Zād al-Maʿād - Ibn al-Qayyim - (2/27)

Zād al-MaʿādIbn al-Qayyim

sometimes giving a present (1), and sometimes buying (2) something and then giving the seller both the price and the item, as he did with Jābir (3) (4). Sometimes he would borrow something and return more and better than he had borrowed (5), or buy something and pay more than its price. He accepted gifts and reciprocated with something greater or many times their value, showing thoughtful kindness and variety (6) in his ways of giving charity and doing good by every possible means.

His charity and kindness found expression through his possessions, his example, and his words. He gave away what he had, urged people to give charity, encouraged them to do so, and called them to it through both his example and his words. When a miserly, tight-fisted person saw him, his example inspired that person to give generously. Those who mixed with him, accompanied him, and witnessed his conduct could not help being generous and open-handed.

His conduct called people to kindness, charity, and good deeds. Thus, he was the most open-hearted of all creation (7), the happiest in spirit, and the most content at heart. Charity and good deeds have a remarkable effect in opening the heart. This was added (8) to the special blessing Allah had bestowed upon him by opening his heart to prophethood and messengership, their distinctive attributes, and all that they entail, as well as physically opening his chest and removing Satan’s share (9) from it.

(1) ص reads: “bi-l-hiba” (as a gift). (2) ق، ب، م، مب read: “bi-shirā’” (by purchasing). The adopted reading follows the remaining manuscripts. (3) The printed edition reads: “with Jābir’s camel.” The adopted reading follows the manuscripts. (4) Narrated by al-Bukhārī (2097) and Muslim (3:1221–1222, no. 110). (5) The printed edition adds “and greater” here; this is absent from the manuscripts. (6) ج adds “and kindness” here; this is absent from the remaining manuscripts. (7) ص reads: “people.” (8) ق، ب، م، مب read: “and is added.” (9) ص reads: “hadd,” an error.

وتارةً بالهدية (١)، وتارةً يَشتري (٢) الشيء ثم يعطي البائع الثمنَ والسِّلْعةَ جميعًا، كما فعل بجابر (٣) (٤). وتارةً كان يقترض الشيءَ فيردُّ أكثرَ منه وأفضلَ (٥)، ويشتري الشيءَ فيعطي أكثر من ثمنه. ويقبل الهديةَ ويكافئ عليها بأكثَر منها أو بأضعافها، تلطُّفًا وتنوُّعًا (٦) في ضروب الصدقة والإحسان بكل ممكن. وكانت صدقتُه وإحسانه بما يملكه وبحاله وبقوله، فيُخرِج ما عنده، ويأمر بالصدقة ويحضُّ عليها، ويدعو إليها بحاله وقوله، فإذا رآه البخيل الشَّحيح دعاه حاله إلى البذل والعطاء، وكان من خالطه وصَحِبَه ورأى هديَه لا يملك نفسه عن السماحة والنَّدى. وكان هديه يدعو إلى الإحسان والصدقة والمعروف، ولذلك كان أشرحَ الخَلْق (٧) صدرًا، وأطيبَهم نفسًا، وأنعمَهم قلبًا، فإن للصدقة وفِعْل المعروف تأثيرًا عجيبًا في شرح الصدر، فانضاف (٨) ذلك إلى ما خصَّه الله به من شَرْحِ صدره للنبوة والرسالة وخصائصها وتوابعها، وشَرْحِ صدره حسًّا وإخراجِ حظِّ (٩) الشيطان منه.

(١) ص: «بالهبة». (٢) ق، ب، م، مب: «بشراء». والمثبت من بقية النسخ. (٣) في المطبوع: «ببعير جابر». والمثبت من النسخ. (٤) رواه البخاري (٢٠٩٧) ومسلم (٣/ ١٢٢١، ١٢٢٢، رقم ١١٠). (٥) بعدها في المطبوع: «وأكبر». وليست في النسخ. (٦) بعدها في ج: «وإحسانًا». وليست في بقية النسخ. (٧) ص: «الناس». (٨) ق، ب، م، مب: «ويضاف». (٩) ص: «حض»، خطأ.