Charity: Why Keeping the Egotistic ‘Left’ in the Dark Saves the Anonymous ‘Right’

It is not uncommon for common men and women to poke their speculative noses into the interpretation of spiritual texts. They dig deep with their shallow minds into possible meanings. Admittedly, this reading is no different.
A prominent Prophetic tradition states,

“Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His… a person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given…’

This passage invites an interesting analysis. While the apparent meaning of the analogy is obvious, another reading is possible.

The ‘right’ is always the preferred side in Prophetic actions. Priority is given to the ‘right’ for any good or even mundane deeds, including stepping into homes or wearing a sandal. The ‘left’ is the chosen side for other ‘lesser noble’ actions, including entering a toilet.

Interestingly, a similar idea is stated in the following Biblical verse:

Therefore when thou givest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou givest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth (Matthew 6:2-4, 21st Century King James Version).

When we compare both traditions, we may arrive at an intriguing conclusion. The ‘Left hand’ may be referring to the egotistic takeaway of the indulgent self as the ‘right hand’ performs the philanthropic deed.

True that Prophetic injunctions have more than a thousand possible fragrant meanings. Let this humble thought add to that wonderful scented garden.

Jun 22, 2026 | Muharram 7, 1448