Dear brother!
 First of all, I would like to tell you that a true believer is someone who builds up all his life on giving, while a disbeliever on taking. If you desire to know whether you are of those who love the life of this present world or the Hereafter, ask yourself this question: “What makes me happy, to give or to take?” I would like to put forward the following example from the Prophet’s biography, A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that

“ they slaughtered a she camel. The prophet (PBUH) asked: What is left from it? She said: the shoulder. He said: It is all left except the shoulder.”

[Al-Termithi]

 But before we start talking about the Holy Prophet’s generosity, I would like to ask you: What makes you happy, to give or to take? What makes you comfortable, to donate or to extort? True believers are very happy when they give, when they feel that they are generous and unselfish, while disbelievers are happiest when they extort people’s possessions and things.

“The Prophet (PBUH) was the best of all mankind, the most generous of mankind, and the most courageous of mankind. People of Madina were frightened so he went on a horse before them, and he said: we found him like a sea.”

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

 The best of all mankind, the most generous of all mankind, and the Most courageous of all mankind: these three qualities are the best of all human qualities; and Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was the best of all mankind as far as words, deeds and appearance are concerned. He (PBUH) was most handsome, and his manners and character were also beautiful, noble and comfortable to other fellow humans. His heart was the most courageous; and he, himself, was the most generous of all mankind and most useful to them. This generosity, with which Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was qualified, as writers of his biography confirm, was generosity for the sake of Allah and for His Cause, and in order to obtain Allah’s Good Pleasure. He used to work for the sake of Allah and because of his love, for Him and for the attainment of His Good Pleasure. That is why his generosity was in obedience of Allah, All Mighty. By the way, man may sometimes spend money not in obedience of Allah but as a kind of hypocrisy or eye-service. In this way, he might be respected and exalted in the sight of people only. But Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was always generous to the poor and needy, for the Cause of Allah and the Jihad (Holy Strife), to soften the hearts of those whose hearts had to be softened for the sake of Islam and in order to strengthen their belief, and in order to strengthen the hearts of believers as well. Therefore, Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), spent all of his wealth for the Cause of Allah and the Holy strife in His Way. Sometimes he would spend to feed the poor and needy. Sometimes, he would spend in order to soften the hearts of enemies; hopefully they might convert to Islam.
 In his book of Prophetic Hadith, Imam Muslim narrated on the authority of Anas: “Whenever Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was asked for anything for the Cause of Islam, he would readily give it. One day, a man came to him, asking for a favor, so Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), gave him a whole herd of sheep that filled a valley between two mountains. The man went back to his people saying, ‘O people! Convert to Islam, for Muhammad gives as generously as those who fear no poverty do.”
 Yes, indeed! Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), used always to give most generously; and he was very pleased when people asked him for favors. In this context, the verses go:

Never request the children of Adam for anything,
But request Him, Whose Gates are never closed.
Allah gets angry if you do not request Him,
But the children of Adam are angered when they are requested.
* * *

