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What do money, a good word,
and removing something harmful from the road have in common?
Even a smile or a kind word is considered
charity.
Giving charity is such an important part of
Islam that even the Arabic word tasaddaqa (to give charity) comes
from the root sadaqa meaning to speak the truth, to be sincere.
Sadaqah (voluntary charity) is different from zakah,
the compulsory alms that are collected every year.
A Muslim shows his sincerity of faith and
attains piety by being generous:
(Ye will
not attain unto piety until ye spend of that which ye love. And whatsoever
ye spend, Allah is aware thereof)(Aal
`Imran 3:92) .
There are dozens of verses in the Qur'an in
which Allah (God) tells Muslims to give in charity. Sometimes this charity
is in expiation for a wrongdoing, and other times it is an acknowledgment
that everything one "owns" is in fact a trust from Allah and
that anything spent in the way of Allah will be paid back in full and
multiplied on the Day of Judgment. In fact, the Qur'an in places calls
this spending "a beautiful loan."
Muslims are enjoined to give charity without
reproach to the recipient. It is also better for them to give secretly
rather than openly, so that their intention is entirely to gain the
pleasure of Allah and not to gain the admiration of people.
(A kind
word with forgiveness is better than alms giving followed by injury. Allah
is Absolute, Clement. O ye who believe! Render not vain your alms giving
by reproach and injury, like him who spendeth his wealth only to be seen
of men and believeth not in Allah and the Last Day)
(Al-Baqarah 2:263 – 64)
It is easy to give money as charity when one is
wealthy, but the best charity is given when one fears poverty, for one
must then sincerely trust in Allah's reward.
When the Prophet Muhammad was asked which
charity is best, he replied, "That you should give charity (in a
state when you are) healthy, closefisted, haunted by the fear of poverty
and hoping to become rich (charity in such a state of health and mind is
the best). And you must not defer (charity to such a length) that you are
about to die and would be saying: This is for so and so, and this is for
so and so. Lo, it has already come into (the possession of so and
so)." (Reported by Muslim)
Even the money that a person spends on his
family counts as charity if his intention is for Allah. The Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) said, "When a Muslim spends on his family
seeking reward for it from Allah, it counts for him as charity."
(Reported by Muslim)
There is reward in good deeds done with no
expectation of remuneration in this life. And a woman may give charity of
her husband's earnings. `A'ishah, the wife of the Prophet reported that he
said, "When a woman gives in charity some of the food in her house,
without causing any damage, there is reward for her for whatever she has
given, and a reward for her husband for what he earned. The same applies
to the trustee. In no respect does the one diminish the reward of the
other." (Reported by Muslim)
In fact, Prophet Muhammad told his followers
that sadaqah (voluntary charity) is incumbent upon them every single day.
But this sadaqah can take many forms:
There is a (compulsory) sadaqah (charity)
to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to
Allah) everyday the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is
regarded as sadaqah; and to help a man concerning his riding animal, by
helping him to mount it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also
regarded as sadaqah; and (saying) a good word is also sadaqah; and every
step taken on one's way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is
also sadaqah; and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also sadaqah.
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Thus, even those who have little or no extra
money can give charity. For them, there is still reward in good deeds done
for the pleasure of Allah with no expectation of remuneration in this
life. Elsewhere, the Prophet told even more ways that Muslims can give
charity.
The Prophet said, "Giving charity is
obligatory upon each Muslim." It was asked, "What do you say of
him who does not find (the means) to do so?" He said, "Let him
do manual work, thus doing benefit to himself and give charity." It
was asked, "What about one who does not have (the means) to do
so?" He said, "Then let him assist the needy, the aggrieved." It was asked, "What do you say of one who cannot
even do this?" He said, "Then he should enjoin what is reputable
or what is good." He asked, "What if he cannot do that?" He
(the Prophet) said, "He should then abstain from evil, for verily
that is charity on his behalf." (Reported by Muslim)
Muslims are also encouraged to establish an
ongoing charity whose rewards they will continue to reap after their
deaths. This can be knowledge that is passed on in a book or other form,
fruit trees from which the poor may eat, or an endowment.
Thus sadaqah, in whatever form, should be a
part of the Muslim's daily life. Such charity strengthens the Muslim's
piety, turns his intentions to his Creator, and spreads wealth and
goodwill among the community.
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