To surprise Ahlia on Basar night, I handed her an envelope and said, “Here is a ‘Mudaraba’ form. Fill in your name. You just do it. One thousand will be credited to your account every month from my salary. Will come with double the profit.”
I thought Ahlia would be very happy. Thank you, but no. There was nothing that you did to cause it. After a while, he said, “After 12 years, our savings of Rs 1,44,000 will become Rs 2,o6,000. Is that so?
Hmm!
Well, I know about a bank that gives even more profit.
Which bank?
He got up and brought the Qur’an. He took out verse 261 of Surah Baqara and asked me to read the translation. I started reading:
سبثل الذین فينفقون اموالہم فی سبت سبع سنابل فی کل سنبلۃ ما حبۃ و اللہ یذضعف لمن یشآء و اللہ واسع علیم)
“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is as the likeness of a seed which produces seven heads, and in each ear there are a hundred grains.” And Allah is Abundant, All-Knowing.”*
Then he began to explain the verse:
Allah has compared charity to cultivation. There are some profound teachings in it. For example, for good cultivation, three things are required for high yield.
1. Devoted farmer
2. Good land.
3. Good seeds
It will take three things to get 800 times the reward in a similar donation.
1. The pure intention of the giver (i.e. devoted farmer)
2. Religious sector (i.e. good land)
3. Halal resources (i.e. good seed)
If one pays attention to these three aspects in the case of charity, then his charity will be 800 times in the Hereafter. Rather, Allah says at the end of the verse:
وَاللَّهُ يُضَعِفُ لِمَنۡ يَشَآءُ ؕ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيۡمٌ
“And Allah increases for whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Knowing.”*
My wife shook my hand and said, “Don’t leave the money you wanted to keep in the bank in my name, in the name of ‘us’ in the bank of Allah. Make a deal with a religious organisation, donate this amount every month. Inshallah, it will come back at least 700 times in the Hereafter, the day when no friend, no money, no relative will come in handy! This gift will come in handy on that day.”
I became dumb. My eyes turned blurred. Since then, he has been associated with an organizstion for monthly donations. Alhamdulillah. If there is a delay in any month, he reminds me.
*The interpretation of the verse has been taken from Tafseer Qurtabi;s translation