Excellence in Striving and Charity, Warning Against Miserliness

📖Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1652
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of people? A man who clutches the reins of his horse in the way of Allah. Shall I not tell of the best after him? A man who withdraws with his flocks to fulfill the right of Allah therein. Shall I not tell you of the worst of people? A man who is asked by Allah and does not give in charity for His sake.

This Hadith highlights the value of sincere action for Allah. The best people are those who strive in His cause, whether in jihad (clutching the reins of his horse) or by managing their wealth and resources responsibly for Allah’s rights (taking care of flocks). Both examples demonstrate devotion, responsibility, and obedience. On the other hand, the worst are those who are able to give charity but withhold it despite Allah’s command, showing negligence and disregard for divine guidance.

• Striving in the way of Allah, using your strength, wealth, or resources, is highly rewarded.
• Managing your possessions responsibly while fulfilling Allah’s rights is an act of worship.
• Neglecting what Allah has commanded, when one is able to fulfill it, is blameworthy.
• Those who cannot give or act due to incapacity or lack of means are not blamed.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 2:177
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is in one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets, and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; and establishes prayer and gives zakah; those who fulfill their promise when they promise; and those who are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is they who are mindful of Allah.

📖Quran 2:286
Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. “Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we forget or err…”

This emphasizes that sincere effort and giving what one can is rewarded, and incapacity or lack of means removes accountability.