Empathy, compassion, soft-heartedness and generosity are the molecular building blocks to our existence.

In a culture that celebrates busy-ness, excess, and extroversion as measures of a good life, these qualities are most often overlooked, if not neglected. However these traits are vital, in order to thrive.

We have become a self-obsessed nation, our phones and devices creating an empathy gap; we live in our own little bubble, making it easier for us to walk past without noticing the subtleties around us.

In the story of Sulaiman alai: ‎قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌۭ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَـٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَـٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ '…an ant warned,

You don't become generous after you get money. You are generous because it is who you are. Generosity is a state of the heart. Even if you have no money you will smile at your neighbour because that is where your heart is inclined. So with instilling within ourselves generosity, piety or anything else really – reaching some arbitrary or romantisized point in our lives means nothing. If you really want to do something, you will work on it with whatever tools you have. And if your situation and means increase, then you will simply carry on doing what you have always done. And to tell yourself and Allah that you will do such and such only after you recieve such and such –but then

Spend, O son of Adam, and do not be afraid that the King of the throne will reduce your livelihood. Know that Allah gives generously. There is no limit to His generosity, and no one can stop it.

Ibn ‘Abbâs narrates: Abu Bakr came out to the mosque in the midday heat. ‘Umar heard about that, so he said: 'O Abu Bakr, what brings you out at this time?' He said: 'It is only the severe hunger that I feel that brought me out.' He responded: 'I too, by Allah, was only brought out by that.' As they were there, the Prophet (saws) came out to them and asked: 'What brings you both out at this time?' They said: 'By Allah, it is only the severe hunger that we feel in our stomachs that brought us out.' He said: 'I too, by the One in whose hand is my soul, was only brought out by that. Stand up.' They went out until they reached the door of Abu Ayyoob al-Ansâri. Abu Ayyoob used to set aside som

Abdullah b. Mas‘ood narrates: The Prophet (saws) said: 'Which of you loves the wealth of his heirs more than his own wealth?' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, there is not a single one of us who doesn’t love his own wealth more.' He said: 'One’s wealth is what he invests [for the afterlife], while whatever he withholds is the wealth of his heirs.' [Authentic: Narrated by al-Bukhari (6442)]

Asmâ’ bt. Abu Bakr narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'Spend, and do not keep tabs, lest Allah keep tabs on you. Do not withhold, lest Allah withhold from you.' [Agreed upon: Narrated by al-Bukhari (2591) in this wording, and Muslim (1029)]

Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'Allah descends to the lowest sky for half of the night, or for the last third of the night, and says: ‘Who is calling upon Me so that I may respond to them? Or asking of Me so that I may give them?’ Then He says: ‘Who would lend to One who is neither insolvent nor dishonest?’' In another narration: 'Then He, Blessed and Exalted, extends His hand and says: ‘Who will lend to One who is neither insolvent nor dishonest?’' [Authentic: Narrated by Muslim (758:171); the second narration is also recorded by Muslim]

Abu Dharr narrates that the Prophet (saws) said: 'There are three whom Allah - Mighty and Majestic - loves: when a man comes to a group of people asking of them for the sake of Allah, and not on the basis of any relationship between them, and so they withhold from him - but then a man stays back behind them and gives him in secret, with no one knowing of what he gave except for Allah - Mighty and Majestic - and the one to whom he gave it; and when people travel all night and then, when sleep becomes dearer to them than anything else that may be equivalent to it, they stop over and lay their heads down - but [a man] arises for [Allah’s] pleasure and recites [His] verses; and a man who is in

Jareer b. Abdullah narrates that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah at the start of the day when there came to him some people who were barefoot, naked, and wearing striped woolen clothes or cloaks, with swords hanging from their necks. Most of them were from Mudhar - rather, all of them were from Mudhar. The face of the Messenger of Allah (saws) changed when he saw they were impoverished. So he entered [his house], and then came out. He ordered Bilal, who then made the call [to prayer] and the call of the establishment [of the prayer]. He prayed, then he addressed [us] and said: O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul… Indeed A

Abu Hurayrah narrates: A man came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have been struck with destitution.' So he sent to his wives, but found nothing [to offer] with them. Next, the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: 'Will anyone host this man tonight? May Allah bestow mercy on him.' A man from the Ansâr stood up and said: 'I will, O Messenger of Allah.' He went to his family and told his wife: '[This is] the guest of the Messenger of Allah (saws) - do not withhold anything from him.' She said: 'By Allah, I have nothing but the food for the children.' He said: 'So when the children want dinner, put them to sleep. Then come back and put out the lantern, and we wil