لَنۡ تَنَا لُو ا الۡبِرَّ حَتّٰی تُنۡفِقُوۡ ا مِمَّا تُحِبُّوۡ نَ ۬ؕ
You can never attain virtue until you spend things in the path of Allah, which are beloved to you.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 4, Aal-e-‘Imran, verse 92)
Regarding the abovementioned verse, Sadr-ul-Afadil, ‘Allamah Maulana Sayyid Muhammad Na’eemuddin Muradabadi عَـلَيْهِ رَحۡمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـهَادِی has written in Khaza`in-ul-‘Irfan: (Sayyiduna) Hasan (Basri) رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said, ‘The possession which is liked by a Muslim, who spends it, to please Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, falls into the category of this verse, even though it’s just a date.’
(Tafseer Khaazin, vol. 1, pp. 272)
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Ameer-ul-Mu`mineen, Sayyiduna ‘Umar Bin ‘Abdul ‘Azeez رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ used to purchase the sacks of sugar and distribute them as charity. He رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was asked, ‘Why don’t you distribute their value (in cash) as charity?’ He رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ replied, ‘I like sugar very much, and I wish to sacrifice my favourite possession in the path of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’ (Tafseer Nasfi, pp. 172)