Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 165
POSTSCRIPT-RESPONSE TO SOME CRITICS' OBJECTIONS And as He says elsewhere: وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ . . لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ . 2 165 It is obvious that it is no great accomplishment if man performs wor- ship vis-à-vis his wealth only to the extent of giving something from his cherished and favoured possessions in the path of God. Rather, greatness lies in totally surrendering everything, so that whatever he has no longer belongs to him but belongs to God, so much so that he is prepared to lay down his life in the path of God because that, too, is included in مِمَّا رَزَقْتُهُمْ out of what We have provided for them']. God Almighty does not mean just dirham and dinar by His Word مما رزقنا ['out of what We have provided']. Rather, this term has a far wider con- notation which is inclusive of every bounty that has been bestowed upon man. In short, by using the words 3 هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ]'guidance for the right- eous'], God Almighty implies that with every kind of bounty which has been bestowed upon man—for example his life, health, knowl- edge, strength, wealth, etc. -one can demonstrate one's sincerity through his own effort only to the extent of مِمَّا رَزَقْتُهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ ]and spend out of what We have provided for them']. Human faculties are incapable of going beyond that. In the context of the verse هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ God promises that even in such forms of worship, He shall help those who demonstrate their sincerity to the extent of مِمَّا رَزَقْتُهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ to the 1. And [they] spend out of what We have provided for them (Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:4). [Publisher] 2. Never shall you attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love (Surah Al-e-Imran, 3:93). [Publisher] 3. Surah al-Baqarah, 2:3 [Publisher] 4. Surah al-Baqarah, 2:4 [Publisher]