I am impressed by the generosity of Christians, especially in the USA. I believe the average Christian in America is much more generous than the richest Muslims in my family. (I speak of my family because I don't know everything about the giving of others. Yet I know what I see throughout my life.)
I was raised Muslim. I have experienced the Hajj twelve times. And the contrast between rich and poor has always sickened me. The rich go to their air conditioned tents and look down upon the poor. But on two occasions I accompanied my Christian friends to special Christian events. The conditions were humble and I saw everyone share. I saw no rich looking down on the poor. (This was instead of some looking wealthy in their fine clothes and jewelry while others may go hungry for days because it took all of their money to pay for their Hajj journey, I saw Christians in blue jeans and tennis shoes just being friendly and there was no "special tents" for just the rich.)
I am proud to be Muslim. But I believe that at least some Christians know God/Allah more than some Muslims if Zakah means anything. Submission to Allah is what Allah expects from us. Why do Christians exceed our alms when there is a disaster in a Muslim country?
Update:__________________
In answer to a private message: When I speak of air conditioned tents, I mean what Americans would call a "VIP tent" or "courtesy tent" or "VIP reception". The rich can walk in and be treated "royally" and enjoy special foods and beverages with ice while at the same time the poor who are making the only Hajj of their entire lifetime are suffering under the heat. (Some people think all Muslims are "Arabs" who are used to the deserts and heat. That is not true.) I am sure that many of them would love to eat what is thrown away at the VIP tents. Some might like was is fed to the fancy pets of the rich!
I know for a fact that many Muslims give the absolute minimum Zakah that they can.
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The answer to this is there are more wealthy westeners that
can afford to give Alms, in the Arab countries 98/99% of folk are poor and thay give what they can, probably in a much larger proportion than the elite rich do.
Love and blessings.........Karlo
Firstly you cannot make a statement that “Christians giving exceeds Muslim Zakah”, without proof. There is no other community in the world which gives zakah consistently on a yearly basis.
You say you are a Muslim & you have experienced hajj 12 times. Only your first hajj was an obligation, all the other Hajjs which you did are nafil Hajjs. Why didn’t you stop with your first Hajj & given the money you spent on 11-Hajjs as charity to Muslims? Why did not you spend such money to support your poor relatives??
If doing nafil Haj was such an important deed, then our prophet (pbuh) would not have missed it. After Hajj became fard the prophet lived for two years, but he did only one Hajj. This shows that there are other things we can do which can be more important & more rewarded than nafil Hajj. So according to me your 11 hajjs is more of an issue to be questioned & not AC tents.
If the rich have the money to stay in AC tents, why are you complaining about it? If someone has earned halal money, Islam allows him to stay in AC tent or a five star hotel. When the shariah allows, you cannot complain.
Some Hajis will travel in economy ticket & some in business class; it is Allah who bestows this upon them. If you complain, you are complaining against Allah.
Your comparison with the Christians also is not correct. There are Pentecostal Christians who always dress in white, their women don’t wear jewellery, etc., Islam says if Allah has bestowed you with wealth, then let it be shown. Islam promotes the rich to wear what they can afford in halal way & the poor to wear what they can afford in halal way.
So what we have to understand is that, we should view any act in this world from Islamic perspective & not based on our opinion or not based on what others do. As per Islam AC tents & wearing good dress & jewels are allowed.
As regards to disaster relief, we have to admit that Christians are far better than Muslims.
Can I speak from the heart a minute? I thank God for you, even if you are a Muslim. I'll tell you why. You recognize something about christians that is a result of our relationship with God. I believe God will reveal Himself to you, because you are sincere. Many Muslims are sincerely seeking God, and they are doing that the only way they know how, or were raised to. We give because God is a generous God, and will bless and reward us for ministering with our money to the needs of the people He loves. He sees what the devil has done in this earth, that is why He asks us to reach out with His love, so they can know He loves them through us. Continue questioning what you have seen, and continue seeking God more and more, I sense He is going to draw you unto Him. What better way is there to know God is real?
Muslims give zakat because they fear from Allah, not because the love Allah; and that is not not a sense of humanity it's somehow a sense of defense not be taken to the hell. But some Christians learned to love their God and they have developed the sense of humanity. There are also some Muslims who are also kind and generous but unfortunately they are not too much.
I have to say I am surprised to hear this.
And, well, it was ever thus... people are people.
Make no mistake: the same phenomenon occurs among Christians, as well.
You been on the Hajj twelve times??
I'm just going to say that as a Christian I LOVE giving to help others, because God has given so much to me --
Salam and Peace be upon you !!
I am a Christian. The Saudi government has annually given many more billions of dollars to help the world's hungry than any other government. Please correct me if I am wrong about that..