The importance and excellence of sacrifice
Today the environment of the world is dominated by materialism. Self-interest has also changed the definition of good and evil. Selfishness has trumped the value of humanity. The desire to raise the standard of living has kept people trapped in the net of corruption. A human being created from the yeast of love has become a beast. He is determined to quench his thirst with each other’s blood. The rich have started trading in the blood and sweat of the poor, the helpless, and the helpless and builds the magnificent edifice of his life out of it.
Selfishness has created a state of restlessness and anxiety in all of humanity. The situation of this dangerous disease is that it burns but does not worry about its treatment. Still, there is a sure cure for this disease which changed such a chaotic environment into a pleasant atmosphere 14 and a half hundred years ago. That is Islam! Depicting this atmosphere, the poet says:
Be it good nature of love, loyalty, love, everything is here in a hundred different ways
Giving priority to the needs of others over one’s own needs and wanting to gain the love, knowledge, pleasure, and pleasure of Allah Ta’ala is called Isaar.
Types of Sacrifice
- Prioritizing faith over disbelief and hypocrisy.
- Preferring goodness over sins.
- Prioritizing the needs of others over your own.
True virtue is self-sacrifice:
The real goodness is that a person puts all his needs aside and takes care of the needs of his needy. As the Lord Almighty said:
لَن تَنَالُوا۟ ٱلْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنفِقُوا۟ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا۟ مِن شَىْءٍۢ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌۭ
You shall never attain righteousness unless you spend from what you love. Whatsoever you spend, Allah is fully aware of it. (3:92)
لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ
Righteousness is not (merely) that you turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteousness is that one believes in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets, and gives wealth, despite (his) love for it, to relatives, and to orphans, the helpless,the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and (spends) in (freeing) slaves and observes the Salāh (prayers) and pays Zakah-and (the act of) those who fulfill their covenant when they enter into a covenant, and, of course, those who are patient in hardship and suffering and when in battle! Those are the ones who are truthful, and those are the God – fearing. (2:177)
Motivation of selfless spirit Mustafavi
وَعَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: طَعَامُ الِاثْنَيْنِ كَافِي الثلاثةِ وطعامِ الثلاثةِ كَافِي الْأَرْبَعَة
He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Two people’s food is enough for three and three people’s is enough for four.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «طَعَامُ الْوَاحِدِ يَكْفِي الِاثْنَيْنِ وَطَعَامُ الِاثْنَيْنِ يَكْفِي الْأَرْبَعَةَ وَطَعَامُ الْأَرْبَعَةِ يَكْفِي الثمانيَة» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Jabir told of hearing God’s messenger say, “One person’s food is enough for two, two persons’ food is enough for four, and four persons’ food is enough for eight.” (Mishkat al-Masabih)
In these traditions, Rasulullah (ﷺ) has encouraged his companions to sacrifice that two meals are enough for four and four meals are enough for eight people. This means that at the time of need, we should also develop such a spirit in ourselves that if someone is in need, we should share what we have with each other considering his need.
Self-sacrificing charity is the best charity
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَارَةُ بْنُ الْقَعْقَاعِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو زُرْعَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا قَالَ “ أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ، تَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ وَتَأْمُلُ الْغِنَى، وَلاَ تُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ قُلْتَ لِفُلاَنٍ كَذَا، وَلِفُلاَنٍ كَذَا، وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلاَنٍ ”.
Narrated Abu Huraira: A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Which charity is the most superior in reward?” He replied, “The charity which you practice while you are healthy, niggardly and afraid of poverty and wish to become wealthy. Do not delay it to the time of approaching death and then say, ‘Give so much to such and such, and so much to such and such.’ And it has already belonged to such and such (as it is too late).” (Al-Bukhari)
In this blessed hadith, it is clearly stated that the best charity is when a person is healthy at the time of giving it, there is fear of poverty after giving charity, and at the same time, there is a desire to become rich. In such circumstances, thinking of the needy and spending on them is the most worthwhile charity.
Sacrifice is the source of success in this world and the hereafter
Allah says:
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلْإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةًۭ مِّمَّآ أُوتُوا۟ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌۭ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ
And (fai’ is also) for those who established themselves in the homeland (of Madīnah) and in faith before the former ones (arrived in Madīnah), who have love for those who emigrated to them, and do not feel in their hearts any ambition for what is given to the former ones (from fai’), and give preference (to them) over themselves, even though they are in poverty. -And those who are saved from the greed of their hearts are the successful.- (59:9)
In this blessed verse, Allah Subhanahoo Wata’ala said that these are successful people after mentioning those who help their needy brothers compared to their own needs.
