Muhammad Alshareef narrates an interesting account of charity Sheikh Sa’eed Bin Musfir witnessed in Makkah

I was walking out of the Haram (the Kaaba in Makkah) when I saw a man begging everyone that passed by him.

Just then a man who had parked his tinted Mercedes excessively close to the Haram in a designated VIP parking walked passed the beggar on his way to his car. As he pulled the keys out and the alarm did the “whup whup”, the beggar raised his finger to the sky and said, “Please, for the sake of Allah!”

Trying to end the moment and avoid a dip into the pocket, the Mercedes man said back, “Allah will provide!” The beggar said back, “What! Did you at any moment think that I thought you were my provider?! I’m not asking for your provision, I know Allah will provide for me.” The two stood there staring at one another for a moment and then the Mercedes-tinted windows came up and the man drove away.

A needy African sister who was sitting nearby on the street selling textiles was moved by the incident. She did not have much, but from what she did have, she pulled out one riyal and placed it in the hands of that beggar. He smiled and went on his way. Meanwhile, the Mercedes man could not drive on with the choke of guilt. He turned the car around and made his way through the crowd to the place where the incident had happened.

I saw with my own eyes as he pulled out a 10 riyal bill from his briefcase to give to the beggar. But he looked left and right and could not find him.

What was he to do? He had already pulled out the bill to give for the sake of Allah and was not going to put it back. So he found the nearest person he thought was worthy of the bill, placed it in her lap, and went on his way.

The 10 riyals sat in the lap of the sister who had given the beggar one riyal! Abu Hurairah reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said that Allah’s injunction is: “O my servants! Spend and you will be given.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Abdullah Bin Abbas reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Charity does not diminish wealth.” (Al-Tabarani)