 Sometimes, man gets easily bored with people’s requests. After two or three requests, he gets angry. But Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was happiest when people came to request him or ask him for favors. Such was the Prophet’s character. Therefore, a true believer should be generous and magnanimous. In all places and times, he should be prepared to answer people’s requests: in the morning, at night, at noon, at siesta time, before dawn, after dawn, at late night or early morning. In all times, he should be well prepared to help other fellow humans with all possible ways.
 A true believer is always generous and magnanimous. A true believer is never bored with people’s requests. He never shows any anger or resentment, because he believes that those who come to him for help are Allah’s guests, whom Allah sends to him in order to see whether he will be generous enough with them. So how could a true believer send such needy people away?! In other words, whenever someone knocks at your door for help or shelter, this means that it is Allah Who sends him to you in order to try you. If you answer the caller’s request and fulfill his needs, Allah loves you and brings you near to Him. It is your chance to take care of such caller and offer him adequate help. It is your chance to attain a better and nobler position with your Lord. But if you show any kind of resentment or send such caller away, Allah sends him to another person. Therefore, those on whom Allah has conferred His Divine Favors: Allah is pleased with them so long as they offer such Favors to other fellow humans; but if they withhold such Favors from other fellow humans, Allah, All Mighty, deprives them of Such Favors and bestows them upon sh3er. Sometimes, someone is well off and has sisters or relatives who are not as well off. It is all right if they seek financial help from him. It is not embarrassing if brother, sisters, or relatives ask one another for help. If your sister’s son needs a surgical operation, and she comes to you for help, you should not hesitate for one single moment to offer necessary help. You should be generous; and you should show no anger or resentment. You should thank Allah for giving you the power and making you able to help sh3er. He, Glory to Him, could simply make you a needy poor person.
 I think I have previously told you of a philanthropist who offered a house worth 8,000,000 pounds to a charity; and the charity changed the house into a clothes workshop. Members of the charity made a banquet in the philanthropist’s honor. Members the charity stood up to praise him for his benefaction. But what I liked best was the speech delivered by one of our brother, who addressed the philanthropist, “Dear Philanthropist! Allah, All Mighty, could have made you one of the poor needy persons who seek help from our charity. But He, Glory be to Him, has given you; and you have given. Therefore, you should be thankful to the Lord. It is not we who have to thank you, it is you who have to thank your Lord because He has given you and enabled you to give; He conferred His Favors upon you; and enabled you to do favors to other fellow humans; He made you well off, and you gave generously.
 Dear brother! Due to weakness of faith, some people misunderstand a great many things. They misbelieve that they are the real owners of that which Allah, All Mighty, gives them. The one of them, quite often, wrongly says, “I have given such and such a person,” or “I have given out of my own wealth.” But true believers firmly believe that all the things that they have belong to Allah, All Mighty, and that it is He Who bestows His Divine Favors upon them and enables them to give to other fellow humans. They firmly believe that He could make them poor and needy. In other words, dear brother, if you are able to give and, hence, your hand is the upper one, you should greatly thank Allah, because He has not made your hand the lower. You should be most thankful to the Lord, Allah, All Mighty, and you should turn to Him with true faith and sincere gratitude because He has made you a charity donor and not a charity receiver.
 Dear Brother! It is not an exaggeration to say that a great many people become true believers not because they are convinced of the facts of true Faith, but rather because of the good treatment they receive from believers, who win their love by doing favors to them. They become believers because they love those who are believers. Generosity could be one of the best things that stand behind people’s becoming true believers.
 I would like to remind you of the story that I have told you before, namely that of the rich man who was driving his expensive car along the road between two of the Syrian cities when he suddenly saw someone trying desperately to mend the broken chain of his bike at the side of the road. Being a true believer, the rich man got out of his car and went over to the young man to help him repair his bike, since the rich man had previously worked in bike repair. The rich man’s help had a great impact on the young man and stood behind his true belief, honest reform and sincere repentance. In other words, it was the rich man’s good work, and not only his kind gentle words, that captured the young man’s heart and caused him to reform and repent.
 Good righteous work is always remarkable and eye catching. Generosity, magnanimity, and good righteous work, help you capture people’s hearts and make them love you. In other words, you will never be able to call people to Allah and true Faith unless you are generous and good doing to them. That is why it has been rightly said, “In the Call for Allah and true Faith, good example should come before admonition; and good doing should come before explanation.” Before you talk and philosophize about Religion, and before you analyze and explain, before you elaborate and provide evidence, you should be kind and generous to those to whom you are reaching. This is because if you do well to people, they open their hearts to you; and when they open their hearts to you, they open their minds to you. This is because man’s mind usually works after his heart does.
 In this context, we have to remember that Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), offered Safwan Bin Umayyah an entire herd of sheep that filled a valley between two mountains. Safwan went back to his people, saying, “O people! Convert to Islam and believe in Muhammad, for he gives as generously as those who fear no poverty do.”
 Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was twice tested by the Lord, All Mighty, once by poverty and once by richness.
 Dear brother! A true believer’s firm belief that everything that he spends will be well recompensed and well rewarded by the Lord, All Mighty, is one of the causes of his generosity.
 Firm belief that Allah, All Mighty, will recompense and reward you for everything that you spend motivates you to spend and give generously. By the way, I would like to tell dear preachers and callers to Allah that with gifts and donations they capture people’s hearts and gain their love; and, as you know, if Allah, All Mighty, enables you to rightly guide someone, you are a great winner: your win is greater than the whole world with all things therein. If a certain financial gift or donation makes your son, for example, repent and reform, just give it to him and you will be a great winner. If buying him a house makes him a true believer, buy it for him and you will be a great winner. This is because man is paramount and supreme, and so is his guidance. If you know that a certain gift or donation helps rightly guide a fellow human, give it generously. Spend of your wealth and do not fear any diminution from the Almighty Lord of the Thrown. Exploit your wealth for the service of mankind. Use your wealth for the truth. Do not let wealth enslave you. Be its master.
 Books of Prophetic biography narrate:

