62 – Chapter: Altruism and Mutual Assistance

Allah the Exalted says, “They give preference to others over themselves, even when poverty is their own lot. Whoever is protected from the greed of his soul—such are the successful” (al-Hashr 59:9).

He also says, “They give food—despite their love for it—to the poor, the orphan, and the captive…” (al-Insan 76:8) and so on to the end of the verses.

[Explanation]
This is the chapter on altruism (ithar) and mutual assistance (muwasat). The author placed it immediately after the chapter that forbids miserliness and greed, for the two qualities are opposites.

Altruism means that a person puts someone else ahead of himself.

Mutual assistance means that he shares what he has with another. Altruism is the higher virtue, yet it must be understood that altruism falls into three categories: (1) prohibited, (2) disliked or merely permissible, and (3) permissible.

The prohibited category is to prefer someone else in a matter that the Sacred Law has made obligatory upon you; it is impermissible to let another take precedence in fulfilling what you yourself are required to do.

For example, suppose you have just enough water for one person to perform ablution, you are without wudu, and your companion is likewise without wudu. The water belongs to you. Either he performs ablution with it while you resort to dry ablution (tayammum), or you use it and he performs tayammum. In such a situation, it is not lawful for you to give him the water and perform tayammum yourself, because you have water in your possession, and one who has water may not abandon it for tayammum except when water is unavailable.