لَا تُبۡطِلُواْ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ : Do Not Spoil Charity by Social Display

Al Quran is the final Holy Book revealed upon the Last of Prophets Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The Quran & Sunnah is the only source of holy guidance as it entails detailed instructions for each and every walk of human life. Here guidance from Quran for the followers of Islam (لَا تُبۡطِلُواْ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ : Do Not Spoil Charity by Social Display) is discussed wrt “Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury,” for better living from Quran and Hadith of Prophet ﷺ. This is an approved Jumma Khutba from the Sultanate of Oman and translated in English.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

 In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

لَا تُبۡطِلُواْ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ

Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury,

Praise be to ALLAH, who has encouraged spending and has ordained goodness and blessings of provision for us through it. I bear witness that there is no god but ALLAH alone, without partner, and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him, is the servant and Messenger of ALLAH, the most charitable of people, without showing favor or causing harm, and the most eager of them for good in good and bad times. May the prayers and peace of ALLAH be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow in their footsteps until the Day of Judgment. This is the translation of the recited verse from Surah Al Baqara:

 أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فاعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم- بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم 

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَهُمۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتۡبِعُونَ مَآ أَنفَقُواْ مَنًّ۬ا وَلَآ أَذً۬ى‌ۙ لَّهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

Surah Al Baqarah – 262

Those who spend their wealth in the Cause of Allâh, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Surah Al Baqarah – 262

O servants of ALLAH: Fear ALLAH and adopt piety and obey ALLAH, cooperate among yourselves through spending and helping people, and take the initiative in removing hardships without causing any harm or suffering. ALLAH says in Surah Al Baqarah:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُبۡطِلُواْ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ

O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury.

Surah Al Baqarah – 264-Part

O Muslims, Know - may ALLAH bless your provisions - that wealth is ALLAH’s wealth, and we are only trustees and custodians of it. ALLAH Almighty says in Surah Al Hadid:

وَأَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسۡتَخۡلَفِينَ فِيهِ‌ۖ

and spend of that whereof He has made you trustees.

Surah Al Hadid – 7-Part

It is a great blessing from ALLAH:

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا 

And if you would count the favours of Allâh, never could you be able to count them.

Surah Al Nahl – 18-Part

It is obligatory to thank Him without being ungrateful and to speak of His virtue without being arrogant۔ ALLAH says in Surah Ad Dhuha:

وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثُ 

And proclaim the grace of your Lord (i.e., the Prophethood and all other graces).

Surah Ad Dhuha – 11

Some scholars have defined "manna" as: “Mentioning the favour to the one who has been blessed by way of boasting about it to him and showing him credit for his kindness.” Because of the seriousness of the sin of showing off, the verses came directing people to spend sincerely, warning against showing off and causing harm, and the Sunnah of the Prophet supported it. By denouncing it and warning against it, ALLAH has praised His believing servants in Surah Al Baqarah, mentioning that they do not show favors:

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَهُمۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتۡبِعُونَ مَآ أَنفَقُواْ مَنًّ۬ا وَلَآ أَذً۬ى‌ۙ لَّهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

Those who spend their wealth in the Cause of Allâh, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve

Surah Al Baqarah – 262

In the hadith of the Prophet (Peace be upon him):

Three people to whom Allah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He look at them, nor will He purify them, and they will have a painful punishment.

Among them, he mentioned the one who bestows favors, which is why one of the wise men said: "The bane of generosity is favour."

O group of those who spend in the way of ALLAH: Indeed, boasting—may ALLLAH protect you from its evil—takes many forms, including boasting of wealth, such as when a person helps another with wealth, then later shows him a favor by saying, "Didn't I help you with such and such an amount when you were in need?" or similar hurtful expressions.

Another form of boasting is boasting of knowledge, such as when someone teaches someone else a specific issue or gives them a skill, and then they immediately turn on him and say, "Didn't I teach you such and such?" This is one of the worst forms of boasting. The basic principle is that knowledge should elevate a person, not cause him to sink into the depths of boasting and harming people. Such a person will not be blessed by ALLAH in his knowledge, because he used it for purposes other than ALLAH’s will, and it was a cause for his superiority over people and his bestowing of favors upon them. Similar to this is boasting of one’s status. As if he were the reason for his intervention in reconciling two people due to his position and prestige. No sooner had they reconciled than he taunted them by saying, “Had I not intervened in your affair, you would not have reconciled.” All of this contradicts the noble verses and the noble hadiths that condemn all forms of showing off. If a Muslim spends or does good, he does so seeking the pleasure of ALLAH alone. ALLAH says in Surah Insaan/Ad Dhahr

إِنَّمَا نُطۡعِمُكُمۡ لِوَجۡهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمۡ جَزَآءً۬ وَلَا شُكُورًا

(Saying): "We feed you seeking Allâh's Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.

