Ethic of Compassion and Sharing
A truly enlightened society urges the care of the weak and restraint in their sway by the rich and powerful. Scriptural tradition regards wealth as a blessing, and its honest creation one’s duty for it can aid the general welfare of society. “When the prayer is finished, scatter in the land and seek God’s bounty, and remember God frequently; haply you will prosper”. But when misused or hoarded, wealth is a derisory pittance, an illusory source of power. The pious are the socially conscious who recognise in their wealth a right for the indigent and the deprived whom they help for the sake of God alone, without any desire for recompense or thankfulness from those whom they help.
Charity is not just sharing one’s material wealth. Generosity with one’s intellectual, spiritual, material or physical wherewithal is highly commended. When withheld, such gifts are a futile burden, “a twisted collar tied to the miser’s neck”. “One who is more blessed by God”, goes an Alid tradition, “is needed more for people”. The ethic of voluntary service is, thus, a strongly marked trait of Muslim tradition, celebrated in the example of the Ansar, the Helpers, the honourable title for those citizens of Medina who gave succour to Muhammad and his fellow fugitives when they had to emigrate from Makkah to escape persecution.
Ismailimail 