Spending in the way of Allah

In the commentary of the verse:

وَاَنْفِقُوْا فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰہِ وَلَا تُلْقُوْا بِاَیْدِیْکُمْ اِلَى التَّہْلُکَۃِ وَاَحْسِنُوْا اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) has stated: “People have erred greatly in their understanding of the verse:

وَاَنْفِقُوْا فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰہِ وَلَا تُلْقُوْا بِاَیْدِیْکُمْ اِلَى التَّہْلُکَۃِ وَاَحْسِنُوْا اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ

“From this, they infer that whenever they are faced with a difficulty in the way of Allah, they immediately say that this is akin to ruining oneself with one’s own hands. They claim that since Allah the Almighty Himself has stated, ‘And cast not yourselves into ruin with your own hands,’ therefore they are unable to partake in such matters. However, this verse does not mean that whenever a Muslim is faced with a trial [from Allah the Almighty] whereby his life is under threat, he ought to run away from it and show cowardice. In actuality the meaning of this verse is that when there is war against the enemy, one ought to readily spend one’s wealth in this cause. If one does not spend their wealth, it will be akin to ruining oneself with their own hands.

“A narration is found in the ahadith in which Hazrat Abu Ayub Ansari (ra) said when he had gone to conquer Constantinople, ‘This verse was revealed regarding us, the Ansar.’ He then further stated, ‘Initially we would spend our wealth in the way of God Almighty. But then when God Almighty established His religion and honoured it by granting Muslims victory, we stated:

قُلْنَا ہَلْ نُقِیْمُ فِیْ اَمْوَالِنَا وَ نُصْلِحُہَا

“That is, it would be better if we safeguard our wealth and save it. At that time, this verse was revealed that one should not hold back in spending in the way of Allah Almighty for if one does that then it will be akin to casting oneself to ruin. Therefore, you ought not to accumulate wealth, rather spend it in the way of Allah the Almighty, otherwise your lives will go in vain and the enemy will overcome you and you will be completely destroyed.”

(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 2, p. 429)