Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 231
231 spending that possesses a moral quality and can be productive of moral benefits, both for him who spends and for him who receives. “Spend of the good things that you have earned, and of what We produce for you from the earth, and seek not what is bad to spend out of it, when you would not yourselves receive it except with closed eyes. Know that Allah is All-Sufficient, Praiseworthy” (2:268). The next consideration inculcated by Islam is that though individual legal ownership is recognised, and the owner’s rights of possession, enjoyment, and transfer of property are safeguarded, all ownership is made subject to a moral trust in favour of those who may be in need. “And in their wealth was a share for one who asked for help and for one who could not ask” that is, one who might be in need, but preferred not to ask others out of a feeling of modesty or self- respect; one who was unable to express his needs at all because he suffered from certain disabilities; and animals (51:20). Giving to others should not be with the object of obtaining a better return from them (74:7), nor should it be on an extravagant scale, which might encourage idleness or leave the donor unprovided for (17:27). Beneficent spending is that which is neither extravagant nor parsimonious, but keeps to the middle path (25:68). Niggardliness is condemned (4:38), and hoarding is accounted a major sin, entailing severe punishment (9:34 ⎯ 35).