Where is the one who gave charity with his honor last night?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Hadiths have stories

Where is the one who gave charity with his honor last night?

`Ulbah ibn Zayd Al Harithy (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and when the Prophet (peace be upon him) exhorted his Companions to give in charity, everyone of the Companions came with his provision.

However, `Ulbah ibn Zayd said: O Allah, I do not have anything to give in charity. O Allah, anyone insulted me or hurted my honor I forgive him as a charity.

So, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent a caller to announce: Where is the one who gave charity with his honor last night? `Ulbah stood.

Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Your charity has been accepted.

In another narration: Have glad tidings, by the One in whose hand my life is, your action was written as an accepted charity. [Al Isabah by Ibn Hajar 2/493].

It is sincerity in the best form:

Men of the most beloved Companions whose souls were lost…

calling their lord dreadfully and invoking Him…

they stood up at night while darkness covers everything…

going to the houses of their beloved while suffering hardship…

giving their honors in charity in dark nights…

intending to gain Paradise in order to live their forever.

The main core of actions is sincerity as it is a bounty from Allah that is only given to sincere worshippers. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allâh's Religion — Islâmic Monotheism). And verily, Allâh is with the Muhsinûn (good doers)." [Surat Al `Ankabut: 69].

Al Junayd said: The meaning of "Our Paths" is the ways of sincerity. He also said: There are servants of Allah who understood [the objectives of life], and when they understood, they worked, and when they worked, they devoted themselves, then sincerity made them seek every door of goodness to do it.

Ibn `Abbas said: A person is protected by Allah as much as his good intention is.

Salim ibn `Abdullah wrote to `Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz: Let it be known that the help of Allah to a person is as much as his good intention is, so whoever has a good intention, Allah will be helping him, but when his intention is not good, Allah decreases His Protection.

Imam Ahmad used to say to his son: O son, have a good intention because you still find goodness as long as you have a good intention.

The reform of the heart is by the reform of actions, and the reform of actions is by the reform of intentions. It is reported that As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded Khalid ibn Al Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) to go to fight the Romans in the Levant and praised Khalid a lot.

He said to him: No one ever could lead the people as you did and no one can affect the people as you do, so reform your intention so that Allah would perfect His Favor on you, do not be affected by self-conceit so that you may fail and lose, and beware of mentioning your good actions because favor is only due to Allah and He is the owner of retribution.

Ibn Al Qayyim said:

• The heart is scattered and can only be gathered by approaching Allah.

• The heart is full of strangeness and its comfort is in the company of Allah.

• The heart is full of sadness that can be gone by knowing Allah well and truthfulness in treating with Him.

• The heart is full of worry that cannot be gone but by resorting to Him.

• The heart is full of sorrows that cannot be gone but by satisfying with His Command, Prohibition, and Judgment, and observing patience until meeting Him.

• The heart demands a lot, and its demands cannot be stopped but when [the pleasure of] Allah alone is the only objective.

• The heart is full of poverty that cannot be filled but by loving and mentioning Him, and if a person is given the whole world, it will not fulfill his needs.

• The heart is full of sickness that cannot be cured but by meeting its Lord on the Day of Recompense.

The gate of sincerity is open, so enter so that you can reach the mercy of Allah and be in His Protection and Sustenance.

Enter to enjoy the gardens of the loyal ones and to realize the precious meaning of your life, otherwise losing Paradise is losing your entire life because the life of the body is worth nothing without the life of the heart.

Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones." [Surat Al A`raf: 179].