Summary

The following points below are summary from this week's Friday Sermon:

• After reciting Tashahhud, Ta‘awwuz and Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) recited the following verses of the Holy Qur’an: 
• His Holiness (aba) said that he would speak about the Holy Prophet’s (sa) generosity. Narrations show how the Holy Prophet (sa) constantly drew the attention of believers towards being generous and how he established his own example in this regard, in fulfilment of the teachings of God Almighty as imparted in the Holy Qur’an. Indeed, every aspect of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) life was an embodiment of the moral teachings found in the Holy Qur’an. It was thus that his wife, Hazrat A’ishah (ra) said of the Holy Prophet (sa), ‘His morals were the Holy Qur’an.’
• His Holiness (aba) said that the Holy Prophet (sa) advised believers never to keep their money pouch closed; rather, they should keep it open, otherwise wealth would be withheld from them. In other words, one should spend and help others. Similarly, the Holy Prophet (sa) advised against counting every penny when giving in charity; otherwise, God would also be mindful of every penny when bestowing wealth upon them. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that once the Holy Prophet (sa) said that a person who is generous is close to Allah, close to heaven, close to people and distant from the fire. A person who is miserly is distant from Allah, distant from heaven, distant from the people and near the fire. An ignorant person who gives charity is dearer to Allah than a miserly person who worships. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that the best wealth one has is that which is spent and given as charity to others, as that is the wealth which will be multiplied in the hereafter. The Holy Prophet (sa) said that it is permissible to envy only two types of people: those who are granted wealth by God and are given the ability to spend it in charity openly, and those who are given wisdom and use that wisdom to make decisions and direct their actions. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that the Holy Prophet (sa) advised that one should certainly use their wealth to fulfil their needs and that which is in excess in charity. Similarly, the wealth one has for themselves is not the best wealth they own; rather, the wealth that they send forward for others is even better. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that once, the Holy Prophet (sa) saw a heap of dates before Bilal (ra) and asked him whether he did not fear that the heat of the hellfire would come and envelop this wealth? The Holy Prophet (sa) then advised him to continue spending his wealth and never to fear poverty or hunger, for God is present to provide. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that the Holy Prophet (sa) described that a believer can never have two qualities: miserliness and immorality. The Holy Prophet (sa) said that faith and miserliness cannot coexist within a person. Thus, these are the standards that one must analyse themselves against if they wish to become a true believer. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that the Holy Prophet (sa) once stated that every morning, two angels descend; one prays to Allah to grant a reward to those who spend in charity, while the other angel prays that the wealth of a miserly person be ruined. Thus, the wealth of those who spend in charity remains unblessed in this world, and that world brings them no benefit in the hereafter. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that once Hazrat Umm Salamah (ra) observed that the colour of the Holy Prophet’s (sa) face had changed and she figured that it was because he was feeling unwell. She asked the Holy Prophet (sa) whether he was feeling unwell, and he responded by saying that he was not unwell; rather, he was bothered by the fact that he had come into the possession of seven dinars and a night had passed yet he had not yet spent that wealth in charity as he had forgotten about it. 
• His Holiness (aba) said that once, the Holy Prophet (sa) received wealth from Bahrain, which was the most wealth he ever received. The Holy Prophet (sa) then distributed this wealth to whomever he saw. Hazrat Abbas (ra) approached the Holy Prophet (sa) and asked him for some wealth as well, and the Holy Prophet (sa) granted permission. Hazrat Abbas (ra) started loading heaps of gold into his clothes, but was unable to carry it. So he asked the Holy Prophet (sa) to get someone to help him carry the wealth. The Holy Prophet (sa) said that this would not be possible.
• His Holiness (aba) said that once the Holy Prophet (sa) bought a shirt for four dirhams. The Holy Prophet (sa) wore the shirt and a companion asked him to grant it to him, and so the Holy Prophet (sa) did. Then, the Holy Prophet (sa) went back to the shop and bought another shirt for four dirhams. At this point, the Holy Prophet (sa) only had two dirhams remaining. As the Holy Prophet (sa) returned, he saw a female slave crying because she had been given two dirhams to buy flour for the home, but she lost the money. The Holy Prophet (sa) gave the remaining two dirhams he had to the woman.
• His Holiness (aba) said that once someone approached the Holy Prophet (sa) to send help to a group of Muslims who were experiencing strained circumstances due to a drought. Hazrat Ali (ra) was with the Holy Prophet (s) at the time and replied that there was nothing to send at the moment. A nearby Jewish man heard this, approached the Holy Prophet (sa) and asked whether a transaction could be made for him to buy some dates from the Holy Prophet (sa) at a later date.
• His Holiness (aba) said that once, after completing the prayer, the Holy Prophet (sa) rushed to one of his wives’ homes. The people became worried, and when the Holy Prophet (sa) emerged from the home and saw the worry on people’s faces, he explained that he had come into the possession of some gold, and he did not wish for it to become a distraction for him in prayer, so he instructed for that wealth to be distributed as charity۔