Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was a Sahaabi who loved to give charity. He would even make a point of setting aside wealth to give in charity. His love for charity was such that he would never turn a beggar away empty handed, even if it meant giving the beggar an onion, date or something else that he could eat.
One day, a beggar came to Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). However, at that time, Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had already given away everything that he had set aside in charity, and all that he had left were three dinaars (gold coins). Not wishing to turn the beggar away empty handed, he gave him one of the dinaars. Not long thereafter, another beggar came, so he gave him a dinaar as well. Finally, when a third beggar arrived, Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) gave him the third dinaar, thus spending all the wealth that he possessed.
When his slave girl, who was not a Muslim, saw that he had given all the wealth in charity, she became upset and exclaimed, “You did not leave anything for us!” However, Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was unaffected and calmly lay down to rest before the Zuhr Salaah.
When the Zuhr azaan was called out, the slave girl woke Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) for salaah. He performed wudhu and proceeded to the masjid for the Zuhr Salaah. After he had departed, the slave girl lamented and felt pity for him as he was fasting. She thus took a loan and used the money to buy food for his supper and oil to light the lamp. Before his return, she went to prepare his bedding for the night. However, to her utter surprise, she found three hundred gold coins in the bedding! She thought to herself, “He only gave the three dinaars in charity as he knew that he had left three hundred dinaars in his bedding.”
Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) eventually returned home after the ‘Esha Salaah. On entering the home, he saw the food laid out for him and the lamp burning, and thus began to smile in happiness saying, “This is goodness which has come to us from the side of Allah Ta‘ala.” After he had eaten, the slave girl said to him, “May Allah Ta‘ala have mercy on you! You had kept some money in reserve for difficulties, yet you did not inform me of it so that I could use it?” Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was surprised and asked, “What money? I did not keep any money in reserve.”
The slave girls thus went to his bedding and opened it, showing him the dinaars. When Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) saw the dinaars, he became happy, (as he realized that it had come from Allah Ta‘ala) and greatly amazed. On her part, the slave girl was so affected that she immediately accepted Islam.
(Hilyatul Awliyaa vol. 10, pg. 134)
Lessons:
1. When a person gives charitywith the sincere intention of pleasing Allah Ta‘ala, he will definitely be rewarded. Sometimes, he is even rewarded in this world as well as the next. Often, a person does not realize that many of the favours of Allah Ta‘ala that he is enjoying are a result of the charity that he has given. Similarly, Allah Ta‘ala averts calamities from his servants when they give charity.
2. The generosity of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) was such that they never turned a person away empty handed, even if it meant giving their own food or money away and going hungry.
3. Just as we set money aside and save for holidays, upgrading the home or car, etc., we should set money aside for sadaqah, even if it be a small amount. This amount, in reality, is our investment for Jannah.