When people give to others and engage in charitable works, do they do so purely to benefit others, or do they have a hidden agenda? Do they feel obligated to give? Do they want to be seen as good Christians or good Muslims? To be seen as righteous? So other people can see how wonderful they are? Are they afraid of the consequences of not giving, such as being beaten up or punishment in the form of hell?
We have to search our hearts and be completely honest with ourselves. When we give to others, do we do so because we genuinely want to benefit them or are we selfishly seeking to benefit ourselves in some way?
In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves. When we give, we should do so with joy and happiness - other people's happiness should make us happy.
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References:
- Five Pillars of Islam. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Oct 9, 2014.
