Business that will never fail

Listening Radio IKIM talking about saving, they mention the old formula of saving is

income - expenses = saving

The new and better formula is:

income - saving = expenses

My personal formula is:

income - saving - infak = expenses

Infak is spending your money on charity for a good and noble cause. I have practiced that formula for quite some time now. In Islam, a small portion of our money/belongings (2.5%) are not ours but belong to the poor and needy. This 2.5% is called zakat and it is obligatory. Anything more than that is infak. Allah has promised all that we has given away in the form of Zakat or infak will be rewarded handsomely.

"Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what we have provided for them, secretly or openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail. For He will pay them their need, nay, He will give them (even) more out of His Bounty, for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forgiving to appreciate (service). Al-Faathir: 29-30

I used to feel that spending money on zakat or infak will affect my expenditure to some extend and will only make room for them if there are leftovers. Now I found out it is when I didn't spent on them that my money is always short here and there. After experiencing this for a few times I now knows better. Now I make some provision for this two noble cause at the beginning of the month before putting money aside for expenditure. Allah has promised in the above chapter in Al Qur'an He will reimburse even more than what we have spend. Actually it is a way to enrich ourselves in ways unimaginable by us. My car seldom give me problems, whenever my kids ask for some money for this and that I always have some to give to them, any financial shortage my saving is always there to the rescue.

Once when I decided to hold on first to my money because both my son and youngest brother will enter university at the same time, I face financial difficulty. What's more, I don't have peace of mind that I always have, I was always worrying about something and that weigh heavily in my heart. Then I realize all these happen because I didn't perform my usual zakat and infak at the beginning of the month. So straight away I transfer some money to help children of Gaza. Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah, I can breath easily after that. My piece of mind is back. That's the secret.

I'm writing all these to share with you the secret of my peace of mind. I remember my friend Lee or Iching said there are other people's money in our money. How right you are Lee. Nice to have you as my friend.

May Allah bless us all.