God’s Satisfaction even though the money may be dear to his heart: by such donation the poor man is relieved of his distress and he becomes happy.
Truly, the Laws and Rules of the Almighty (Glory to His Name) are perfect and comprehensive. So if people apply them, they will enjoy happiness here and in the life to come. They will all live as one united family under the banner of humanity, and both they and their possessions will be protected from the evils of time.
The noble Prophet said, “Almsgiving does not let money grow less,” whereby we understand that our almsgiving will always be rewarded.
He also said, “Initiate your days with charity, for affliction does not pass through charity.”
Thus we understand that the statement, “Gains purified by almsgiving will never be burned or sunken” does in fact become true: for God keeps them safe from any calamity since all is in the Hands of Him, the Almighty.