SPENDING IN THE WAY OF ALLAH TA'ALAH

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad has written in the Ma'ariful Quran that the verse

وانفقو مما رزقنھم سرا و علانیه

tells us that spending money in the way of Allah Ta'alah both overtly and covertly is permissible. It is preferred that one gives Farz and Wajib (mandatory) donations like Zakat and Sadaqatul Fitr publicly so that other people may also be tempted to pay these. But should give Nafil (non-obligatory) alms covertly so that he stays safe from Riya (ریا) (doing some Ibadat to please someone other than Allah Ta'alah).

Adapted from Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Ra'ad, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RA.