or farming. And those, who hoard, have been reprehended by God:
They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the
way of Allah, unto them give tidings (O Muhammad) of a
painful doom. 18
"The way of God" is that such people have been created for the benefit
of their fellow-creatures so that they might be able, for fulfilling their
needs, pass the wealth from one hand to the other, but once the wealth
has been hoarded, men will not be able to derive any benefit from it.
And this will be contrary to the Command of God. They (the metals)
will, therefore, return to the state which existed when they lay buried in
the earth. It is like the return of a child to the womb of the mother.
Gold and silver, once they have been mined, are like a harvested field or
the sacrificed cattle, as if they have no other purpose to serve but to be
consumed. The same is the case with the mined metals. They have to be
cast into dirhams and dinars and passed from hand to hand in trade and
commerce and discharge of obligations.
Pause
The qualities of manliness and chivalry (mum'at) are concerned with
one's own circumstances and family, but not so generosity (futuwwat).
The latter characteristic is not of an esoteric nature. For man can claim
possession of his own self and wealth, and, when he takes charge of the
responsibilities of the others, suffers ordeals so that they may be comfortable, and does not act in a niggardly manner with respect to the
wealth that is permitted to him and interdicted in the case of others, he
is generous, and he gains repute for his puissance, compassion, humility,
seriousness, patience, hospitality and courtesy. He ascends towards high
stations, even though he may not have the ability to rise up to such
stations; but he does deserve them.
Jahzat al-Baramaki relates the incident of a man of Basrah who wore
exquisitely turned out clothes, rode upon his best steed, and fulfilled
the wants of the people. When asked why he was doing this, he replied
he had quaffed the best of wines, and these too to the accompaniment of
music by beautiful singers and at blissful moments when nightingales
were pouring out their golden notes perched upon trees; but he never
experienced the pleasure comparable to that which he derived by sitting
among people and listening to the words of gratitude which poured out
from lips of the individuals towards whom he had acted graciously and
kindly.
Futuwwat has, therefore, been defined as the sweetness of temper
that is universally applauded, wealth lavished upon others, rectitude in
the lawful cause, and desisting from causing harm or injury.
When a rather well-connected person offered a petition in the court