“On the day of the battle of Hunain, Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), gave some of the released captives donations in order to soften their hearts towards Islam. He (PBUH) gave them a hundred camels each – that is ten thousand camels – and one of those who received donations was Malik Bin ‘Aouf, who wrote a poem in which he praised Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH).”

 It is not surprising that Allah’s Messenger gave such great donations because if those people converted to Islam, it would be a great victory and benefit for Muslims. By the way, to help some get rightly guided is not easy at all, for it is sometimes next to impossible to try and help those whose hearts are closed towards Allah’s religion to get rightly guided, irrespective of all of the crystal clear proofs, evidences, cosmic signs, Quranic Verses, or impressive stories that you may put forward to them. It is exactly like writing on the surface of water. Therefore, it is really heroic to be able to help a deviant capricious person turn to Allah with faithful repentance and sincere devotion. Generosity and magnanimity on the caller’s part plays first fiddle with this respect.
 A true believer, dear brother, is someone who is constantly prepared to help and serve other fellow humans. He is always ready to spend of his time, wealth, abilities, expertise, physical and social power, pen, tongue, and everything for guiding fellow humans to the truth. This is exactly what Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), used to do.
 I remember that I have told you before the story of one of our believing brother, who went to visit his married sister and found her and her husband quarreling because she demanded her husband to give her special monthly money to spend on her daughters, while the husband said that he simply could not afford that because his salary was not good enough. Although he was not very rich, the wife’s brother offered to give them a small monthly financial help of only 300 pounds; and he did this only for the sake of Allah, Most Gracious. That small monthly donation stood behind reform and right guidance of his sister’s whole family. It never occurred to our believing brother that such a small amount of money would have such a great impact on his sister and her husband, who were very grateful to him and asked him to give them some weekly religious lessons.
 However, our believing brother began giving his sister and her family weekly religious lessons, in which he explained a Quranic Verse, a Prophetic Hadith, a juristic rule, some rules of Quranic recitation, …etc. After some time, his sister’s daughters began practicing Hijab (Islamic veil), and happily got married.
 It is really amazing that a small gift, like 300 pounds a month, stood behind the reform and guidance of an entire family! Glory to Allah!
 Therefore, dear brother, you should always give generously in the Way of Allah! If you are an employer and one, or more, of your employees needs financial help because he wants to get married and, therefore, needs your financial help, give him generously, and, believe me, you will be a great winner. Do not say, “Well, I give him his rights in full.” Give him more. Be a philanthropist! Be generous!
 Don’t you want your employee to love you? Don’t you want him to be sincere to you? Don’t you want him to obey you? If you invite him to offer prayer or attend religious lectures, don’t you want him to respond willingly? We should never forget that with generosity and kindness we capture people’s hearts. We should understand that religion is not mere words but also good righteous work, magnanimity and generosity. This is how the Prophet’s venerable Companions understood religion. Frankly speaking, if you really desire to help people get rightly guided, you should generously give of your time, effort, work, expertise, power, and everything. Never belittle or underestimate any good thing or favor that you do to other fellow humans, no matter how small or insignificant it might be. Good work and generosity might be the cause of reform and repentance of lots of people and families; and usually people encourage one another to adopt religion once they are convinced of its validity and truthfulness. Don’t forget! People are fed up with words and admonition. They need to see good work. They need to see true generous Muslims. They do not want to hear bombastic eloquent words about Islam. They need to see real Islam. They need to see real committed Muslims, devoted Muslims, loving Muslims, honest Muslims, trustworthy Muslims, sincere Muslims, and faithful Muslims. This is what affects people and touches their hearts.
 With your wealth, you can help people get rightly guided. By Allah, Who there is no god but Him! I deem rich believers fortunate because with their wealth they can reach the highest ranks of nobility and righteousness. With their wealth, they can be the best callers for Allah and His Religion. This is because poor people don not usually need eloquent bombastic words or orations about religion. They need generosity and magnanimity. They need money to solve their problems. In other words, if you buy a poor homeless person a lodge, help him get married and provide him with food and clothes, you capture his heart and love and you become his Sheikh, so to speak.
 A businessman who dealt in watches went bankrupt. He told me that his multi-millionaire brother did not give him one single penny for help. Therefore, he had to travel to a neighboring country – Lebanon – hopefully he could find a way out of his problem. He introduced himself to a big watch-seller, who showed great sympathy and help when he heard the businessman’s sad story and invited him to stay for a few days at an expensive hotel at the seaside. Then, he gave him a big amount of money and dozens of watches to start over. The businessman told me that he was so grateful and thankful to the Lebanese watch-seller that he kept thinking of him day and night, dreamed of him in his sleep, and loved him more than his closest relatives.
 Man can be enslaved by benefaction; and if you desire to help people attain right guidance, do not talk a lot, but work a lot: serve them, solve their problems, give them, help them, and support them. The Prophet’s venerable Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, considered as permissible and lawful only the necessary basic human needs. The unnecessary extra money spent on lots and lots of unnecessary things in our lives can solve millions of problems and difficulties. For, example, is it reasonable to spend 20, 000,000 pounds on a wedding party, while thousands of young people are not only financially incapable of getting married but also homeless?! Is this reasonable?! As I have just said, rich believers are really lucky because with their wealth, they can wipe tears off the eyes of thousands of poor families, and they can get exalted in nobility and honor every day. In Islam, money should be spent and used dully.
Can’t you have a smiling face? Can’t you be kind-hearted, easy going and modest? Can’t you help someone with your good auspices, experience and effort? If you are an expert in furniture, and someone tells you that he does not know how to choose good furniture for his bedroom, you should help him: go with him over and over again until he finds suitable furniture at a reasonable price. It is not a waste of time to do that. It is really a kind of charity. Charity is not only by giving money; it can be by offering your time, effort, experience, social status,...etc. If someone needs something of a friend of yours, go with him to your friend and get his need fulfilled.
 Do not forget, dear brother, that the Prophet’s cousin, Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, was once in devotional seclusion in the Prophet’s mosque when a man came to him complaining about heavy debts that he owed to someone. Ibn ‘Abbas asked, “Who is your creditor?” The man answered, “So and so.” “Would you like me to speak to him for you?” Ibn ‘Abbas asked. “If you so desire.” Said the man. Ibn ‘Abbas stopped his devotional seclusion in the mosque and went along with the man to help him solve his problem. Someone told Ibn ‘Abbas, “Have you forgotten that you are in devotional seclusion?” “No, I haven’t.” Ibn ‘Abbas answered, “But I have heard Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), say,

