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Allah says: "And do good as Allah has done good to you." (Al Qasas 28:77). Among the various benefits of the above verse is that it best exemplifies the concept of Social Responsibility.
In Islam, social responsibility is understood as individual members of the society working together to fulfil both individual and societal needs. One of the ways of personifying Social Responsibility in one's own capacity is to acknowledge Allah's countless blessings by reflecting them through acts of goodness towards others.
The verse cited above is a part of the story of Qarun (Korah)-a man from the people of Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) who was given immense wealth but became arrogant and ungrateful. When people advised him to show gratitude and humility, this golden advice was given to him: "do good, just as Allah had done good to you".
In a world often driven by self-interest and conditional kindness, this verse acts as a beacon of guidance, not only for the Muslims, but also for the entire humanity. Though addressed to Qarun in context, this command is timeless, applying to every person who has received any blessing from Allah. This powerful verse contains a universal ethic: When Allah gives us something - wealth, knowledge, position, health, strength or opportunities- we must respond by doing good with it. While Qarun failed to live by this principle, our Prophets and the righteous companions exemplified it in their lives. They saw every blessing as a trust and an opportunity to serve the humanity.
The Prophet ﷺ was given the greatest of blessings: divine revelation, noble character, and leadership over the Ummah. His gratitude was never passive. While he was divinely guided by Allah, he ﷺ left no stone unturned to ensure his entire nation was also blessed with the same, be it in terms of calling people verbally or travelling to places in this regard or sending letters to people of authority or displaying utmost moral character.
b. His Mercy to the Poor and Weak
Jabir ibn Abdullah said : "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was never asked for anything and said: No". (Bukhari). This hadith shows that his generosity knew no limits-he gave whatever he could and never turned away a person in need, even if it meant giving from what little he had, thus showing that his generosity was deeply rooted in Allah's favours upon him.
c. His Forgiveness in Victory
At the Conquest of Makkah, when he had full power over those who had persecuted him for years, the Prophet ﷺ forgave them all, saying: "Go, for you are free." (Ibn Hisham). He reflected Allah's forgiveness in his treatment of others.
When the Prophet ﷺ called for charity during the battle of Tabuk, Abu Bakr (RA) brought all his wealth, trusting that Allah would provide for him. When asked, "What did you leave for your family?" He replied: "I left Allah and His Messenger." (Abu Dawood). What a beautiful example of social responsibility!
b. Umar bin AlKhattab (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ)- His Concern for his subjects
One night while he was on his usual inspection rounds to know the condition of his subjects, he heard children weeping out of hunger. He immediately rushed to the charity stores and filled a sack with flour, butter, dates, clothes and money until it was full, carried it on his own shoulders to that particular house and then did not leave until he saw the children eat and play. This was how he personified the above verse from Sura Al Qasas.
c. Uthman bin Affan (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ) - Using Wealth to Serve the Ummah
He financed the army of Tabuk almost single-handedly so much so that nobody spent like him in the path of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Nothing Uthman does after today will harm him." (Tirmidhi). He also used his wealth to buy a well, called Rumah, in Madinah to provide free water to the people of Madinah. It is a historical fact that this well continues to benefit the ummah to this day, demonstrating the power of ongoing strategic charity.
d. Ali bin Abi Talib (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ) - A Paragon of Modesty
Despite his noble lineage and affinity, being the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet ﷺ, he was ever modest and never allowed pride or haughtiness to creep into his heart. Once he went out of Madinah, searching for work and saw an old woman, who had piled dust and wanted to add water to it. He made a contract with her and earned sixteen dates for sixteen buckets of water and then shared the dates with our Prophet ﷺ. He not only fulfilled his own financial need but also in the process helped an elderly woman.
e. Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ) - An Epitome of Gratitude Through Generosity
When he emigrated to Madinah leaving behind all his wealth and possessions in Makkah, his reliance on Allah and business ethics earned him a fortune. In response, he manumitted thirty slaves in one day and gave two hundred ounces of gold in charity for the battle of Tabuk. To the people of Madinah, he lent money to one third of them, repaid the debts of the second third and to the last one third he gave in charity. This was how he embodied the message of the above verse.
This verse is not just advice-it is a standard of how a believer should live. The Prophets and the Sahabahs didn't just speak of gratitude; they demonstrated it through action. Let this verse remind us that every blessing we enjoy is from Allah and every blessing is a responsibility towards the creation of Allah. The best way to thank Allah is by benefiting His creation, as the Prophet ﷺ said: "The best of you are those who are most beneficial to others." (Mu'jam Al Awsat by Tabarani).
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