KHUTAB V: 16. ṢADAQAH IN ISLAM

16. ṢADAQAH IN ISLAM

Definition of Ṣadaqah

Ṣadaqah (pl. ṣadaqāt) literally means: “alms, charitable gift; almsgiving, charity”. In Islamic law it is divided into two categories: (1) legally prescribed alms tax, also called zakāt, either for one’s wealth, called zakāt al-mal ( wealth tax ) paid annually, or for oneself, called zakāt al-fiṭr (self-tax), paid at the end of the month of Ramadan; for convenience both are paid at the same time. (2) voluntary contribution of alms, freewill offering. It also includes in this category, voluntary good deeds. Every good deed, including giving charity, either voluntary or obligatory, Allah promises reward for it.

          Voluntary ṣadaqah includes saying good things, such as the dhikr (remembering Allah) by repeating the tasbīh (glorification of Allah), namely, Subḥān Allah (“Glory to Allah”), the taḥmīd (praising Allah) namely, Alḥamdu Lillāh (“praise be to Allah”), the takbīr, namely, Allāhu Akbar (“Allah is Great”),  the istighfār (asking Allah’s forgiveness), namely, Astaghfirullāh (“I ask Allah’s foregiveness), and greeting someone we meet with Assalāmu ‘Alaykum (“Peace be upon you”). It includes the taḥlīl, namely, saying lā ilāha illallāh (“there is no god but Allah”). It includes al-amr bil-ma’rūf (urging people to do good deeds) and naḥy ‘an al-munkar (prohibiting from doing bad deeds).

          Voluntary ṣadaqah dealing with doing good things includes smiling at a Muslim brother or sister we meet, removing harmful things from the street, helping the needy, leading a lost person to the right way, and lending money, etc. It includes controlling oneself from doing bad things when there is chance to do so. It includes the plants and fruit eaten by birds, and animals, even stolen by people.  It includes entertaining a guest over three days.  It includes the expense, the cost of living, maintenance given to one’s family, as well as spiritual and physical needs between husband and wife. 

          Contribution and donation also belong to ṣadaqah, such as in teaching the Qur’ān, in propagating Islam, teaching people about Islam through distributing books, pamphlets  to Muslims and non-Muslims, in writing about Islam in magazines, newspapers, and internet, in building schools, mosques, and Islamic centres.

Virtues and Benefits of Ṣadaqah

1.    It extinguishes Allah’s anger. The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said:

إنَّ صَدَقَةُ السِّرِّ تُطْفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى (رواه الطبراني)

Verily, charity given in secrecy extinguishes Allah’s anger.

2.    It erases the mistake, like water extinguishes fire.

وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ الْمَاءُ النَّارَ....

(رواه أحمد و البييهقي و النسا ئي و الطبراني)

Charity erases the mistake, like water extinguishes fire.

(Reported by Aḥmad, al-Bayhaqī, al-Nasā’ī and a-Ṭabrānī)

3.    It is protection from Hellfire. The Prophet said

اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَبِكَلِمَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ  (رواه البخاري و مسلم)

Fear Hellfire, even with a piece of date (as charity), but

 he who does not have, then with a nice word

 (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim)

4.    It will become a protecting umbrella in the Hereafter. In a long tradition, the Prophet said that there are seven kinds of people who would be protected by Allah with shade in the Hereafter, among whom are people who give charity secretly. He said …

وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لَا تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنْفِقُ يَمِينُهُ

 (رواه البخاري و مسلم و غيرهما)

… and a man gives charity secretly, so that his left hand

 does not know  what his right hand is spending

 (Reported by al-Bukhārī, Muslim and others)

5.    It is a treatment for physical ailment:

The Prophet said:

 ...وَدَاوُوا مَرْضَاكُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةَ ... (رواه الطبراني وأبو داؤد)

… and treat your sick people with giving charity…

(Reported by al-Ṭabrānī and Abū Dāwūd)

    A man complained to the great scholar Ibn al-Mubarak that ulcer had came out from his knee since seven years ago. He had been treated with many kinds of medicine, but failed. Ibn al-Mubarak suggested to him to dig a well in an area where water was needed, and hoped that its water would treat his illness.  The man did, and he was cured.

6.    Treatment for mental ailment (the sickness of the heart)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَة  أَنَّ رَجُلًا شَكَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَسْوَةَ

قَلْبِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنْ أَرَدْتَ تَلْيِينَ قَلْبِكَ فَأَطْعِمْ الْمِسْكِينَ وَامْسَحْ رَأْسَ الْيَتِيمِ

 (رواه أحمد و الطبراني و النسائي و البيهقي)

Abu Hurayrah narrated that a man complained to the

Messenger of Allah s.a.w. about the cruelty of his heart. He

 said to him: “If you want to soften   your heart, then feed

the poor and rub the head of the orphans [meaning,

 have  mercy on them and help them.”

