How to Purify Your Wealth

A person should give his wealth to others without any hope of return. The giving of wealth at the same time becomes good for the taker as well as for the giver.

The Quran thus defines one aspect of the true worshipper of God: “One who gives his wealth to become purified, and owes no favour to anyone, which is to be repaid, acting only for the sake of his Lord the Most High—and before long he will be well satisfied.” (92:18-21)

Islam is emphatic that a person should not reserve all his earnings for himself. He must give some of them to others. Spending all one’s money on oneself and not giving any away for the cause of God or meeting others’ needs is discouraged in Islam.

If anyone gives from his wealth to someone who formerly had helped him, this is indeed a good deed, but such gifts do not fulfil the demands of Islamic teachings. This does not serve the purpose for which Islam wants you to spend money on others. When someone gives a share of his wealth to others, this is apparently to meet others’ needs. But according to Islam the true purpose is to reform the giver. In this way the giver purifies his heart and his soul.

Certain moral evils are linked with wealth, for instance, stinginess, greed, a feeling of superiority, and so on. But when it is at God’s behest that the wealthy person gives to others, then he removes these evils from within him. To reserve money for himself is to nourish these evils, whereas to give to others from his money is like cleansing himself of these evils.

When a person gives his wealth to others without any hope of return, that suppresses his feelings of stringiness. His love of wealth is diminished. He learns the lesson that wealth is for need, not for the owner’s glory. The giving of wealth should at the same time be good for the taker as well as for the giver.