Devoted to the spirit of self-sacrifice, the favorite people of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّ الأَشْعَرِيِّينَ إِذَا أَرْمَلُوا فِي الْغَزْوِ، أَوْ قَلَّ طَعَامُ عِيَالِهِمْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ جَمَعُوا مَا كَانَ عِنْدَهُمْ فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ، ثُمَّ اقْتَسَمُوهُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي إِنَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ بِالسَّوِيَّةِ، فَهُمْ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْهُمْ ”.
Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When the people of Ash`ari tribe ran short of food during the holy battles, or the food of their families in Medina ran short, they would collect all their remaining food in one sheet and then distribute it among themselves equally by measuring it with a bowl. So, these people are from me, and I am from them.” (al-Bukhari)
Incidents related to sacrifice
The sacrifice of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ)
One of the highest types of self-sacrifice is that a person prioritizes the common people’s needs over the legitimate needs of his family and close relatives.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ أَتَتْ فَاطِمَةُ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ تَسْأَلُهُ خَادِمًا فَقَالَ لَهَا ” مَا عِنْدِي مَا أُعْطِيكِ ” . فَرَجَعَتْ فَأَتَاهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ” الَّذِي سَأَلْتِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكِ أَوْ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ ” . فَقَالَ لَهَا عَلِيٌّ قُولِي لاَ بَلْ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ فَقَالَتْ فَقَالَ ” قُولِي اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنْجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْتَ الأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَىْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَىْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَىْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَىْءٌ اقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ ” .
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “Fatimah came to the Prophet (saas) to ask him for a servant, and he said: ‘I do not have anything to give you.’ So she went back, but after that he came to her and said: ‘Is what you asked for dearer to you, or something better than that?’ ‘Ali said to her: ‘Say: something better than that.’ So she said it. He said: ‘Say: Allahumma Rabbas-samawatis-Sab’i wa Rabbal-‘Arshil-‘Azim, Rabbana wa Rabba Kulli shay’in, munzil at-Tawrati wal-Injili wal-Qur’anil-‘Azim. Antal-Awwalu fa laysa qablaka shay’, wa Antal-Akiru fa laysa ba’daka shay’, Antaz-Zahiru fa laysa fawqaka shay’, wa Antal-Batinu fa laysa dunaka shay’, Iqdi ‘annad-daina wa aghnina minal-faqr (O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Mighty Throne, Our Lord, and the Lord of Everything, Revealer of the Tawrah, the Injil and the Magnificent Qur’an. You are the First and there is nothing after You; You are the Last and there is nothing after You. You are the Most High, and there is nothing above You, and You are the Most Near and there is nothing nearer than You. Settle our debts and make us free of want).'” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
Another hadith has these words
حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ، أَتَتْ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْتَخْدِمُهُ فَقَالَ أَلَا أَدُلُّكِ عَلَى مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ تُسَبِّحِينَ ثَلَاثًا وَثَلَاثِينَ وَتُكَبِّرِينَ ثَلَاثًا وَثَلَاثِينَ وَتَحْمَدِينَ ثَلَاثًا وَثَلَاثِينَ أَحَدُهَا أَرْبَعًا وَثَلَاثِينَ.
It was narrated from `Ali (رضي الله عنه) that Fatimah came to the Prophet (ﷺ) to ask him for a servant. He said: “Shall I not tell you of something that is better for you than that? Say Subhanallah thirty-three times, Allahu Akbar thirty-three times and Alhamdulillah thirty-three times; one of them thirty-four times. ` (Musnad Ahmad)
Wow! What a beautiful way of education, Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam; you are giving slaves to the rest of the Companions, but when it comes to the turn of your children and the most beloved of your children, you teach her such a religion instead of using external means. They give education with which they agree.
In the same way, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to feed the people of Safa first and then drink it himself.
