Call Them to Generosity, Call Them to Allah

To be magnanimous is to be generous through liberal and gracious giving. People's faith can be strengthened through participation in charitable efforts, because their showing magnanimity makes them better appreciate Allah's graciousness to them. 

If all the magnanimous behavior ever exhibited by human beings were placed in comparison to Allah’s magnanimity, it would be as speck of dust to all the mountains of the Earth. 

Among the greatest recipients of Allah’s magnanimity are the sinners. Allah lets them continue living their lives, sleeping contentedly in their beds as if they had never disobeyed Him. Allah continues to protect, maintain, and provide for them. He continues to answer their prayers when they turn to Him. Allah is the Magnanimous for whom all human magnanimity depends. He is the Generous by whose generosity human acts of generosity are possible. He is the one who gives to those who ask of Him, and even to those who disdain to ask. 

Even when Allah commands and prohibits things, He does so out of mercy for us. He has no need for what He commands us to perform, and He does not prohibit us from things for His own sake. What He commands and forbids is for our own welfare. 

Allah makes Himself known to us and shows His love, though He has no need of us. It is from His grace that He lets us know Him. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

Allah’s hands are full, and that fullness is not diminished by His giving day and night… Do you consider what He has given since He created the heavens and the Earth? It has not in any way reduced what He possesses. [Sahīh al-Bukhārī (7411) and Sahīh Muslim (993)] Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) referred to Allah by this name on many occasions. For instance, he related that Allah says:

O My servants! All of you are astray except for those I guide, so ask Me for guidance and I will guide you… O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, human of you and jinn of you, were to stand as one and ask of Me and I were to give each person what he asked for, it would not diminish what I have, any more than the ocean would be diminished if a needle were dipped into it. For indeed I am the Magnanimous, the Glorious, the Doer of what I please…” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī (2495) and Sunan Ibn Mājah (4258)]

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also said: “Allah is Good and He loves goodness. He is Pure and He loves cleanliness. He is Generous and He loves generosity. He is Magnanimous and He loves magnanimity.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī(2799)] 

And he said: “Allah is Magnanimous and He loves magnanimity. He loves excellent moral character and detests meanness.” [Musnad Ibn Abī Shaybah (26617) and al-Bayhaqī in Shu`ab al-Īmān (10840)] 

Our awareness that Allah is Magnanimous should inspire us to spend of what we have for Allah’s sake. This is why Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the most magnanimous of men. 

The Prophet’s Companion Ibn `Abbās relates: “When it came to doing good, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was the most magnanimous of people, and he was at his most magnanimous during the month of Ramadān.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī(1902) and Sahīh Muslim (2308)] 

When we show this quality, we become more aware of Allah’s magnanimity to us. Therfore, when engaging with people in Islamic work, charitable activities not only fulfill the needs of the recipients, they are a faith-building activity of those who participate in it. 

There are many ways people can enact this quality:

1. To be magnanimous with of one’s life in the service of others.
2. To be magnanimous with one’s authority in fulfilling the needs of others. 
3. To be magnanimous with one’s leisure in working for the benefit of others. 
4. To be magnanimous with one’s knowledge by imparting it. 
5. To be magnanimous with one’s prestige by interceding to help people. 
6. To be magnanimous with one’s limbs, for every king gesture is a form of charity. 
7. To be magnanimous through tolerance by pardoning other people’s insults. 
8. To be magnanimous through patience by bearing other people’s wrongs. 
9. To be magnanimous by exhibiting gracious manners. 
10. To be magnanimous by not coveting what other people possess.

These expressions of magnanimity are limited to what created beings can accomplish. By knowing ourselves, we can get a better understanding of our Lord. When we realize how we fall short in our generosity, we come to better appreciate the extent of Allah’s magnanimity, for truly it knows no bounds. 

Allah loves for us to place our hopes in Him and to ask Him of His bounty. Since He is Magnanimous, He loves to be asked and He loves to give. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Allah is displeased with those who disdain to ask of Him.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī (3373)] 

Allah’s bounty does not diminish by His imparting it to His creatures. When He withholds something, it is due to His wisdom. It does not in any way contradict with His magnanimity. Allah provides everything at the proper time and place, in accordance with His knowledge and wisdom. Allah says: “And if Allah were to enlarge the provision of His servants, they would certainly revolt in the Earth; but He sends it down according to a measure as He pleases; surely He is Well-Aware of His servants, All-Seeing.” [Sūrah al-Shūrā: 27]

Source: en.islamtoday.net (June 19, 2013)