Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
The Generosity of Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha)
Once, Hazrat Muhammed bin Munkadir (rahimahullah) came to Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) and told her that he was in dire need and required some money. Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) said to him, “At this time, I do not have any money in my possession, but really, if I had 10 000 (dirhams or dinaars) with me, I would have definitely given you the entire amount. However, unfortunately, I do not have anything with me at this time.” Hearing this, Hazrat Muhammed bin Munkadir (rahimahullah) left.
Shortly thereafter, a gift of 10 000 (dirhams or dinaars) was sent for Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) from Khaalid bin Asad. When she received this gift, she remarked, “I have been put to test for what I just said to Ibnul Munkadir!” Saying this, she immediately sent for him and gave him the entire amount as a gift.
From this amount, Hazrat Muhammed bin Munkadir (rahimahullah) spent 1000 (dirhams or dinaars) to purchase a slave-girl from whom he had three sons viz. Muhammed, Abu Bakr and Umar. All three of them were regarded among the great Aabids (the great worshippers) of Madinah Munawwarah.
(After mentioning this incident, the author, Hazrat Shaikh-ul-Hadith, Moulana Muhammed Zakariyya [rahimahullah] writes:)
Will Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) not receive a share in the rewards of the ibaadaat these three Aabids carried out throughout their lives, as she was the means of them being born to their parents?
The incidents of the great generosity of Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), as well as her noble father, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), are so many that they cannot be counted.
I have already recorded one such incident in my kitaab, Stories of the Sahaabah, where Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) once distributed two bags of dirhams among the poor and needy, forgetting that she was fasting, due to which she did not even keep back a single dirham for herself to buy some meat for her iftaar. These two bags contained more than 100 000 dirhams.
In another similar incident, it is reported that Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) once distributed 180 000 dirhams among the poor.
Hazrat Tameem bin Urwah (rahimahullah) reports that he once saw Hazrat Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) – who was his father’s aunt – distributing 70 000 dirhams to the poor, while she herself was wearing clothing which had patches on it.
(Fazaa’il-e-Sadaqaat [Urdu] pg. 704-705)