Surah Al Insaan/Ad Dhahr – 9

All giving from your wealth is from ALLAH. If He wills, He can take it away at any moment. Have you not seen that ALLAH attributed it to Himself, saying in Surah Al Noor:

وَءَاتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَٮٰكُمۡ‌ۚ

And give them something (yourselves) out of the wealth of ALLAH which He has bestowed upon you.

Surah Al Noor – 33-Part

So fear ALLAH, O servants of ALLAH, and spend without causing harm. Indeed, a person is pained by words just as he is by a wound. How many words have alleviated pain, relieved distress, and broadened the chest? Conversely, how many words have caused harm, hurt, affected, and saddened.

أقولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُالرَّحِيمُ، وَادْعُوهُ يَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ البَرُّ الكَرِيمُ

I say what you hear, and I ask forgiveness from ALLAH Almighty for me and for you, so ask forgiveness from Him and He will forgive you, for He is the Forgiving and Merciful, and pray to Him and He will answer you, for He is The noble righteousness

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   الحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي حَبَّبَ إِلَيْنَا العَطَاءَ، وَأَكْرَمَنَا بِحُبِّ الإِنْفَاقِ وَالسَّخَاءِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيـكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا وَنَبِيَّنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَرَسُولُهُ، أَحْسَنُ النَّاسِ خُلُقًا، وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ عَوْنًا وَإِنْفَاقًا، صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ وَسَلامُهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ، وَمَنْ سَلَكَ مَسْلَكَهُمْ إلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

Praise be to ALLAH, who has endeared giving to us and has honoured us with the love of spending and generosity. I bear witness that there is no god but ALLAH alone, without partner, and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon, is the servant and Messenger of ALLAH, the best of people in character, and the most helpful and generous of them. May ALLAH’s prayers and peace be upon him, upon his family and good companions, and whoever follows their path until the Day of Judgment.

Now then, O servants of ALLAH: Islam's warning against boasting is not in vain, nor is its condemnation of it in vain. Rather, it is because its effects are serious, and its evils are widespread. Among its effects are the great sin it causes and the nullification of good deeds. That is why the verse in Surah Al Baqara warns:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُبۡطِلُواْ صَدَقَـٰتِكُم بِٱلۡمَنِّ وَٱلۡأَذَىٰ

O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury.

Surah Al Baqarah – 264-Part

It also causes the spender to become arrogant, as it makes him feel better than others. It also causes the recipient to feel embarrassed and hurt when he sees the spender showing him favours. This favour may even compel him to hold a grudge against the recipient, and he may even attempt to harm him just as he harmed him. Among its dangerous societal effects—if it spreads and becomes widespread—is that the poor will be reluctant to receive help from the rich, fearing that the rich will bestow their wealth upon them. One of ALLSH's blessings upon us is that He has blessed our country with honourable people who neither bestow favours nor harm others. Praise be to ALLAH for His blessings, and thanks be to Him for His abundant bounty.

So fear ALLAH, O servants of ALLAH, and know that one of the best things that strengthens nations and societies is for its members to take the initiative to help the poor without expecting favor, and to strive to relieve distress without causing harm.

So fear God, O servants of God, and know that one of the best things that strengthens nations and societies is for its members to take the initiative to help the poor without expecting favor, and to strive to relieve distress without causing harm.

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى إمَامِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ؛ مُحَمَّدٍ الهَادِي الأَمِينِ، فَقَدْ أَمَرَكُمْ رَبكُمْ بذَلكَ حينَ قَالَ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَتَهُ ۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيۡهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمًا

Surah Al Ahzaab – 56

So pray and send peace upon the leader of the messengers, Muhammad, the guide and trustworthy. Your Lord has commanded you to do so when He said: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and salute him with a worthy salutation.” 

He says in Surah Al Ahzab: ALLAH and His kingdom send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, pray upon him and grant him peace.

Surah Al Ahzaab – 56

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وسَلِّم عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ وسَلَّمتَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنْ خُلَفَائِهِ الرَّاشِدِينَ، وَعَنْ أَزْوَاجِهِ أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَعَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وعَنْ جَمْعِنَا هَذَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

O ALLAH, bless and grant peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon the family of our Prophet Muhammad, as You prayed and peace upon our Prophet Abraham and upon the family of our Prophet Abraham, and bless our Prophet Muhammad and the family of our Prophet Muhammad, just as You blessed our Prophet Abraham and the family of our Prophet Abraham in the worlds. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. And be pleased, O Allah, with his Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and with his wives, the Mothers of the Believers, and with all the rest of the Companions, and with the believing men and women, and with this gathering of ours, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ جَمْعَنَا هَذَا جَمْعًا مَرْحُوْمًا، وَاجْعَلْ تَفَرُّقَنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ تَفَرُّقًا مَعْصُوْمًا وَلا تَدَعْ فِينَا وَلا مَعَنَا شَقِيًّا وَلا مَحْرُومًا

Oh ALLAH, make this gathering of us a merciful gathering, and make our separation after it an infallible separation, and do not leave among us or with us any wretched or deprived.

