When Makkah was conquered and the larger tribes vanquished, the braves of Banu Thaqif and Banu Hawazin made to lick their wounds, news came that the Qaiser of Rome was preparing a huge army to fight the growing power of Madinah. The greatest of all generals (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam) took the offensive instead of the defensive and prepared to advance.

This was a very important and delicate mission, the battle would be with the experienced and powerful army of the ruler of Rome. Some of the elder Companions were not in favour of this expedition, but after a council meeting, Rasulullah (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam), having trust in Allah's help, decided to go on. He appealed to the Muslims for contributions to solve the financial question. In those days Hazrat 'Umar (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu)'s business was doing very well. He had never been better off than at that time. Hearing the appeal, he went home and divided each and every possession in half.

Then he came back to Rasulullah (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam), thinking that this time he would outshine Abu Bakr (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu). Meanwhile Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu) came along and put all he had at the Prophet (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam)'s feet. He (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam) asked, "Have you left anything for your family?" the answer was, "The name of Allah and His Rasul ((Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam))." Hazrat 'Umar impulsively cried, "Abu Bakr! No one can get ahead of you!"

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu) gave 40 oz of gold and 200 oz of silver. Hazrat Uthman (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu) contributed 200 oz of silver, 70 thousand Dirham, one thousand camels, 70 horses, one thousand dinar, and 100 oz of gold. This was the largest contribution. Seeing this generosity, Rasulullah (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam) raised his hands towards the sky in dua and supplicated, "O Allah! I am pleased with 'Uthman, You be pleased with him too." He also said, "After this no deed of 'Uthman can harm him (in aakhirah)."

The call for contributions was not only answered by the well off, but also by the underprivileged. Abu Uqail Ansari (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu) was a poor Companion. He had nothing to give so he spent the whole night watering the land of a Jew pulling out bucket after bucket of water from the well. In the morning the Jew gave him one saa' (nearly three and a half kg) of dry dates as wages. He took some of them home to fill the hunger of his children and the rest he gave in the way of Allah. The cup-bearer of Kauser, (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam), was so pleased with the sacrifice of this labourer that he spread those few dates all over the mounds of gold and silver in joy.

Where men were giving bag fulls of gold, silver, and grain, the women were not far behind. Ornaments are a womanly weakness; the love of gold and silver is inborn. But the love for their deen pushed aside all other loves. They gave their ornaments and jewellery as donation. Hazrat Umme Sanaan Aslami (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu)a says that she saw Rasulullah (Sallallahu `alaihe wasallam) in the cabin of Hazrat Ayesha (radhilallahu ta`ala `anha)a with a sheet spread before him containing all sorts of bangles, earrings, rings, bracelets, anklets, and armlets.

This was not the first time that the Muslims had exhibited such a show of sacrifice. Whenever the opportunity arose and they were exhorted to spend for Allah, the Muslims always participated with zeal and vigour. Their competition was not in wedding ceremonies and other flaunting customs, rather, their spirit of completion came to the fore when it came to spending on deen. It wasn't that they only helped others when they were asked to do so, but even in normal circumstances they would cooperate with other Muslims and give alms and charity to their poorer brothers.

They did not have any NGO's, or welfare organisations, or registered trusts. Every well off person was a trust, each individual was an organisation; their existence was a blessing for the poor and needy. Hazrat Abdullah bin 'Umar (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu) never took his dinner without the presence of an underprivileged person. When dinner was laid out, and some rich person would chance to pass by, he would never be invited by Ibne 'Umar but by his family. However, if a poor person happened to come along, by Hazrat Abdullah (radhilallahu ta`ala `anhu) used to invite him in person and used to say, "They invite the one who does not desire food, but leave him who has need of it."

Once, he felt like eating fish. His wife lovingly prepared some for him. As soon as dinner was laid out, a beggar was heard asking for food. Right away Hazrat Ibne 'Umar ordered for the fish to be given to him. His wife hesitated but he insisted. At last the beggar was given a dinar instead of the fish.