(*) Being generous by sharing knowledge, giving money, using one's position of authority or physical strength to help others, and having a good attitude.

Al-Bukhaari and Muslim reported that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most generous of people [in doing good], and he was most generous of all in Ramadaan when Jibreel met with him, and he used to meet him every night in Ramadaan and teach him the Qur'aan. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was more generous in doing good than a blowing wind." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 6).

How can people exchange generosity for stinginess and action for laziness, to the extent that they do not do their work properly and do not treat one another properly, and they use fasting as an excuse for all this.

Combining fasting with feeding the poor is one of the means of reaching Paradise, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and the inside can be seen from the outside. Allah has prepared them for those who feed the poor, who are gentle in speech, who fast regularly and who pray at night when people are asleep." (Reported by Ahmad 5/343; Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 2137. Al-Albaani said in his footnote, its isnaad is hasan because of other corroborating reports).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Whoever gives food to a fasting person with which to break his fast, will have a reward equal to his, without it detracting in the slightest from the reward of the fasting person." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3/171; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/451).

Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"What is meant is that he should feed him until he is satisfied." (Al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 1)

A number of the Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) preferred the poor over themselves when feeding them at the time of after. Among these were 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar, Maalik ibn Deenaar, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and others. 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar would not break his fast unless there were orphans and poor people with him.

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