How to give loan to Allah?

Question

In holy Quran there is a verse in Surat Al-Ĥadīd (The Iron) - سورة الحديد about giving loan to Allah.

Surat Al-Ĥadīd (ayah 11. ) Sahih International
Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward?

I have few dilemmas about this subject, Can someone please direct me in right way about this. Here is some of them:

1. Are we allowed to ask for goods through this type of loan, correct me if I'm wrong or misunderstanding the term "loan"? For example: "I'll pray for 40 days two more dawn prayers besides the obligatory prayers, and for reward I seek halal food"
2. Is there any hadith which describes how we can use this blessing of Allah?
3. How I can give loan to Allah in the correct way?
4. What if I fail?

Answer 1

According to the previous verses of Surat Al-Hadid, this loan means infaq (إنفاق).

And infaq is an Arabic word meaning charity simply to please God without asking for any favor.

It is different from Zakat, which is obligatory on Muslims or Sadaqah which is charity for obtaining specific return or protection from some adverse event.

Infaq is a very important topic in Islam and there are several ayah in Quran specifying why, what, when and how should we pay for infaq. If you don't know about them you can ask a new question about infaq itself.

As a good sample the following ayah points to the people deserving infaq:

يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ ۖ قُلْ مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ‌ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَ‌بِينَ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ‌ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

They ask you, [O Muhammad], what they should spend. Say, "Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler. And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it."

Al-Baqarah: 215

Reference:

• Wikipedia

• Tafsir Al-Mizan

Answer 2

This ayah is meant for spending for the cause of Allah with sincere heart. For example, helping out with building a new mosque or providing scholarship for Muslim students fall under this ayah. In this ayah, Allah teaches us that whoever spents for Allah will be rewarded with much greater reward than he spent in afterlife.

From this ayah, we can't conclude loaning Allah a goodly loan would have its reward in this world. On the other hand, this doesn't mean that nafilah prayers and making du'a is unnecessary. InshaAllah, they too will help you out in this world and the other.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Answer 3

Here's my interpretation of the word Loan:

Allah gives you everything - wealth, money, happiness. If you choose to spend a little of that which Allah gives you in His name, you're not giving Him anything; it's just a loan.

There are similar verses:

Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned. (2:245)

The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (2:261)

All this says that charity, or what you spend out of what Allah has given you will be multiplied and given back. Loan would imply that you are getting back what you have given, as in this case.

Answer 4

I have a doubt.goodly loan to allah mentioned in Quran is encouraging Muslims to give Loan to people who are needy because allah (s) didn't need our money. there are many verses in Quran which mentions zakat and sadqa.in surah 57:18 says about sadqa and goodly loan to allah that means helping people without expecting return is sadqa.while goodly loan to allah means giving Loan to people expecting return and allah (s) encouraging us to provide loan to people as an alternative to keep us away from the riba culture.