Through Force or Faith? — Page 280
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 280 Moreover, moderation is recommended; one may neither be a spendthrift, nor stingy: ۤاَذِا اْوُقَفْنَا ْمَل اْوُفِرْسُي َو ْمَل اْوُرُتْقَي َو َناَك َنْيَب َكِلٰذ اًماَوَق When they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but moderate between the two. ( S u rah al-Furqān, 25:68) Not only that they spend when they have extra wealth, they also spend by cutting down their personal expenses, leaving aside their rightful needs; and enduring hardship, they spend for the poor: َنْيِذَّلا َنْوُقِفْنُي يِف ِءٓاَّرَّسلا َو ِءٓاَّرَّضلا Those who spend in prosperity and adversity. ( S u rah A l-e ‘Imr ā n, 3:135) Moreover, it is instructed that, after spending on others, one should not boast about it ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:265). To conclude, an elaborate system is outlined, that is only referred to here briefly, as this is not the place to get into its details.