 (Reporte by Aḥmad, al-Ṭabrānī, al-Nasā’ī and al-Bayhaqī)

7.    It is a kind of ransom from disaster.Prophet Yaḥyá a.s. (John the Baptist) advised his followers among the Children of Israel to give charity, as it is like a ransom for one who is on the point of being executed.

8.    It is a means to obtain the true nature of birr (righteousness). Allah says:

)   لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ  (آل عمران:92

By no means shall you attain al-birr (piety, righteousness—

here means Allah’s reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend

(in Allah’s Cause) Of that which you love…(Q. 3:92)

9.    An angel will pray for people who give charity with prosperity. The Prophet s.a.w. said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَة أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ مَلَكًا بِبَابٍ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ

 السَّمَاءِ يَقُولُ مَنْ يُقْرِضْ الْيَوْمَ يُجْزَى غَدًا وَمَلَكًا بِبَابٍ آخَرَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا

 خَلَفًا وَعَجِّلْ لِمُمْسِكٍ تَلَفًا  (روام البيهقي والحاكم و النسائي)

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah

 s.a.w. said:“Verily, an angel at one of the doors of

Heaven says: ‘Whoever gives a (good) loan (as charity)

 today will be rewarded tomorrow,’ and another angel

says: ‘O Allah, give the alms-giver substitute, and give

 loss immediately to withholder (from giving charity).’”

(Reported by al-Bayhaqī, al-Ḥākim and al-Nasā’ī)

10.         There is blessing in giving charity. The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.  said

مَا نَقَصَتْ صَدَقَةٌ مِنْ مَالٍ ... (رواه مسلم و أحمد)

Wealth will not be reduced by charity (Reported by Aḥmad)

11.         What remains from charity is that which has been spent in charity. Allah says:

وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلأنفُسِكُم (البقرة:272)

….And whatever you spend of good, it is for

 yourselves… (Q.  272).

وَلَمَّا سَأَلَ النَّبِيُّ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا عَنِ الشَّاةِ الَّتِي ذَبَحُوْهَا مَا بَقِىَ مِنْهَا:

 قَالَتْ: مَا بَقِىَ مِنْهَا إِلَّا كَتِفُهَا. قَالَ: بَقِيَ كُلُّهَا غَيْرَ كَتِفِهَا (رواه  مسلم)

When the Prophet asked ‘A’ishah r.a. about the remains of

 the slaughtered  sheep, she said that what remained was

 its shoulder, but he told her that all remained except its

 shoulder. (Reported by Muslim)

12.         The reward of giving charity will be multiplied. Allah says:

إِنَّ الْمُصَّدِّقِينَ وَالْمُصَّدِّقَاتِ وَأَقْرَضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضاً حَسَناً يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمْ

وَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَرِيم (الحديد :18)

 Verily, those who give sadaqat (i.e. zakat and

 alms), men and women, and lend Allah a good loan,

 it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and

 theirs shall be  an honourable good reward

(i.e., Paradise) (Q. 57:180)

مّنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللّهَ قَرْضاً حَسَناً فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافاً كَثِيرَةً وَاللّهُ

 يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ  (البقرة:245)

Who is he that will lend Allah goodly loan so that He

 may multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that

 decreases or increases (your provisions), and

 to Him you shall return (Q. 2:245)

13.        There is a special door of Paradise from which the people who spent charity will be called. The Prophet said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ  أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ زَوْجَيْنِ فِي

سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ نُودِيَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ هَذَا خَيْرٌ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصَّلَاةِ دُعِيَ

مِنْ بَابِ الصَّلَاةِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجِهَادِ دُعِيَ مِنْ  بَابِ الْجِهَادِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ

أَهْلِ الصَّدَقَةِ دُعِيَ مِنْ بَابِ الصَّدَقَةِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصِّيَامِ دُعِيَ مِنْ بَابِ

الرَّيَّانِ  فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا عَلَى مَنْ يُدْعَى مِنْ هَذِهِ

الْأَبْوَابِ مِنْ ضَرُورَةٍ فَهَلْ يُدْعَى أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَبْوَابِ كُلِّهَا قَالَ نَعَمْ

وَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ (رواه البخاري و مسلم)

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the

 Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said:

“Whoever spends a pair of (of livestock) in the path of

Allah he would be called in Paradise, ‘O, Abd Allah,

this is good.’ Whoever belonged to the people of  prayer,

 he would be called from the door of the prayer; whoever

 belonged to the people of jihād, he would be called from

 the door of the jihād;  whoever belonged to people of alms-

giving, he would be called from the door of the  Alms-giving;

and whoever belonged to the people of fasting, he would be

 called from the door of Rayyān (the well-watered).” Then

 Abū Bakr, asked: “O Messenger of Allah, is it necessary

 that one would be called from  these  doors? Would

 someone be callef from all these  doors?” He said:

“Yes, and I hope you would be one of them.”

