Hadith Text & Reference

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as stating that God most high had said, "If you spend, son of Adam, I shall spend on you." (Bukhari and Muslim.) Mishkat al-Masabih 1862.

Divine Promise & Human Action

This sacred tradition (Hadith Qudsi) establishes a fundamental principle of divine economy. The phrase "son of Adam" addresses all humanity, emphasizing this universal promise applies to every believer who engages in righteous spending.

"If you spend" encompasses all forms of legitimate expenditure: obligatory Zakat, voluntary charity (Sadaqah), spending on family, supporting knowledge seekers, and any expenditure in God's path. The condition precedes the promise, making human initiative the key to divine reciprocation.

Divine Reciprocation Explained

"I shall spend on you" signifies God's boundless recompense. While human spending is limited and finite, divine spending is limitless and eternal. The Almighty's expenditure manifests as increased provision, barakah (blessing) in wealth, protection from calamities, and ultimately, reward in the hereafter.

Scholars note the divine response exceeds the human action in measure, quality, and permanence. A dirham spent in charity may bring multiplied sustenance, spiritual illumination, or divine pleasure that transcends material calculation.

Spiritual Implications

This tradition cultivates complete trust (tawakkul) in God's provision. It liberates the believer from financial anxiety, knowing that expenditure in righteous causes attracts divine abundance rather than diminishing wealth.

The phrasing reflects God's majestic generosity - the Creator of all wealth promises to become the guarantor for those who spend according to His commandments. This transforms charity from mere obligation to privileged investment with the Lord of the Worlds.

Practical Application in Zakat

Within the context of Zakat, this hadith provides profound motivation. The Muslim gives Zakat not as loss but as divinely-guided investment. The obligatory nature of Zakat trains the soul to trust this divine promise even when worldly logic suggests conservation.

True poverty lies not in giving Zakat but in withholding it, for one distances themselves from God's guaranteed expenditure. The wise believer understands that whatever leaves their hand for God's sake returns to their account in divine records.