until Allah holds them back.”

If someone trains himself to stay in the rear, Allah will consign him to the rear. So hasten to every righteous deed the moment Allah calls you to it.

The second benefit: hypocrites are forever carping at the believers. If the Muslims give much, they sneer, “Show-offs!” If they give little, in proportion to their means, they scoff, “Allah has no need of your deed—no need of your single measure of grain,” as we have just discussed.

It is authentically reported from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“Whoever gives in charity the equivalent of a single date from lawful earnings—and Allah accepts only what is lawful—Allah will receive it with His right hand, then nurture it for its owner, just as one of you raises his foal, until it grows into a mountain, though it began as a mere date or its like.”

He also said, “Shield yourselves from the Fire, even with half a date.” And Allah, Exalted is He, says: “So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it” (al-Zalzalah 99:7–8). Allah never lets the reward of those who do good go to waste.