“It is better for me to walk along with a brother in order to fulfill his need than to fast and stay in devotional seclusion for a whole month in my mosque.”

 If we understand that religion is sacrifice, donation, service, generosity, and altruism, Allah, All Mighty, loves us; but if we understand religion as mere rituals, worships or void meaningless bombastic words, Allah is never pleased with us. Life is cooperation, co-existence and co-assistance.
 You should never think that people stick to religion because it symbolizes the truth. It does symbolize the truth, but what makes people stick to religion is the generosity, sacrifice, care, protection, service, friendship, intimacy, compassion, and love they see among their believing brother.
 Now, is it possible in our time that someone offers you his own house a gift: “Here is my house! Take it! It’s yours!”?! What’s this?! People nowadays give small presents, little amounts of money, like one or two thousand pounds, some clothes, some food, …etc. But too few, if any, would say, “Here is my house! Take it!” Such generosity is far above normal people. When Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), addressed the man “It’s yours! Take it!”, as regards the Prophet’s herd of sheep that filled the valley, the man was most astounded and said, “Such a generous thing can not be done except by a holy Prophet!” In other words, when someone gives, generously and willingly, something very expensive, he is highly respected and admired.
 Dear brother! Callers for Allah should be well versed in human psychology; and they should know very well that people love those who do them favors.
If you earnestly seek to be honest, patient, generous, content, decent, chaste, or moderate, Allah helps you to be as such. This takes us to the opposite side, namely the side of those who are incapable to give but are, therefore, in the position of receiving. In this context, it has been rightly said, “If you need someone, you are his slave. If you do not need him, you are his equal. But if you do him a favor, you are his mater.”
 Once again, those who earnestly desire to be honest, patient, generous, content, decent, chaste, or moderate: Allah helps them to be as such.
 Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was of a noble generous character. Whenever asked for any favor, he (PBUH) would offer it by himself, i.e. he never bade anyone to offer it on his behalf. Also while offering anything or doing any favor, he (PBUH) would show adequate respect and honor to the poor and needy that came asking for help. For example, he (PBUH) used to stand up and walk towards the poor and needy that came asking for help, and to give them with his own hand that which they asked for. This teaches us that it is not enough to be helpful and generous by commanding one of our men to offer the thing needed; we should show enough respect and honor to those who ask for help by offering such help by ourselves. It is both virtuous and laudable in the sight of Islam to offer help or charity by our own selves.

