that Allah commands and releases, a rushing, turbulent gale; yet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ outpaced even that unleashed wind in doing good during Ramadan. Accordingly, if it is time to pay zakah, then pay your zakah; if it is a voluntary donation, then give freely—for this is the month of goodness, blessing, and spending in the path of Allah.

The common people sometimes append to his ﷺ statement, “Charity does not diminish wealth,” the words, “Rather, it increases it.” This addition is baseless; it has no sound chain back to the Messenger ﷺ. What is authentically reported from him is only: “Charity does not diminish wealth.”

The increase that comes in place of what is given may be quantitative or qualitative. A quantitative increase is when Allah opens for you a door of provision you had never expected, while a qualitative increase is when He places blessing in what remains of your wealth.

He ﷺ also said, “Allah only grants greater honor to a servant who pardons.” When someone wrongs you—in your property, your person, your family, or any of your rights—the soul, being possessive, presses you to retaliate and to take what is yours, and that is permitted. Allah the Exalted says, “Whoever transgresses against you, then transgress against him in the same manner that he transgressed against you” (al-Baqarah 194), and He says, “If you retaliate, then retaliate with a retaliation equivalent to that with which you were afflicted” (al-Nahl 126).

A person is not blamed for doing so, yet when he inclines toward pardon and considers forgiving, his inciting soul whispers, “This is humiliation and weakness—how can you forgive someone