Good Leaders Are Known For Their Generosity

By Imam Murtadha Gusau

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and upon all his family and companions.

Dear brothers and sisters! Several prominent figures in Islam are renowned for their generosity, including our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), Abubakar As-Siddiq, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, Ali Ibn Abi Talib and AbdulRahman Ibn Awf. These individuals exemplified generosity through their actions, often giving away their wealth, time, knowledge, energy and resources to support others and advance the cause of Islam.

Considered the most generous of people, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) never turned anyone away empty-handed and always prioritised the needs of others. He was known for his open-handedness, especially during Ramadan, and for his willingness to give even when he had little himself.

The first Khalifah after the Prophet, Abubakar (may Allah be pleased with him) was renowned for his extraordinary generosity, often giving away all of his wealth to support the Muslim Ummah and the Islamic mission.

The third Khalifah, Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was known for his piety, gentleness, and generosity. He is remembered for his numerous acts of charity, such as purchasing a well for the Ummah, freeing slaves, and donating vast sums of money.

A wealthy companion of the Prophet, AbdulRahman (may Allah be pleased with him) was known for his generosity in supporting the Muslim army and providing for the needy. He is remembered for furnishing the Prophet’s army with 1,500 camels and donating 400 dinars to the survivors of the Battle of Badr.

A Muslim woman known for her generosity and steadfastness, Ummul Banin (may Allah be pleased with her) was a companion of the Prophet and the wife of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib. She was known for her care for orphans, needy and the poor.

A prominent companion of the Prophet, Sa’ad Ibn Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) was known for his generosity and leadership within his tribe.

Respected brothers and sisters! These individuals, among many others, serve as examples of the Islamic emphasis on generosity and compassion, encouraging Muslims to strive for these virtues in their lives.

For example, Abubakar (May Allah be pleased with him) was the first person to embrace Islam. When he was appointed as a Khalifah, many people among the poor, needy and the helpless, started weeping. When they were asked the reason, they replied that Abubakar (May Allah be pleased with him) used to visit their homes and serve them. He used to cook and clean their houses, too. The beneficiaries thought that now they would not be able to benefit from his services as he had become Khalifah, their leader. But he announced that he would continue those noble services even after being declared as a khalifah. He always stood up first to help, whenever there was a need.

Once Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) spotted Abubakar (May Allah be pleased with him) going somewhere at night. He narrated:

“I grew suspicious and followed him. He entered into a hut. I thought he might have married a second wife. Then he came out and went to another small house. I thought he might have married a third wife, too. Then he came out and entered another house and it went on like this for several times. I waited patiently till it was morning. I took note of all the houses that he had visited. In the first house, I saw a blind old woman. I greeted her and inquired about her visitor. She replied:

“I don’t know who he is, but he sweeps my house, washes my utensils and milks my goat. This has been a regular routine for a long time.”

Umar Bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) then visited the other house. There, he saw a physically challenged person, who gave a similar statement about Abubakar (May Allah be pleased with him). Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) cried and rebuked himself for spying on Abubakar (May Allah be pleased with him).

Fellow brothers and sisters! Abubakar was the best follower of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

The first testimony of our beloved Prophet Muhammad’s noble character was provided by his own wife, Khadijah. She said:

“By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, you help the poor, needy and the destitute, you serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.” [Bukhari]

And after him (Peace be upon him), his Companions, good leaders and all the sincere Muslims carried on his legacy of generosity.

Dear brothers and sisters! Wallahi, in order for one to excel and reach a certain level where Allah is pleased, one should meet specific requirements and avoid certain behaviours. An example of behaviours we should avoid is stinginess. Being stingy often results in very negative effects; it causes stress, depression, and low self-esteem.

Recent studies have confirmed that individuals who are stingy have higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. This is because their mind is constantly focused on one aspect; this in return leads to depression.

Being generous has been linked to the release of oxytocin, a hormone which induces feelings of warmth, euphoria and connection to others. This chemical reaction, when constantly repeated, improves well-being and life satisfaction and is also linked with decreased depression.

In the Noble Qur’an, being stingy is greatly condemned. Allah the Almighty says:

“Those who are niggardly and bid people to be niggardly and hide what Allah has given them out of His grace; and We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement.”

And the Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) says:

“An ignorant but generous person is more beloved to Allah than one, who is devout but greedy.”

Being stingy is often affiliated with worldly love, refraining from spending on one’s family, or not giving to the needy is not something to be taken lightly. This specific behaviour prevents a person from achieving their full potential. The beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has said:

“No miser shall enter Paradise.“

This vividly describes the immense effect and magnitude of being stingy. This is because it prevents this individual from exceling in anything; they keep their family in poverty, detest guests from coming to their house, abstain from visiting others in order that none visit them, withhold themselves from associating with generous people and feel uneasy about other people’s generosity. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) always sought refuge in Allah from this behaviour.

Once, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was engaged in circling the Ka’abah seven times when he witnessed a man holding the curtain of the Ka’abah and supplicating:

“O Allah! By the sanctity of this House, forgive me!”

Approaching him, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked him about his sin. The man replied, “My sin is too enormous for me to describe to you.” “Woe be unto you! Is your sin greater or the earth?” asked the Prophet (Peace be upon him). “My sin.” “Is your sin greater or the mountains?” “My sin.” “Is your sin greater or the Throne of Allah?” “My sin.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) then asked, “Is your sin greater or Allah?” To this the man replied, “Allah is the Greatest, Loftiest and the Most Glorious.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) exclaimed, “Woe be unto you! Inform me of your sin.” The man explained, “O’ Prophet of Allah! I am a wealthy person, but whenever a poor man approaches me for help, I feel as if a bolt of fire has approached me.” On hearing this, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) warned: “Stay away from me and do not burn me in your fire! By He, Who has sent me with Guidance and Honour, if you were to offer prayers between Al-Rukn and al-Maqam (around the Ka’abah) for two thousand years and weep in such a measure that your tears flow as rivers and quench the trees, and after all this, if you were to die while still possessing the vice of stinginess, Allah would hurl you into Hell. Woe be unto you! But do you not know that Allah has said: And whoever is niggardly is niggardly against his own soul and He has also said: And whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul, is among the successful ones.”

This story clearly embodies the harsh reality of the effects of stinginess. One who is stingy does not only lose in this world but also in the hereafter. Allah is all giving and the most generous, he has given us humans more than what we deserve, the least we can do is to pay it forward and help others as well.

Respected brothers and sisters! Islam encourages generosity and sharing, urging someone not to be miserly or reluctant to give or spend. It implies a lack of willingness to share resources, whether material possessions, knowledge, time, or even positive emotions.

Being stingy means being unwilling to share or give, even when it’s appropriate to do so. It’s the opposite of generosity and often associated with selfishness or a lack of empathy.

Being stingy is a phrase often used in situations where someone is being asked to share something, like food, money, knowledge or information. For example, if someone is sharing a dessert and someone else asks for a larger portion, you might say, “Don’t be stingy with the frosting!”

Telling someone “don’t be stingy” can be a gentle nudge to be more generous or a direct criticism of someone’s unwillingness to share. It can also be a way of encouraging positive social interaction and cooperation.

While being frugal is about being careful with resources, being stingy goes a step further and implies a reluctance to spend or share even when it would be beneficial or appropriate.

If someone is holding a bag of chips and someone else asks for one, saying “Don’t be stingy, share some!” would encourage them to be more generous.

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa bara ka tuh

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Prayers, peace and mercy are upon our beloved master, Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (Peace be upon him), his family and Companions.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

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