Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Once, Hazrat Laith bin Sa’d (rahimahullah) came to know that the Khalifah, Haroon Rasheed (rahimahullah), had sent a gift of five hundred dinaars (gold pieces) to Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah). At this, Hazrat Laith bin Sa’d (rahimahullah) sent one thousand dinaars as a gift to Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah).
When the Khalifah came to know of this, he showed resentment and said to Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah), “You are one of my subjects, yet you wish to outdo me in generosity (as though you mean to embarrass me).”
Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) said, “O Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen! This is not the case! Rather, the fact is that currently, my daily income amounts to one thousand dinaars, and I felt ashamed to give less than one day’s income to a great Aalim like Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah).”
Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) used to send one hundred dinaars every year as a gift to Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah). Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) also received gifts from other people, but (he spent so generously in assisting people that) at times, he remained in debt.
Hazrat Laith bin Sa’d (rahimahullah) was one of the well-known Muhadditheen (scholars of Hadith) and great Ulamaa of Deen whose daily income at that time amounted to one thousand dinaars. However, zakaat never became due upon him throughout his life. The annual income of Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) varied from time to time, as it is usual for the income to vary, but zakaat never became due upon him during any period of his life, for zakaat becomes due upon a person when a specified amount of wealth (i.e. 200 dirhams) remains in one’s possession for a whole year.
Muhammad bin Rumah (rahimahullah) says, “The annual income of Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) amounted to eighty thousand dinaars, and still not a dirham of zakaat became due upon him.”
Shuaib (rahimahullah), the son of Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah), says that his father’s annual income was estimated between twenty to twenty-five thousand dinaars, yet he often remained in debt. Initially, his income may have been twenty to twenty-five thousand dinaars a year, (but being accustomed to spending generously and assisting people), he often went into debt.
Despite this, he would spend everything in the path of Allah Ta‘ala. Spending freely to please Allah Ta‘ala must cause a person’s income to grow, hence his income may have eventually increased up to one thousand dinaars daily.
Once, a woman came to Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) with a small cup and said, “I need a little honey. If you have honey, could you please give me a little?” Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) immediately gave her an entire leather bag filled with honey.
When someone said that the lady had asked for only a small amount, Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) replied, “She asked in accordance to her need, but I felt it appropriate to give he in accordance to how much Allah Ta‘ala has favoured me and blessed me.”
Once, some people bought the fruit of an orchard owned by Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah). Thereafter, they suffered a loss in the sale (i.e. they could not sell the fruit at a profit).
On coming to know of this, Hazrat Laith (rahimahullah) immediately cancelled the sale and returned the money (cost price) to the purchasers. He also gave them an additional fifty dinaars as a gift from his side.
When someone asked him why he had given them more than what he had received, he replied, “They hoped to make a profit out of my garden, so my heart wished to fulfil their hope so that they are not disappointed.”
(Fazaa’il-e-Sadaqaat pg. 713-714)