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلامَ وَاهْدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، وَاجْمعْ كَلِمَتَهُمْ عَلَى الخَيْرِ، وَاكْسِرْ شَوْكَةَ الظَّالِمِينَ، وَاكْتُبِ السَّلامَ وَالأَمْنَ لِعِبادِكَ أَجْمَعِينَ

Oh ALLAH, honor Islam, guide Muslims to the truth, unite their words in goodness, break the power of the oppressors, and grant peace and security to your servants. All of them. 

اللَّهُمَّ كُنْ عَوْنًا لإِخْوَانِنَا فِي أَرْضِ الأَقْصَى المُبَارَكِ، وَكُنْ مَعَهُمْ وَثَبِّـتْهُمْ وَارْبِطْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَصَبِّرْهُمْ، وَاخْذُلْ عَدُوَّكَ وَعَدُوَّهُمْ، وَاجْعَلِ الدَّائِرَةَ عَلَيْهِ يَا ذَا الجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ

O Allah, be a helper to our brothers in the blessed land of Al-Aqsa, be with them, strengthen them, strengthen their hearts, and grant them patience. Disappoint Your enemy and their enemy, and turn the tables on him, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الثَّباتَ فِي الأَمْرِ، وَالعَزِيمَةَ عَلَى الرُّشْدِ، ونَسْأَلُكَ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَحُسْنَ عِبَادَتِكَ، ونَسْأَلُكَ قُلُوبًا سَلِيمةً وأَلْسِنةً صَادِقةً، ونَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا تَعْلَمُ، وَنعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا تَعْلَمُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا تَعْلَمُ

O Allah, we ask You for steadfastness in our affairs and determination to do what is right. We ask You for gratitude for Your blessings and proper worship of You. We ask You for sound hearts and truthful tongues. We ask You for the best of what You know and seek refuge in You from the worst of what You know. We seek Your forgiveness for what You know.

اللَّهُمَّ يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ يَا ذَا الجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ بِكَ نَستَجِيرُ وَبِرَحْمَتِكَ نَستَغِيثُ أَلاَّ تَكِلَنَا إِلَى أَنفُسِنَا طَرفَةَ عَينٍ، وَلاَ أَدنَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَصلِحْ لَنَا شَأْنَنَا كُلَّهُ يَا مُصلِحَ شَأْنِ الصَّالِحِينَ

Oh ALLAH, O Ever-Living, O Ever-Living, O Possessor of Majesty and Honour, there is no god but You, Glory be to You, by You we seek refuge and by Your mercy we seek help, that you will not leave us to Our souls are within the blink of an eye, and nothing is closer than that. And rectify for us all our affairs, O Reconciliator, the affairs of the righteous.

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا احْفَظْ أَوْطَانَنَا وَأَعِزَّ سُلْطَانَنَا وَأَيِّدْهُ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَيِّدْ بِهِ الْحَقَّ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَسْبِغْ عَلَيْهِ نِعمَتَكَ، وَأَيِّدْهُ بِنُورِ حِكْمَتِكَ، وَسَدِّدْهُ بِتَوفِيقِكَ، وَاحفَظْهُ بِعَينِ رعَايَتِكَ

Oh ALLAH, our Lord, protect our countries, honor our authority, support it with the truth, and support it with the truth, O Lord of the worlds. Oh God, bestow your blessing upon him, Support it with the light of your wisdom, guide it with your blessings, and protect it with your care.

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِ السَّمَاء وَأَخْرِجْ لَنَا مِنْ خَيْرَاتِ الأَرْضِ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا في ثِمَارِنَا وَزُرُوعِنَا وكُلِّ أَرزَاقِنَا يَا ذَا الْجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ

O ALLAH, send down upon us from the blessings of the sky and bring forth for us from the goodness of the earth, and bless for us our fruits and our crops and all our provisions, O Possessor of Majesty and Generosity.

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا في الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَات، المُسْلِمِينَ وَالمُسْلِمَات، الأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالأَمْوَاتِ، إِنَّكَ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبُ الدُّعَاءِ

O ALLAH, forgive the believing men and women, the Muslim men and women, the living and the dead among them. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the Near, the Answerer of supplications.

عِبَادَ الله

 إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَٱلۡإِحۡسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآىِٕ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَيَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَٱلۡبَغۡىِ‌ۚ يَعِظُكُمۡ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ

O servants of ALLAH - Indeed, ALLAH commands justice and good deeds, and bestows favor on relatives, and forbids indecency. And the denier and the transgressor admonish you that you may remember.

Surah An Nahl-90

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وآخر دعوانا ان الحمد للہ رب العالمین- سبحان ربک رب العزة عما يصفون، وسلام على المرسلين، والحمد لله رب العالمين