The Qur'an Builds a Mentality of Giving More Than Taking

Occasion: Transcript of a khatira delivered at Bayt Al-Karim on October 14, 2026 Source: Transcript of a video khatira by Dr. Ahmed Abouseif, watch the original video on YouTube

We began speaking about this surah last time, and we ask God to accept from all of us.

In general, as God describes them, there are people whose conduct is to take more than they give.^[1] That is the short explanation of the meaning of the surah's title. We try to understand what kind of action this is: an action that gives less than it takes. And what are the types of such people? God describes them as those who, when they take their due from others, take it in full, yet when they give to others, in any way at all, give less than the people deserve from them.

The mentality the Quran is building

So here is my question. What kind of mentality is the Quran trying to build? It is trying to build the mentality of the giver. The givers are the winners, winners in this world and winners in the Hereafter. Why? Because once you give people more than you take, they trust you. Once they trust you, they begin to deal with you, and once they deal with you, you begin to benefit from them. Trust is the first principle of any business. If you want to start a business or establish anything, the main thing you must build between yourself and the people is trust. When they trust you, they come to you, and whatever you tell them, they accept.

A modest gain with trust is better than waiting to cheat someone for a bigger one. Let me give an example, and tell me whether it is clear. Suppose you sell cars and are content with a very small profit on each one, while the other dealers take a large margin. Now imagine you are selling a hundred cars a day, and they are selling one a week. Which of you earns more? You do, because your profit per car is smaller but the people trust you. And if you did pay a high price for a car and then sell it at a high price, they will say, "He surely has his reasons," because they know you.

This is exactly the mentality of Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, when he gave in front of the people. It was not about being seen among the givers. It was about the trust people could place in him, because he kept nothing for himself.

In work, at home, in a smile

This is the mentality the Quran is building in this surah, even from the name of the surah: the mentality of those who give more than they take. Take the employee. I may be trying to get more benefit from the place I work than I give it. But when you have someone truly dedicated to his work, who gives as much as he can and more than he is required to, you trust him. Even if you had to let people go, you would not sacrifice this man; you would keep him until the last moment. And if you wanted to give a bonus or an extra payment, he would be the first to come to your mind, before anyone else. Why? Because he gives more than he takes.

The same applies at home. As we have tried to explain before, we should ask: what am I giving my wife, and what is she giving me? Is what I give more or less than what I try to take from her? Not everyone thinks this way. From the very beginning, God is building this mentality in us. If I have a partnership with someone, or children, or a household, or anyone in the whole world whom I deal with, I must keep one question in mind: am I a just person, dealing fairly, or am I among those who try to get more than they give?

Think about this concept in all our dealings. Even in something as simple as greeting: you say "as-salāmu ʿalaykum" with a thinner smile, while waiting for the other person to give you more, to show you a more welcoming face.

I still remember a time when we were buying something with cash, and a teacher was with us. It was something humble, like snacks. We picked out an old, worn bill to give to the seller. The teacher remarked that this is exactly the kind of thing meant here: do not try to take more than you give. Imagine how this applies to the small matters of our lives, if we really carry this concept into them.

We will keep talking about this same surah until we finish it. May God accept from us.

--- ^[1]: Editor's documentation: The description matches the opening of Sūrat al-Muṭaffifīn, ﴿وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ ۝ الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ ۝ وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَوْ وَزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ﴾ [المطففين: 1–3]. The surah is not named in the transcript and the recitation is missing from it, so the verses are given here for reference only and are not attributed to the speaker's wording.