 If you sit with a poor person, talk to him, and have food with him, this would be very modest and compassionate of you. One of our brother told me that when he was young, he was poor and had to work in a factory. Every day, his righteous believing factory owner used to choose two or three of his workers to check about their food and invite them to have lunch with him. One day, when the factory owner invited our man, who was one of his workers, to have lunch with him, the latter said, “It is all right! But I’ll bring my meal with me; and we’ll share our two meals together.” By the way, although the worker’s meal was a modest one, boiled potatoes and bread, while the master’s meal was an expensive one, the master sat most contentedly and happily to share his rich meal with the worker’s poor one, in order to make him feel honored, loved and respected. Every now and then, the factory owner also used to give his workers financial aids and bonuses. Undoubtedly, people love those who do them favors. I feel that rich people are really lucky because they can do lots of good righteous things with their wealth. If you are a factory owner and have a number of workers working for you, these workers can be your way to Allah’s Paradise, provided that you take care of them, help them and check about conditions of their families, and provided that you help single ones to get married and improve their life conditions. It is possible for you to enter Paradise by helping your workers and taking care of them. Moreover, all people around you can be your way to Paradise: your workers, your parents, your children, your wife, your neighbors, your colleagues, your friends, your employees, …etc.
The venerable Companion and Caliph, Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, may Allah be pleased with him, about whom Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), said,

“The Sun has never risen over a man better than Abu Bakr, except for a holy Prophet,”

 used to help his neighbors by milking their sheep for them. Amazingly, when he became Caliph, nothing changed: he kept milking his neighbors’ sheep. The very next day after he took over the Caliphate, he humbly and modestly headed for his neighbors’ house to milk their sheep for them, as he had always done. When he knocked on their door, the mother asked her daughter to see who it was, “Who is it?” The mother asked her daughter. The little girl answered, “It’s the man who milks our sheep for us, Mum!” Yes, indeed, his becoming the Caliph of Muslims did not make him feel haughty or too great to milk his neighbors’ sheep. What modesty! What generosity! This teaches us that we remain great in Allah’s Sight so long as we serve and help those around us. Remember: The great Companion, Abu Bakr, kept milking his neighbors’ sheep, even after he had become Caliph!

