As-Sodaqo: Charity in Islam (II)

IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Allah says: “Indeed Allah does not like anyone who is arrogant and braggart. Those who are stingy and bid [other] people to be stingy, and … those who spend their wealth to be seen by people, and believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. As for him who has Satan for his companion, an evil companion is he!” (Qur’an: 4: 36-38)

It is better to give charity secretly. There is an ideology in Islam, which states that one should give charity in such a way that if they are giving charity from their right hand then even the left hand does not know about it. According to the Qur’an, charity that is given secretly is better than when given openly,

“If you disclose your charities, that is well, but if you hide them and give them to the poor, that is better for you, and it will atone for some of your misdeeds, and Allah is well aware of what you do.” (Qur’an- 2:271)

Charity should be out of permissible income and good assets. The Qur’an says:

“O you who have faith! Spend of the good things you have earned, and of what We bring forth for you from the earth, and do not be of the mind to give the bad part of it, for you yourselves would not take it, unless you overlook it. Know that Allah is all-sufficient, all-laudable.” (Qur’an- 2:267).

One should start giving first to dependents and relatives. The Prophet (SAW) said, “To give something to a poor man brings one reward, while giving the same to a needy relation brings two; one for charity and the other for respecting the family ties.” He also said, “The best charity is what you give when you are independent, and you should start with spending on your dependents.” The Qur’an when speaks about charity, first mentions the parents and relatives,

“They ask you as to what they should spend. Say, “Whatever wealth you spend, let it be for parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, and the traveller.” Whatever good that you may do, Allah indeed knows it.” (Qur’an- 2:215)

It is recommended to hasten to spend charity. The Qur’an says,

“And hasten towards your Lord’s forgiveness and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the Allah wary. Those who spend in ease and adversity, and suppress their anger, and excuse [the faults of] the people, and Allah loves the virtuous.” (Qur’an- 3:133)

“Spend from what We have provided you before death comes to any of you, whereat he will say, “My Lord, why did You not respite me for a short time so that I might have given charity and become one of the righteous!” (Qur’an- 63:10)

Charity can be given to anyone in many forms, including a smile, wise advice, or helping to build a home or mosque. The Prophet (SAW) said, “Every good deed is charity. Verily, it is a good deed to meet your brother with a smiling face, and to pour what is left from your bucket into the vessel of your brother.”

Charity, in this wider sense, is not simply giving away money but rather it is a way of life. Muslims have a moral responsibility to give charity every day from their wealth, time, and effort as acts of gratitude for the blessings of Allah. Allah has given us health, wealth, time, and energy so we need to give back to others in His service. The Messenger of Allah, (SAW) said, “Charity is due upon every joint of the people for every day upon which the sun rises. Being just between two people is charity. Helping a man with his animal and lifting his luggage upon it is charity. A kind word is charity. Every step that you take towards the mosque is charity, and removing harmful things from the road is charity.”

The companions once complained to the Prophet SAW that the wealthy had taken all the rewards due to their ability to spend in charity. However, the Prophet SAW told them that even the poorest of Muslims is capable of earning great rewards through good deeds such as praising Allah SWT and even pursuing healthy desires in a lawful manner. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Has not Allah made for you ways to give charity? In every glorification of Allah is charity, in every declaration of His greatness is charity, in every praise of Him is charity, in every declaration of His oneness is charity, enjoining good is charity and forbidding evil is charity, and in a man’s intimate relations with his wife is charity.”

Doing good deeds for our family is an important means of performing charity and strengthening family ties. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “When a Muslim spends on his family intending good it is regarded as charity for him.”

Even small good deeds can have a tremendous positive effect on others in this life. For this reason, the Prophet SAW told us never to belittle any good deed, even smiling at others, saying a kind word, or giving away half of a date fruit. Small good deeds such as these may be the reason Allah admits us into Paradise. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “Do not regard any good deed as insignificant even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.” He also said, “Give even with half of a date in charity, and if one cannot find it, then with a kind word.”

Charity is not just for human beings, but doing good to the animals is also charity. In one narration, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) told about helping a thirsty dog, “A prostitute saw a dog lolling around a well on a hot day and hanging his tongue from thirst. She drew some water for it in her shoe, so Allah forgave her.”

Charity can be perpetual. If a person performs a deed that continues to benefit others in a good way, the performer of the deed will continue to collect the rewards for that single act as long as it benefits others (even after the person passes away). The Prophet (SAW) said, “When a person dies his works end, except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge that is benefited from, and a righteous child who prays for him.”

The Qur’an says about a family who gave all their food to the needy sincerely while they themselves were hungry and needed it.

“They give food, for the love of Him, to the needy, the orphan, and the prisoner, [saying,] “We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We do not want any reward from you or any thanks.” (Qur’an- 76: 8-9)

It is self-abnegation, which is one of the behaviors that lead to salvation and felicity in this world and in the Hereafter.

“And He rewarded them for their patience with a garden and silk.” (Qur’an- 76: 12)

The Qur’an says about some of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny),

“They love those who migrate toward them, and do not find in their breasts (hearts) any need for that which is given to them, but prefer to themselves, though poverty be their own lot. Those who are saved from their own greed, they are the felicitous.” (Qur’an- 59:9)

They understood the meaning of the worldly life and realized that they are going to die eventually. Therefore, they controlled their greed and chose the path of salvation not the path of hell. We also should follow them.

We must choose charity as an attitude and must know that our smile for our brother; our removal of a stone from the path of people; our guidance of a person who is lost; and relieving a person in debt, all of them are considered as charity. The wealth, time, and effort we put into charitable work will return to us as multiplied rewards.