Those who favour others over themselves:
The seventh rank is that of those who favour others over themselves, spend in charity and benefit people with their wealth and other resources. They are those about whom the Prophet said, as in the narration of Ibn Mas’ood : “None except two (types of) people may be envied: A man whom Allah gives wealth and who disposes of it rightfully in a good cause, and a man to whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e., knowledge) by which he judges between people and (with which) he teaches others.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Note that 'envy' in this narration refers to the Arabic word 'Ghibtah', the equivalent of which does not exist in the English language, and its meaning is to wish to enjoy things that others possess without wishing that they should be deprived of them for one's exclusive benefit. These people are worthy of being looked up to and richly deserve that others wish to have the qualities they do, because they have fine qualities and great deeds, and also provide great benefit to others.
The virtue of spending in the way of Allah:
These people who spend in charity are those about whom Allah Says what means: “Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah and then do not follow up what they have spent with remainders [of it] or [other] injury will have their reward with their Lord, and their will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” [Quran 2: 262]
Allah described the way they spend saying what means: “Those who spend their wealth [in Allah’s way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly…” [Quran 2: 274]
They do not like people to know what they do, and thus they spend secretly; but when they have to do it openly in order to set a good example for others and encourage them, they do so, such as the example of the Companion who once brought a bag full of dates when the Prophet had requested people to spend in charity, which encouraged others to do likewise after having seen this, which is a praiseworthy action.
Allah encourages people to spend in charity saying what means: “Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned.” [Quran 2: 245]
When a person asks to borrow money from one while the lender knows he is rich, it would be easier for him to lend, as opposed to the case if he was poor, because one would feel secure that his money would be paid back. Also, if one knows that a man is kind and trustworthy, and that if he lends him money, he would invest it and make it grow in multiples, then the desire for lending will increase. Moreover, if one knows that he will also give one gift in addition to the loan and the return on the investment, then would his desire to lend not be even greater? This is exactly how Allah deals with those who spend in charity.
Note that the verse stated that the 'borrower' is Allah. Certainly, Allah is the All-Rich and He is free of any need to borrow money, but the term is used as a way of honouring those who spend in charity. This type of loan is the type that brings benefit only to the lender, because ultimately he is the only one who will gain from the deal, despite him being the one spending, because Allah is beyond need, but He tests people - and those who spend will be honoured by Him.
Allah informs us that there are two types of lenders: one who spends from good wealth, and the other who spends from ill-gotten money, and it is only the first type for whom Allah will multiply the wealth. Ill-gotten money is not accepted by Allah; for example, Allah will not accept charity from money obtained through Riba (usury or interest), stolen money and so on.
The type of charity which enables a person to attain righteousness:
Additionally, Allah will not reward those who spend their most inferior type of wealth, like those who give worn-out clothes or old furniture, in the same way he rewards those who spend from their finest type of wealth or from wealth that they themselves are in need of. This is why Allah Says what means: “Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love…” [Quran 3: 92]
Since people do not usually like old and worn out things, and like to keep the best of everything for themselves, Allah made reaching the rank of righteousness subject to them spending from the best of their wealth. What is the result of spending from one's dearest wealth? Allah informs in the following verse which means: “The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills…” [Quran 2: 261] This means more than the seven hundred multiples mentioned in the beginning of the verse.
Dispraising those who follow their charity with reminders:
Moreover, Allah does not like that his slaves follow their charity with reminders to those whom they gave the charity to, because some people may very well spend from the best of their wealth, but also have the psychological sickness of continuously reminding those whom they gave charity to; whenever they see them, they will say: “Did I not give you such and such? Do you not remember that I gave you this and that?” Or they will say: “How is such and such thing that I gave you?” This type of people continues to make such statements until they deprive themselves from the reward of what they spent.
‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Ziyad said: “My father used to tell me, `If you give someone something in charity and you notice that greeting him reminds him of it and embarrasses him, then do not greet him.`” This is said because some people may not remind the person openly, but would greet him in a way which makes the poor person feel that the lender is trying to remind him of his favour.
One of the Salaf (predecessors) said: “When you do others a favour, forget it; but when others do you a favour, never forget it.” One should forget it and keep its reward with Allah, but when one is the person for whom the favour was done, then he should never forget the kindness of the person who did it for him, because noble and good-hearted people never forget the kindness and favours of others.
The conditions of a goodly loan:
Therefore, a goodly loan for which Allah multiplies the reward is that which is firstly spent from the best type of wealth one possesses, and secondly is not followed by reminder or harm to the beneficiary. A third description of it is that it is continuously done day and night; whenever a chance appears in the horizon, one should spend and should try to do so as secretly as possible, unless the need arises for doing it openly.
The ranks of people in the Hereafter – I