Hawzah News Agency- In a scholarly address on the principle of concealing charity, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli stated that Islamic teachings strongly encourage believers to give discreetly, stressing that the true essence of charity lies not merely in meeting material needs, but in safeguarding the honor and self-respect of those in need.
Referring to narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), he recalled well-known hadith from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), who reported the words of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family): a believer should give charity in such a way that “if the right hand gives, the left hand does not know.” Ayatollah Javadi Amoli explained that this expression is not a literal instruction, but a powerful metaphor underscoring the utmost care required to conceal acts of charity.
“The criterion is not the physical secrecy of the hands,” he noted, “but the preservation of the dignity of the needy. The foundation of spending in the way of Allah is honor—providing support with respect—rather than merely feeding or relieving hunger.”
He further cited a narration from Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), who, swearing by Almighty Allah, told Ammar Sabati that secret charity is superior to public charity, declaring: “O Ammar! Charity for Allah in secret is better than charity in public.” According to Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, this emphasis reflects Islam’s deep concern for protecting individuals from embarrassment, humiliation, or social harm.
At the same time, the senior scholar clarified that public charity also has its place within Islamic ethics. Open acts of giving, he explained, are encouraged when the intention is to inspire others to participate in collective good deeds, such as building mosques, schools, hospitals, or other public institutions. In such cases, public charity carries a dual reward: the reward of giving itself and the reward of motivating others toward benevolence and social responsibility.
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli concluded by pointing to what he described as the highest level of secret charity: a form of giving in which not only others are unaware, but even the recipient does not know the identity of the donor. This level, he said, represents the purest manifestation of sincerity, humility, and devotion to God.
These reflections are drawn from Tafsir Tasnim, Volume 67, pages 343–344, and highlight an ethical framework in Islam that links charity with dignity, compassion, and the moral refinement of both the giver and society at large.
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