 (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)

14.         It purifies wealth, clear it from dirt because of foolish talk, oath, lying, and carelessness.

عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي غَرَزَةَ قَالَ  كُنَّا نَبْتَاعُ الْأَوْسَاقَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَكُنَّا نُسَمِّي أَنْفُسَنَا

 السَّمَاسِرَةَ فَأَتَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَمَّانَا بِاسْمٍ أَحْسَنَ مِمَّا كُنَّا نُسَمِّي أَنْفُسَنَا بِهِ فَقَالَ يَا مَعْشَرَ التُّجَّارِ إِنَّ هَذَا الْبَيْعَ يَحْضُرُهُ اللَّغْوُ وَالْحَلِفُ فَشُوبُوهُ

 بِالصَّدَقَةِ (رواه أحمد والنسائي وابن ماجة،  و البيهقي )

In a hadith on the authority of Qays ibn Abi ‘Arazah he

 said : We were doing business  in Madinah and we used

 to call ourselves brokers. When the Messenger of Allah

 was passing  by he gave us a better name, and said: “Oh

 you tradesmen, this business is accompanied with  foolish

 talk and oath; so mix it with charity.” (Reported by

 Aḥmad, al-Nasā’ī, Ibn Mājah and al-Bayhaqī)

Conditions for the Acceptance of Charity

It has to be good, clean. It has to be given with sincerity and good intention, seeking solely the pleasure of Allah. It should not be accompanied with lie, and offence.

Best Types of Charity

1.    It is spent in secrecy unless it cannot be avoided, such as building schools, mosques, etc. But helping the poor is preferably in secrecy, to avoid humiliating and embarrassing them for being poor, and to avoid showing off by the giver. Allah said:

إِن تُبْدُواْ الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِىَ وَإِن تُخْفُوهَا وَتؤْتُوهَا الفُقَرَاءِ فَهُوَ خَيرٌ لَّكُمْ  )البقرة:271)

If you disclose your alms-giving, it is well; but if you conceal them

 and give  them to the poor, that is better for you (Q. 2:271).

2.    It is spent when one is in good health rather than spending it when one is sick or is dying, or through will. The Prophet said:

أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ:

 يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا؟ قَالَ: «أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ

 تَخْشَى الفَقْرَ، وَتَأْمُلُ الغِنَى، وَلاَ تُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الحُلْقُومَ، قُلْتَ لِفُلاَنٍ كَذَا،

وَلِفُلاَنٍ كَذَا وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلاَنٍ (رواه البخاري و مسلم)

Abu Hurayrah r.a. narrated that a man came to the

Prophet s.a.w. and said: “O Messenger of Allah, which

 charity has the greatest reward?” He said: “You give

 charity while you are healthy, in scarcity, fearing

 poverty, and expecting richness; so do not delay

 until you are dying, then you say that this

 and this is for so-and-so, …

 (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)

What the Prophet means is that the best charity is you give what you need yourself, not when you do not need it any more, not when you are dying you start giving charity. Similar to this is the classical Arabic proverb, saying أَتَاكَ رَيَّانَ بِلَبَنِه   (“He came to you with his milk while he himself is sated with drink”)

3. It is spent after fulfilling the spending obligation. Allah said:

وَيَسْئَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ العَفْوَ  )البقرة:219(

… And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: “That which

 is beyond your needs.”… (Q. 2:219)

3.    It is preferable to spend charity to one’s family. The Prophet s.a.w. said:

إِذَا أَنْفَقَ المُسْلِمُ نَفَقَةً عَلَى أَهْلِهِ، وَهُوَ يَحْتَسِبُهَا، كَانَتْ لَهُ صَدَقَةً )رواه البخاري و مسلم(

If a man gives maintenance to his family, expecting Allah’s pleasure,

it becomes charity for him (Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)

The Prophet also said:

 أَرْبَعَةُ دَنَانِيرَ: دِينَارًا أَعْطَيْتَهُ مِسْكِينًا وَدِينَارًا أَعْطَيْتَهُ فِي رَقَبَةٍ وَدِينَارًا أَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي

سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ  وَدِينَارًا أَنْفَقْتَهُ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ أَفْضَلُهَا الَّذِي أَنْفَقْتَهُ علَىَ أَهْلِك   (رواه مسلم).  