The sacrifice of Sayyid Na Abu Talha (رضي الله عنه)
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبَعَثَ إِلَى نِسَائِهِ فَقُلْنَ مَا مَعَنَا إِلاَّ الْمَاءُ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” مَنْ يَضُمُّ، أَوْ يُضِيفُ هَذَا ”. فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَنَا. فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِ إِلَى امْرَأَتِهِ، فَقَالَ أَكْرِمِي ضَيْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ مَا عِنْدَنَا إِلاَّ قُوتُ صِبْيَانِي. فَقَالَ هَيِّئِي طَعَامَكِ، وَأَصْبِحِي سِرَاجَكِ، وَنَوِّمِي صِبْيَانَكِ إِذَا أَرَادُوا عَشَاءً. فَهَيَّأَتْ طَعَامَهَا وَأَصْبَحَتْ سِرَاجَهَا، وَنَوَّمَتْ صِبْيَانَهَا، ثُمَّ قَامَتْ كَأَنَّهَا تُصْلِحُ سِرَاجَهَا فَأَطْفَأَتْهُ، فَجَعَلاَ يُرِيَانِهِ أَنَّهُمَا يَأْكُلاَنِ، فَبَاتَا طَاوِيَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ، غَدَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ” ضَحِكَ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَةَ ـ أَوْ عَجِبَ ـ مِنْ فَعَالِكُمَا ” فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ وَمَنْ يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ}
Narrated Abu Huraira: A man came to the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing except water. Then Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Who will take this (person) or entertain him as a guest?” An Ansar man said, “I.” So he took him to his wife and said to her, “Entertain generously the guest of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) ” She said, “We have got nothing except the meals of my children.” He said, “Prepare your meal, light your lamp and let your children sleep if they ask for supper.” So she prepared her meal, lighted her lamp and made her children sleep, and then stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it off. Then both of them pretended to be eating, but they really went to bed hungry. In the morning the Ansari went to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) who said, “Tonight Allah laughed or wondered at your action.” Then Allah revealed: “But give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that And whosoever is saved from the covetousness Such are they who will be successful.” (59:9) (al-Bukhari)
حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ حَزْمٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ دَخَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مَعَهَا ابْنَتَانِ لَهَا تَسْأَلُ، فَلَمْ تَجِدْ عِنْدِي شَيْئًا غَيْرَ تَمْرَةٍ فَأَعْطَيْتُهَا إِيَّاهَا، فَقَسَمَتْهَا بَيْنَ ابْنَتَيْهَا وَلَمْ تَأْكُلْ مِنْهَا، ثُمَّ قَامَتْ فَخَرَجَتْ، فَدَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَيْنَا، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ “ مَنِ ابْتُلِيَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْبَنَاتِ بِشَىْءٍ كُنَّ لَهُ سِتْرًا مِنَ النَّارِ ”.
Narrated Aisha: A lady along with her two daughters came to me asking (for some alms), but she found nothing with me except one date which I gave to her and she divided it between her two daughters, and did not eat anything herself, and then she got up and went away. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) came in and I informed him about this story. He said, “Whoever is put to trial by these daughters and he treats them generously (with benevolence) then these daughters will act as a shield for him from Hell-Fire.” (al-Bukhari)
A herd of goats wandered up to seven houses
Sayyiduna Anas Radiyallahu Anhu narrates
هْدِي لِرَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأْسُ شَاةٍ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ أبى فلانا وعياله أحوج إلى هَذَا مِنَّا قَالَ: فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَزِل يَبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِ وَاحِدًا إلى آخرَ حَتَّى تَدَاوَلَهَا سَبْعَةُ أَبْيَاتٍ حَتَّى رَجَعَتْ إِلَى الْأَوَّل
One of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to a man as a gift of a goat’s head. He thought my so-and-so (religious) brother was married and needed this head more than me. He sent it to another needy companion, and he to another needy one, so she went around the seven households and then reached the first companion. (Al-Mustadrik lil-Hakim)
The spirit of self-sacrifice of the Companions
It is narrated from Abul-Jahm Bin Huzaifa (رضي الله عنه) that: Jang went out in search of his cousin on the day of Yarmouk. A water bottle and a drinking vessel were with me. I thought in my heart that they must be breathing by now, so let me give them water. When I approached him, he was sobbing in the struggle of life and death. I said: Will you drink water? He indicated that yes! In the meantime, I heard the screams of the other injured person, so I was directed to go to him and give him water first. I went to him. He was the brother of Hisham bin As bin Amr. I asked him to drink water while a third person was moaning. He also signaled me to go and drink water for him first. When I reached him, he was dead. I turned back to Hisham, but he, too, had passed away. Then Pachazad rushed towards his brother, even if he too had said yes to death.
Opportunities for self-sacrifice
Many times, in the day and night, we get such moments in which we can easily follow this Islamic order, but due to slight negligence and carelessness, we do not benefit from these moments. Keeping this in mind, if you look at the days and nights of your life, you will find twenty such opportunities. A few are available.
- Seeing a poor neighbor in trouble, he should be helped.
- Even if a student does not have money for fees or books, helping him gives him invaluable pleasure.
- Giving way to a vulnerable person while queuing to pay bills can be helped by seeing him in trouble.
- If people gather at a place, a drinking water cooler or a machine can be installed there.
- When taking a salaf from a shop etc., seeing that someone nearby is running out of money to buy something, the Lord is pleased to help him.
- Helping someone in need while attending a function etc., is also comforting.
- During the journey, space should be left for the weak in the bus/wagon train, etc.; if anyone is indigent, he should be helped.
- It is also an important lesson of Islam to provide financial support to a patient who is deprived of medicine or his caregivers while taking a prescription or medicine in the hospital.
Therefore, on every occasion in your daily life, where you and another Muslim brother are equally involved, then giving priority to your brother, and taking care of his need, will create love in the hearts.
