Giving What You Love: A Lesson from Abu Talha (RA)

What is something you truly love?
Your money? Your home? Something you worked hard to earn?
Sometimes, giving away something we do not really need is easy. But giving something we love is much harder.
The story of Abu Talha (RA) teaches us what sincere generosity really looks like.

The Garden He Loved

Abu Talha (RA) was one of the wealthy Companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Madinah. Among his properties, he loved a garden called Bayruha the most. It was located near the Prophet’s Mosque, and the Prophet ﷺ would enter it and drink from its water. (Sahih Muslim⁠)
Then Allah revealed:
“Never will you attain righteousness until you spend from what you love.” Qur’an 3:92
When Abu Talha (RA) heard this verse, he immediately went to the Prophet ﷺ.
He told him that Bayruha was the property he loved the most, and that he wanted to give it in charity for the sake of Allah, hoping for its reward.
The Prophet ﷺ praised his decision and advised him to give the garden to his relatives.
Abu Talha (RA) accepted the advice and distributed the garden among his relatives and cousins. (Quran.com⁠)

What Can We Learn?

Abu Talha (RA) did not wait until giving became easy.
He heard the verse, understood its meaning, and acted.
This teaches us that real generosity is not only about giving what we have left. Sometimes, it means giving something we truly love for the sake of Allah.
It does not always have to be money or property.
Maybe it is your time, your knowledge, your effort, or something you have been saving for yourself.
Ask yourself:
What do I love that I can give for the sake of Allah?
Because what we give to Allah is never truly lost.

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More from this series

The Power of Truth: A Lesson from Ka’b ibn Malik (RA)

A Lesson in Forgiveness from Abu Bakr (RA)

The Person the Prophet ﷺ Never Forgot: A Lesson in Kindness