Question:
In America, the mosques ask people to donate all their remaining money beyond basic living expenses. They say that Allah will reward you and therefore encourage people to donate everything.
So, the question raised is: Should we give away all our money as charity without saving anything for our children, or without keeping anything in case we face problems such as health issues or job loss?
Answer:
The situation looks like:
Running a mosque in America is very difficult financially. Because of that, the mosque administration tells people something like this: “After you cover your food and basic expenses, give the rest of your money to the mosque.”
For example, suppose someone earns 50,000. If his expenses are 10,000, they say: “Give the remaining 40,000 to the mosque. Do not keep savings.” So, they are asking people to donate all surplus income, saying that Allah will reward them.
He asks whether this approach is correct.
The answer is no, it is not correct.
Why is it not correct?
Because the Prophet ﷺ said that the best charity is the charity that is given after fulfilling one’s own needs.
A hadith in Sahih Bukhari (1426) states that the best charity is that which is given from what remains after your own needs are met. That means a person should first take care of his necessary needs, and only then spend from what remains. It does not mean that one must give everything away.
Another hadith in Bukhari (1295) gives a clear example.
A man named Sa‘d became ill. He had no male children, only daughters. He thought that after his death his wealth might not remain in the family, so he said he wanted to donate all his wealth as charity.
The Prophet ﷺ told him: “No, do not do that.”
Then he asked: “Can I give half of it as charity?”
The Prophet ﷺ said: “No, that is too much.”
Then he asked: “Can I give one-third?”
The Prophet ﷺ said: “One-third — and even that is a lot.”
In other words, if someone had 300,000, he could give 100,000 as charity and leave 200,000 behind.
Why?
The Prophet ﷺ explained the reason: It is better for you to leave your heirs wealthy than to leave them poor and begging from others. So, instead of giving away everything and leaving your children in poverty, it is better to leave them with financial stability.
If the Prophet ﷺ himself advised people not to give away all their wealth, then how can anyone demand that people give everything to the mosque?
That argument is not acceptable.
If the mosque receives more than it needs, it should distribute the extra to the people, rather than demanding that individuals give all their earnings.
Furthermore, there is another example.
Allah revealed a verse saying: “You will not attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love.” (Qur’an 3:92)
When this verse was revealed, a companion named Abu Talha came to the Prophet ﷺ.
He said: “O Messenger of Allah, Allah says we must spend from what we love most. The thing I love most is my garden called Bayruha. I give it for the sake of Allah.”
He offered the garden to the Prophet ﷺ. But the Prophet ﷺ did not simply accept it.
Instead, he said: “That is a profitable property. Rather than giving it to me, distribute it among your relatives.”
So, Abu Talha divided that property among his relatives — uncles, cousins, and family members.
This shows that the Prophet ﷺ encouraged charity within the family first, not giving everything away to institutions.
Therefore, according to Islamic principles, a person does not need to give away all his wealth.
Those who say that people must donate everything are incorrect.
This must be clearly understood.