Divine Purposes In Spending In God's Way

However, the act of spending that purifies and cleanses people is the one that is made in the way specified in the Qur"an. People believe themselves to have exceedingly fulfilled their duty when they give some small change to beggars, when they give away some of their old clothes to the poor or when they feed a hungry person. No doubt these are the acts that would be rewarded in Allah"s Sight if they were performed with the intention of earning the good pleasure of Allah. Yet, there are limits specified in the Qur"an. For example, Allah commands man to spend whatever is surplus to his needs:

... They will ask you what they should give away. Say, "Whatever is surplus to your needs." In this way God makes the Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will reflect; (Surat al-Baqara: 219)