There are four dinars: one dinar you give it to a poor,

 one dinar you spend it to free slaves, one dinar you

 spend in the path of Allah, and one dinar on your

family, the best among them is the dinar you

spent on your family (Reported by Muslim)

The Prophet s.a.w. also said:

 الصَّدَقَةُ عَلَى الْمِسْكِينِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَهِيَ عَلَى ذِي الرَّحِمِ ثِنْتَانِ: صَدَقَةٌ وَصِلَةٌ

(رواه أحمد والنسائي والترمذي وابن ماجة)

Charity to the poor is charity, but to poor relatives it is

 both charity and kinship (Reported by  . Aḥmad,

al-Nasā’ī, al-Tirmīdhī, and Ibn Mājah)

  Among relatives priority should be goven to (1) the orphans among them, and (2) whom secret enmity from them is suspected. Allah said:

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ . وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ . فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ . أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ .

 يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ . أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ (البلد:11-16)

But he has not attempted to pass on the path that

 is steep (i.e., the path which will lead to goodness and

success). And what will make you know the path that is

steep? (It is) freeing a neck (slave). Or giving food in

a day of hunger (famine), to an orphan near of kin.

 Or to miskīn (needy) cleaving to dust

(out of misery).  (Q. 90:11-16)

          The Prophet s.a.w. said:

أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَلَى ذِي الرَّحِمِ الْكَاشِحِ (رواه أحمد وأبو داود والترمذي )

The best charity is to the relatives who harbor secret enmity.

(Reported by Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, and al-Tirmidhī)

4.    Charity to the neighbour. Allah advises Muslims to do good to people, among them are the neighbours. He says:

وَالْجَارِ ذِي القُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الجُنُبِ  (النساء:36)

…the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbour

 who is a stranger… (Q. 4:36)

The Prophet s.a.w. advised Abῡ Dharr, that if he makes a soup he should give more water to his soup to be shared by his neighbours.

5.    Charity to a friend who is in the path of Allah. The Prophet said:

أَفْضَلُ الدَّنَانِيرِ دِينَارٌ أَنْفَقَهُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ، وَدِينَارٌ أَنْفَقَهُ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ،

 وَدِينَارٌ أَنْفَقَهُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ (رواه أبو داؤد)

 The best dinars are: that which is spent by the man for his

 family,  for his animal in the path of Allah, and for his friend

In the path of Allah (Reported by Muslim)

6.    Charity for jihād in the path of Allah, as mentioned in many Qur’ānic verses:  (Q. 9:41, 88-89; 49:15; 57:10-11). 

7.    Perpetual charity (ṣadaqah jāriyah), which remains after the death of its giver, and with continuous reward. The Prophet said:

 إِذَا مَاتَ الْإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَمَلُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ ثَلَاثٍ: صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ، أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ،

 أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ (رواه الطبراني و ابن حبان و البيهقي) 

If a man dies his deed ceases except in three things: perpetual charity, knowledge from which people get benefit, and a son

 (daughter) who prays for him (Reported by al-Ṭabrānī,

Ibn Ḥibbān, and al-Bayhaqī)        

Some examples of perpetual charity are:  making public wells where their water is for everybody; building mosques, houses for orphans and widows, disseminating knowledge, etc. The Prophet s.a.w. said:

مَنْ بَنَى مَسْجِدًا  يَبْتَغِي بِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ  بَنَى اللهُ لَهُ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ (رواه البخاري ومسلم)

Whoever built a mosque, Allah will built a house for him in Paradise

(Reported by al-Bukhārī and Muslim)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إِنَّ مِمَّا يَلْحَقُ الْمُؤْمِنَ مِنْ

عَمَلِهِ وَحَسَنَاتِهِ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ عِلْمًا عَلَّمَهُ وَنَشَرَهُ، وَوَلَدًا صَالِحًا تَرَكَهُ، وَمُصْحَفًا وَرَّثَهُ،

 أَوْ مَسْجِدًا بَنَاهُ، أَوْ بَيْتًا لِابْنِ السَّبِيلِ بَنَاهُ، أَوْ نَهْرًا أَجْرَاهُ، أَوْ صَدَقَةً أَخْرَجَهَا مِنْ

مَالِهِ فِي صِحَّتِهِ وَحَيَاتِهِ، يَلْحَقُهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهِ (رواه ابن ماجة)

 Abu Hurayrah r.a. narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Verily, the good deeds   that follow a believer after his death

are knowledge he taught and  disseminated, or a pious son he left

 behind, or a mushaf of the Qur’ān he bequeathed,  or a mosque

he built, or a house for  wayfarers he built, or a stream he caused

to run, or charity he gave while he was healthy and alive, they

 will follow him after his death (Reported by Ibn Májah)

                                                                                      (CIVIC,  24.05.13)

Bibliography:

Al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah

ttp://majdah.maktoob.com/vb/majdah65284/

http://www.kalemat.org/sections.php?so=va&aid=425