living and giving

BLOG 29/2025 DATED 12TH NOVEMBER 2025

“When God bless you financially, don’t raise your standard of living, raise your standard of giving”

-Dr Jamal M Sultan

A house, a car, kid’s education, leisure, some gold, investments and then again a house, a car etc. That is the path that almost every middle-class person follows, me included. These are plans to enhance our standard of living. Can we check for a moment our standard of giving? Last time when did we helped a person? Can we turn back and check how much have we given to society, nature or to a fellow human and how much have we taken from them? Sometimes we forget what we take from the nature and society and consider it as our achievement.

• We use natural resources free of cost viz Oxygen, space etc. Not only that we take it from the nature, we also contribute in polluting it.
• Belonging to a family where we get a decent education and resources, many are deprived.
• The opportunities that we get and others do not get. Opportunities, many times come to us and we grab. Most of the time it a zero-sum game, a gain of one is a loss of another.

If we understand the above it will never be difficult to share with others what we have today. Giving is a great balancing act of nature. If we continue to accumulate without giving, we disturb this delicate balance. It can be argued that I have earned everything out of my competency and ability, but this competency and ability is also gifted to us by nature.

There is another aspect of giving. The more we go forward to help, the more we are recognized and respected. We never know who can come to our rescue at a time when we may not have any clue. However, we can’t expect this at the time of giving.

There are many stories when people have come forward to give and they have done wonders.

• During Covid Pandemic, many people have come forward to help people get their food, reach their homes etc.
• During natural calamities many organisations and individuals come forward to help. Many persons came forward to help in Punjab floods in recent times.
• Wali Rehmani, an educationist sought for help by just Rs. 100/- and he received 7 crore in 7 days to built an educational institution for poor children.

However, these efforts are event based and there is no  system of giving on a regular basis. There must be plan to raise our standard of giving also alongwith the standard of living. Giving must be a necessary column in our monthly expenditure budget.

What to give, if I am financially burdened? This may also be a case. If finances do not allow giving wealth, there are other ways. Some are good in knowledge – teach someone, some are good in strength – help someone, some are professionally equipped – support someone. Even giving a glass of water to someone or even a hearty smile will also do, if someone is restricted in every aspect of life. Still try and try to take out and give in terms of wealth. It will give peace.

Who is it that would loan Allāh a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward?

Al Qura’n (57:11) – Translation by Saheeh International