 Quite often, Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), would borrow money to buy clothes for a poor or needy person. Yes, indeed! If he did not have money, he (PBUH) used to borrow some to help people. By the way, quite a few of our brother strive to be generous and helpful, and, therefore, even borrow money, if they have none, to help other fellow humans when necessary.
Some people keep candies in their pockets, and whenever they meet someone, they give him a candy; and if his children are with him, they give each child two candies. Even though such donations might not be so precious, they have a good impact on people and cause delight, love and compassion among them. Some gifts have great symbolic values although they might not be expensive. However, a believer does not consider the materialistic but rather moral or emotional value of a gift.
 In the light of the foregoing facts, it is crystal clear that Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), is unmatched in both generosity and magnanimity. Due to his amazing generosity, he spent his entire money sometimes on the poor and needy, sometimes for the Cause of Allah, and sometimes to sooth and comfort the hearts of people. He gave gifts and donations that kings fail to give. He gave and gave until he had nothing, not even food for his dinner, so that he and his venerable wives would spend the night hungry. When Allah, All Mighty, bade his venerable wives to make their choice whether to bear with him such hard life or to get divorced from him, they chose to remain with him despite all of the difficulties they had to face in their life with him.
 Dear brother! No matter how long and pleasant enjoyments of this present world might be, they are soon forgotten, and what remain are their consequences; and no matter how long and unpleasant difficulties of this life might be, they are soon forgotten, and what remain are their good consequences and rewards from the Lord, Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious.
 As I have mentioned before, you can make your wealth a means to the Call for Allah and His Religion.
 Another thing: I swear by Allah, Who there is no god but Him! If you spend of your wealth to soften and unify people’s hearts and to call them to Allah and His Religion, then, destruction of the whole universe is less important to Allah than making you poor. Since Allah, All Mighty, is the Most Generous, it is impossible that He impoverishes you after you have spent of your wealth for His Cause, after you have spent of you your wealth to sooth and unify people’s hearts and after you have called them to Allah and His Religion! It is just impossible! Companies usually spend lots of money for advertising, so how would the case be with Allah, the Most Generous, when you spend your wealth to publicize His Religion?! The answer is self-evident!
* * *
 The venerable Companion, Ali Bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, describes the Prophet’s courage, saying,

“He (PBUH) was the most generous of all mankind, the most courageous of all mankind, the most truthful of all mankind, the most kind-hearted of all mankind, and the noblest of all mankind. Should any fears befall his Companions, he (PBUH) would hasten to remove them himself.”

 In fact, there are special ways of capturing people’s hearts. Some of these ways are materialistic. For, example, you might be more powerful than other people, but you will never master them unless you excel over them. A general director of a hospital might be an ordinary non-specialized doctor, yet he has a number of highly specialized ones under his administration. According to the rules of the hospital, he is the commander, and his orders have to be obeyed; and he has the power to punish or reward. Nevertheless, the highly specialized doctors under his command do not consider him as a real director simply because they are more knowledgeable, skillful and experienced than he is. Such director will not be considered as a real one, and he will not be dully respected and admired, unless he is the most experienced and the most knowledgeable of all of the doctors in his hospital.
 The venerable Companions did not actually love Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), simply because he was Allah’s Messenger or because he communicated Allah’s Revelation, i.e. the Holy Quran, to them. They loved him simply because he was the best and the most respectable and admirable of them all. He was superior in courage, forbearance, wisdom, and in all human qualities and manners. A preacher might sometimes discuss certain scientific issues. Those who are specialized in the subject matter under discussion might feel that they are more knowledgeable and experienced that the preacher himself is. Therefore, such a preacher might not be convincing or admirable enough for them. But if he were so well versed that he could excel them all in such subject matter, he would certainly be more convincing and admirable. No one, nowadays, can be excellent in all disciplines of human knowledge. Moreover, it is impossible to capture the hearts of other fellow humans by mere materialistic power, although this can be done as far as their bodies are concerned. Only by spiritual and moral excellence, it is possible to capture people’s hearts. The Prophet’s excellence in all aspects of human life stood behind the great admiration and love his venerable Companions had for him. He was perfect in every sense of the word. By the way, sometimes, people admire a highly ranked person; but if he shows any fear or lack of self-confidence in the face of danger, he drops in their esteem and respect.
 Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was the most courageous of all. One night, people heard horrible noises. They were frightened because they thought it was a sudden attack by enemy forces. When they came out to see what the matter was, they saw Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), riding on a horse with a sword hanging down his neck and calling out,

“It’s all right! Don’t be afraid!”

 Undoubtedly, he (PBUH) was the bravest and most courageous of all.
 In the same context, the venerable Companion, Ali Bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

“Whenever the battle became hard, and the fight became fierce, we used to take refuge with Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), as no one would be nearer to the enemies than he was.”

 Yes, indeed! In battlefield, he was always the nearest to enemies; and his venerable Companions always sought refuge with him against enemies.
Yes, indeed! Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was excellent and superior in every sense of the word: in generosity, forbearing, physical strength, knowledge, courage, and wisdom. That is why the venerable Companions said, “

On the day of the battle of Badr, we would be seen taking refuge with Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), for he was the nearest and hardest to the enemies.”

 On the day of the battle of Hunain, Allah, All Mighty, cast terror into the hearts of the venerable Companions because they were proud of the large number of fighters on their side; they said,

“We shall not be defeated because of fewness in the number of our fighters.”

