Muhammad (PBUH) is the Most Generous Man Who Ever Lived

By Sheykh Prof: Khalid ibn ‘Abdur-Rahman Al Shayi‘

If we talked about generosity, openhandedness, good deeds and their characters, we will find the first personality fully has them is our Messenger and Master Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, peace and blessings be upon him.

As for doing good deeds, fulfilling the needs of the people and generosity, he, peace and blessings be upon him, is the one who did the best favor ever because Allah, The Almighty, saved humans with him from misguidance and hellfire to guidance and Paradise. Allah, The Almighty, Says (what means): {Certainly did Allah confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.} [Quran 3: 164] 

Life of societies cannot be right except with generous and openhanded people who hasten in doing good deeds, to whom people rush in distresses and difficulties. Therefore, human history recorded the biographies of the generous people and their stances throughout centuries. At the head of them, there is the most generous person and guidance i.e. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, peace and blessings be upon him.

He is Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who during all of his life was fully ready to help every needy or seeker of help. He, peace and blessings be upon him, used to has open hand and give without limits as it was reported in the Two Saheehs of Al-Bukhaari and Muslim that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was the best, the bravest and the most generous of all the people.”

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, never refuses a request. If he finds something with him he gives; otherwise said something good. He used to give the matters that kings such as Khosrau and Caesar cannot give. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is absolutely the most generous of all humans, just as he is the best of them, the most knowledgeable, the bravest, and the most perfect in every praiseworthy respect.

Al-Haafith Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “His generosity was demonstrated in all of the ways possible to manifest generosity: Disseminating knowledge; sharing wealth; exerting himself for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He, to uplift His religion, guide His servants, and to secure every possible benefit for them –be that feeding their hungry, admonishing their ignorant, meeting their daily needs, or bearing their burdens. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, possessed these praiseworthy qualities even before Islam. Owing to this, Khadija said to him, when he initially received revelation, “By Allah, Allah will never fail you. You maintain the ties of kinship, you speak the truth, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you assist those who are afflicted with misfortune.” After revelation these qualities were greatly amplified in him, peace and blessings be upon him.

Some poets said some lines, praising some of the generous people. Such lines befit no one except the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

 He used to spread his hand (with goodness) even if he folded it for he has nothing (to give), his fingers will not respond to him.

If you come to him, you see him smiling as if you will give him what you will ask him for.

He is (like) the sea (of goodness), from wherever you come to him, you will find goodness is his depth and generosity is his coast.

If he has nothing in his hand except his soul, he will surely give it and thus the questioner should fear Allah (while asking him).

We should know that we will not be able to mention all the indications that prove the generosity and openhandedness of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. However, we will only mention a brief about this quality which proves his other great qualities and confirm all what we have stated previously regarding his generosity and openhandedness.

It was reported in the Two Saheehs of Al-Bukhaari and Muslim on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was the most generous of all people, and he used to reach the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, used to meet him to teach him the Quran. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was the most generous person – even more generous than the strong uncontrollable wind (in readiness and haste to do charitable deeds).

Al-Haafith Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “This simile has the best example of rhetoric language in likening generosity with uncontrollable wind in its generality, recurrence and endless.”

Imam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “This Hadeeth has many benefits such as referring to the great generosity of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, recommendation of doing great deal of generosity in Ramadan, increasing generosity and good deeds at meeting the righteous people and after leaving them due to being affected by meeting them.”

It was reported in the Two Saheehs of Al-Bukhaari and Muslim that Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “It never happened that Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked for anything and he said: “No.”

It was also reported in the Saheeh of Imam Muslim that Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “It never happened that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked anything for the sake of Islam and he did not give that. There came to him a person and he gave him a large flock (of sheep and goats) and he went back to his people and said: ‘My people, embrace Islam, for Muhammad gives so much charity as if he has no fear of want.”’ Another wording reads: “poverty” instead of “want”.

It was reported in the Saheeh of Imam Muslim that Safwaan ibn Umayyah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “(By Allah) the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gave me what he gave me (and my state of mind at that time was) that he was the most detested person amongst people in my eyes. But he continued giving to me until now he is the dearest of people to me.”

The generosity of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reached an extent that he used to fulfill the needs of anyone asks him as Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was merciful. No one came to him but that he promised himself something and carried out that promise if he had anything to give. [Reported by Al-Bukhaari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad]

Here is the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, speaks about the status of money in his heart as Abu Tharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “While I was walking with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in the Harra of Medina, Uhud came in sight. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Abu Tharr!” I said, “Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger!" He, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I would not like to have gold equal to this mountain of Uhud, unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar of it remains with me for more than three days, except something which I will keep for repaying debts. I would have spent all of it (distributed it) amongst Allah's Slaves like this, and like this, and like this.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, pointed out with his hand towards his right, his left and his back (while illustrating it)….” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Al-Haafith Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “How he cannot be like so while he is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who is created having the most perfect qualities, who has full truth in Allah, The Almighty, and upon whom Allah, The Almighty, sent down in the clear verses of his Noble Book: {But whatever thing you spend [in His cause] - He will compensate it; and He is the best of providers."} [Quran 34: 39]”

He, peace and blessings be upon him, is the one who said to Bilaal and he is the most truthful in words and promises: “Spend, O Bilaal, and do not fear that the One Who is on the Throne will withhold from you.” [Reported by At-Tabaraani]

Furthermore, he, peace and blessings be upon him, is the one who said: “Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, ‘O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,’ and the other (angel) says, ‘O Allah! Destroy every miser.” [Reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

It was also reported in As-Saheeh (of Al-Bukhaari) that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allah says: “Spend, I will spend on you.”

How the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, cannot be the most generous, the bravest while he is the best one who relies on Allah, The Almighty, who has trust on the provision and victory of Allah, The Almighty, and who seeks the help of his Lord in all matters!

He was before and after revelation comes down to him and before his immigration the refuge of the poor, widows, orphans, weak, and needy as his parental uncle Abu Taalib said in his well known poem called Laamiyyah:

He is most generous from which clouds seeks water from his face. He is the shelter of the orphans and protection for the widows.

The poor from Aal Haashim seek his help, for they get great bounty for him.

This is Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds, the best and most generous man who ever lived, he has the best example for all generous and openhanded people all of over the world until Allah, The Almighty, will inherit the earth, and all beings thereon. O Allah, send abundant peace and blessing upon our Prophet Muhammad.