Financial Sacrifice: Tehrike Jadid 2014

‘Never shall you attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love; and whatever you spend. Allah surely knows it well.’ (3:93)

In explanation of the above verse the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said:

‘Man has great love for wealth. This is why it in written in interpretations of dreams that when a person dreams that he takes out his liver and gives it to someone, it signifies giving of wealth. This is why for the attainment of real devoutness and faith it has been stated: ‘Never shall you attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love…’ because a large part of sympathy and compassion for creation of God necessitates spending of wealth. Compassion for mankind and God’s creation is part and parcel of faith without which faith is not complete. How can man be of benefit to others unless he makes sacrifice! Indeed, sacrifice is essential to benefit others and to sympathise with them. The verse: ‘Never shall you attain to righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love…’ teaches and guides towards this very sacrifice. Spending wealth in the way of Allah the Exalted is a benchmark and acid test of man’s obedience and righteousness. The benchmark and acid test of Divine devoutness in the life of Hazrat Abu Bakr was when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) made one appeal upon which he submitted the entire contents of his home.’ (Tafseer Hazrat Masih e Maud, Vol. II, p. 131)

It is God’s favour upon us that He has enabled us to accept the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) who, among other things, taught us ways and means of spiritual advancement, drew our attention towards discharging rights of God and rights of mankind, inculcated in us the spirit of sacrificing life, wealth, time and children and told his Jama’at to mould themselves completely according to the teachings of God. This has been stated in the aforementioned Quranic verse. In it God draws our attention to one of our responsibilities as regards spiritual development, i.e. financial giving. Financial giving is a great source of discharging rights of mankind and rights of God. The essence of the aforementioned extract of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) is that financial giving is required to discharge rights of mankind as well as for publication of faith.

We Ahmadis are fortunate to partake in the accomplishment of the task which was started by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). While the world is lost in love of money, owing to the education and training of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) majority of Ahmadis spend out of their precious wealth to publicise faith. It causes them anxiety if for some reason they are not able to spend as they would like to and some of them are reduced to tears in this regard. This condition of hearts is a proof that God sent the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in this age for the publication and dissemination of the faith brought by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and now progress of Islam is destined take place through the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). And this is why God has instilled the spirit of jihad of financial giving in true believers.

Below are some accounts of how in this day and age God continues to inspire hearts towards financial sacrifice. And this is not limited to any specific strata of people or any specific country. In fact this spirit is found wherever there are people associated with the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace), be it Africa, Europe or Oceania!

Ameer Sahib of Burkina Faso writes that a local Sadr Jama’at says that at time of Eid ul Adha this year he did not have enough funds to cook food at home let alone have money for the required animal sacrifice. He listened to a discourse on financial giving with reference to Tehrik e Jadid following which he gave 2000 for blessing and hoped th