 In this context, Ibn Isshaq narrated that a man addressed Al-Bara’, “O Aba ‘Amarah! Did you run away (before your enemies) on the day of Hunain?” “By Allah! No! Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), did not run away (before our enemies); but he went out with the youth and unarmed men from among his Companions, and they met with good shooters that rarely missed a target from Hawazen, Bani Nasr, who shot them and almost missed none of those whom they shot. Therefore, they came forward, led by Abu Sufian Bin Al-Harith Bin Abdul Muttalib, to attack Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), while he was on his white mule. So he (Allah’s Messenger) cried out for help, saying,

“I am truly the Prophet. I am the son of Abdul Muttalib!”

Then he lined them (his fighters) up.”

[A Hadith agreed upon]

 Here is a very important point: If, Muhammad, (PBUH), had not really been Allah’s Messenger, he would have run away before the enemies. But since he was really Allah’s Messenger, and was, therefore, confident of Allah’s Help and Victory, he remained steadfast in battlefield. This is because claims are usually tested at times of hardship. If, for example, a chemist makes a certain medicine but he is not confident enough of its validity, nevertheless, he wants to sell it and, therefore, advertises it. If anyone asks him to use the medicine publicly himself, but he refuses to do, this means that he is clearly not confident of it. When Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), was attacked by the enemies and, therefore, death was sure to come, unless he was truly Allah’s Messenger, he would have run away, and he would never have lined up his men and fought back. He cried out, “I am truly the Prophet. I am the son of Abdul Muttalib!”
Also, in his book, “Ad-Dala’il”, Al-Baihaqi narrated on authority of Bin Az-Zubair: “Ubay Bin Khalaf, the idolater, said on the day of the battle of Uhud, “Where is Muhammad? I wish I would never be safe if he were to escape!” Ubay also used to say to Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), “I have a horse that I give a lot of maize so that I may kill you while I am riding on it.” But Allah’ Messenger, (PBUH), used to answer, “It is I who shall kill you if Allah so Wills.” Notice the Prophet’s great confidence in his Lord, Allah, All Mighty! However, when Ubay saw Allah’ Messenger, (PBUH), on the day of the battle of Uhud, he galloped his horse towards Allah’s Messenger in order to kill him; but some of the Prophet’s Companions stood in Ubay’s way to prevent him from getting to Allah’s Messenger. But Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), bade them, “Step aside! And leave me alone with Ubay Bin Khalaf!” And Allah’s Messenger took a spear from Al-Harith Bin As-Soummah, one of the Prophet’s Companions, and stood up quickly and strongly with the spear in his hand. This frightened Ubay and other idolaters, who, at once, dispersed and tried to run away in horror like birds; but Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), stabbed Ubay in the neck and made him fall off his horse several times. It was also narrated that one of Ubay’s ribs was broken. Anyway, Ubay was seriously wounded and, therefore, galloped back to his people of Quraish calling out, “Muhammad has killed me! Muhammad has killed me!” And they told him “It is all right! You will soon get better!” Ubay said, “If the pain and distress I have were dispersed among all mankind, they would kill them! Didn’t he (Muhammad) say,“I shall kill you if Allah so wills.” By Allah! If Muhammad had only spitted on me, he would have killed me!”
 Shortly afterwards, Ubay and other idolaters went back to Mecca, where Ubay died of wounds. How miserable such person, who desired to kill Allah’s Messenger, is! Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), told Ubay,

“I shall kill you if Allah so wills.”

 And in the end, Ubay said, “If Muhammad had only spitted on me, he would have killed me!”
 Dear brother! Today, we spoke about the Prophet’s courage and generosity; and we reiterated that a true believer should follow the Prophet’s good example and be courageous and generous. A true believer is generous simply because he firmly believes that Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious, will certainly recompense him generously for every penny that he spends for the Cause of Allah; and he is courageous simply because he firmly believes that all matters are in Allah’s Hand and under His Divine Control, and that Allah, All Mighty, is with true believers and defends them. Such great confidence and trust that a true believer puts in his Lord is the most valuable part of his Faith: Trust in Allah, All Mighty. That is why Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), says,

“Trust (in Allah) is a (real) treasure.”

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