Allāh’s pleasure only — we desire from you neither reward nor thanks” (76:8, 9). And in a later revelation: “ … Righteous is the one who believes in Allāh, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Book and the prophets, and gives away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask and to set slaves free … ” (2:177). Charity proceeding from such a pure motive brought about increase of wealth: “ … And whatever you give in charity, desiring Allāh’s pleasure — these will get manifold” (30:39). The increase which charity brought in its wake is likened to the seed which multiplies a large number of times: “The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allāh is as the parable of a grain growing seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. And Allāh multiplies (further) for whom He pleases …” (2:261).
The exercise of charity must be free from show and from all sordid motives such as any personal gain or even placing the recipient of charity under an obligation: “Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allāh then follow not up what they have spent with reproach or injury, their reward is with their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. A kind word with forgiveness is better than charity followed by injury. And Allāh is Self-Sufficient, Forbearing. O you who believe, make not your charity worthless by reproach and injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men and believes not in Allāh and the Last Day …” (2:262-264).
Charity must be given out of good things, out of things which a man loves for himself: “O you who believe, spend of the good things that you earn and of that which We bring forth for you out of the earth, and aim not at the bad to spend thereof, while you would not take it yourselves …” (2:267). And elsewhere it is stated “you cannot attain righteousness unless you spend out of what you love” (3:92). Charity may be exercised openly, as for some national good, or secretly, as for helping the poor: “If you manifest1 charity, how excellent it is! And if you hide it and give it to the poor, it is good for you …” (2:271). The charity of a Muslim is not limited to his co-religionist (2:272). Charity must be exercised specially towards those who abstain from begging (2:273). Above all, Islām wishes its followers to acquire a new mentality altogether about possession of wealth, by doing away with
1 Exercising charity openly is quite different from exercising it “to be seen of men” (2:264). It means spending money for works of public utility and advancement of national welfare and for organized efforts for dealing with the poor, without which national growth is impossible.