On Giving Charity

Giving charity out of our wealth does not decrease our wealth but instead Allah (Subhaanahu WaTa'ala) increases it:

“Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity: Allah loveth not the impious and guilty”  (Qur‘an, 2: 276)

Abu Hurairah (Radiallaahu Anhu) reported Allah’s Messenger (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) as saying:“Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives, Allah adds to his respect; and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people).”  (Muslim Vol. 4, Hadith  6264)

Sadaqah is not restricted to giving part of our wealth or material possessions or any special deed of righteousness.  Islam considers all good deeds as sadaqah that increase our eeman:

Abu Musa narrated that the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam)  said, “Every Muslim has to give in sadaqah(charity).” The people asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam)! If someone has nothing to give, what will he do?” He said, “He should work with his hands and benefit himself and also give in charity (from what he earns).” The people further asked, “If he cannot do even that?” He replied, “Then he should help the needy who appeal for help.” Then the people asked, “If he cannot do that?” He replied, “Then he should perform all that is good and keep away from all that is evil and this will be regarded as charitable deeds.”(Bukhari Vol.  2, Hadith 524)

The Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: “To smile in the company of your brother is charity.  To command to do good deeds and to prevent others from doing evil is charity.  To guide a person in a place where he can not get astray is charity.  To remove troublesome things like thorns and bones from the road is charity.  To pour water from your jug into the jug of your brother is charity.  To guide a person with defective vision is charity for you.” (Bukhari)

For our own success, we should spend time, money and efforts in giving sadaqah for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala as the rewards of sadaqah is nothing but success, especially in the Hereafter:

“The likeness of those who spend for Allah’s sake is as the likeness of a grain of corn, it grows seven ears every single ear has a hundred grains, and Allah multiplies (increases the reward of) for whom He wills, and Allah is sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower).”  (Qur’an, 2:261)

“Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public have their reward with their Rabb (only God and Sustainer).  On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.”   (Qur‘an, 2:274)

Mu‘aadh bin Jabal (Radiallaahu Anhu) related from the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam)  “Sadaqah extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) also said: “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his Sadaqah.”   (Ahmad)

To be able to enjoy Allah Ta'ala’s tremendous rewards for every sadaqah that we give, we need to observe the following teachings:

1. Sadaqah must be done sincerely for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala and not out of riya‘  (show off) to gain praise or recognition from others:

“O you who believe! Do not render vain your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men and he does not believe in Allah nor in the last Day.”  (Qur’an, 2: 264)   

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said,  “Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His.  They are: 1. A just ruler, 2. A youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, 3. A man whose heart is attached to the mosque, 4. Two men who love each other for Allah’s sake,  meeting for that and parting for that. 5. A man who is called by  a woman of beauty and position but he says,  “I fear Allah”, 6.a man who gives in charity and hides it,  such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity, and 7. A man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari (Eng. translation) vol. 2,  hadeeth no. 504) 

3. Sadaqah must be from halal (lawful) source:

 Abu Hurairah (Radiallaahu Anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said, “If one gives in charity what equals one date-fruit from the honestly earned money, and Allah accepts only the honestly earned money, Allah takes it in His Right (hand).  And then, enlarges its reward for that person (who has given it), as anyone of you brings up his baby horse, so much so that it becomes as big as a mountain.” (Bukhari, Vol. 2, Hadith 491)

4. Begin charity with your dependents:

Hakim ibn Hizam narrated that the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam)  said: “The upper hand is better than the lower hand, (i.e., he who gives charity is better than him who takes it).  One should start giving first to his dependents.  And the best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money which is left after his expenses.)  And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient.”   (Bukhari, Vol. 2, Hadith 508)

5. Not to delay giving of sadaqah nor show lethargy or negligence in giving sadaqah:

And spend something (in charity) out  of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before death should come to any of you and he should say, “O my Rabb (only God and Sustainer)!  Why do you not give me respite for a little while?  I  should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good.”  (Qur’an, 63:10) 

Abu Hurairah (Radiallaahu Anhu) narrated that a  man came to the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) and asked, “O Allah’s Messenger, which charity is the most superior in reward?” He replied, “The charity which you practice while you are healthy, niggardly and afraid of poverty and wish to become wealthy. Do not delay it to the time of approaching death and then say, ‘Give so much to such and such, and so much to such and such.’ (And it has already belonged to such and such (his heirs).” (Bukhari Vol.  2, Hadith 500)

“Do not show lethargy or negligence in giving alms and charity till your last breath.”   (Bukhari and Muslim)

6. Do not count the sadaqah you give:  

“Spend in charity and do not keep count for then Allah will also keep count in giving you provision.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

7.  Seek only the desire to see Allah Ta'ala, which is the supreme success in Paradise. Do not expect favour or reward from any person for the sadaqah you give:

“Those who spend their wealth for increase in self-purification, and have in their minds no favour from anyone for which a reward is expected in return, but only the desire to seek for the Countenance of their Creator Most High; and soon will they attain (complete) satisfaction.”  (Qur’an, 92:18-21)

Let us prepare ourselves for the  everlasting world to come.  Let us be among those who will earn Allah Ta'ala’s rewards inJannah (the Garden of Bliss or Paradise) through giving sadaqah in many ways.  Let us continue earning Allah’s rewards of our good deeds by giving sadaqah that continues to benefit others. Let us be inspired to give sadaqah with the following authentic hadeeth:

Abu Hurairah (Radiallaahu Anhu) narrated that Allah’s  Messenger (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: “Verily what a believer continues to receive (in the form of reward) for his action and his virtues after his death is the knowledge which he acquired and then disseminated;  the pious son that he left behind him;  or a copy of the Qur’an which he left as a legacy; or the mosques that he had built;  or the inn that he had built for the wayfarers; or the canal that he caused to flow, or a sadaqah which he gave out of his property in the state when he was healthy and alive. (These are the acts of goodness the reward of which) reaches him even after his death.”  (Tirmidhi, 254; Ibn Majah and Bayhaqi) 

For those who are wealthy but miser or negligent in giving sadaqah may they take admonitions from the following words of Allah Ta'ala:

So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah), and (in all sincerity) testifies to the Best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Ease.  But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, and gives the lie to the Best,  --  We will indeed make smooth for him the Path of Misery; nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the Pit).  Verily We take upon Us to guide, and verily unto Us (belong) the End and the Beginning.  Therefore do I warn you of a Fire blazing fiercely; none shall burn therein but those most unfortunate ones who give the lie to Truth and turn their backs.  But those most devoted to Allah shall be removed far from it.  (Qur’an, 92:4-17)

May Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful give us opportunities to use the many ways of giving sadaqah for His pleasure and reward us the best life, especially in the Hereafter.  May we spend our lives, time, money and efforts to do deeds that Allah Ta'ala accepts as forms of sadaqah solely for His Sake.   May our Rabb save us from the Hell-Fire by protecting us from being miserly.  Ameen.