Give More, Get Even More
Nama surah dan no ayat : 57) Al-Hadiid 29 ayat 7
Artikel ini ditulis oleh Atty
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This piece is for myself…
As my life revolves very limited to my family, I have been keeping to myself a lot that sometimes I have became quite ignorant and distant from the outside world.
I am losing interest in many things I used to love in the past: sports, travelling, classes, lectures, volunteerism, and even friendships. The detachment might be partly because I can no longer afford to do so due to monetary and time constraints. These have became my easy excuses for conveniently staying close and comfy inside my home.
Little that I know, I have slowly became ignorant and desensitized of others’ struggles. Helping others is becoming harder each day, giving away feels very tough without rationalizing the pros and cons before hand. Each time a beggar approached me, I quickly told myself a thousand of possibilities that that person might be lying or a part of a syndicate or just faking his or her appearance, for sympathy. For making up for the guilt I felt inside, I told myself that I was doing the right thing by not supporting beggars and I would donate to the mosques or any charity organizations later. Am I being too cautious or I was just simply becoming a selfish person? Am I using the precautions as excuses, again? I don’t know.
As I came across this verse from the Quran, AlHaadid verse 7, I know that I have been missing out a lot.
Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward. [57:7]
It is certainly not only about giving money in charity, but also about sharing my time, energy, and knowledge, however little of them that I have.
I only care about my family and children, and even that is still lacking because I rarely make effort to make things better such as better living conditions, environment, food, and knowledge. How about sharing my knowledge or skills with others? How about my time? I realize I have spent less and less time in reaching out and connecting with others, less trips to my parents and siblings, less phone calls and messages, and so on.
As I gave less, I received less. Some days I could be so miserable and depressed. I felt very lonely regardless of the presence of others. I might not be happy because I didn’t make others happy, I didn’t feel enough because I didn’t give to others, I was lonely because I didn’t spend time for others, I hated myself because I didn’t love enough.
Maybe it is time to start giving and spending whatever Allah has bestowed upon me as it is better late than never.