Charitable Giving and its Benefits

 Islamic Aid Sadaqah | Charitable Giving and its Benefits

Allah is the creator of this universe and all praise is due to Allah Almighty. We do good deeds for pleasing Allah (SWT) and seek His aid and forgiveness. We can please Allah by doing good deeds which He mentioned in Quran and our beloved Prophet (SAW) practically did in his life. One of the good deeds is the Islamic aid Sadaqah that is a charitable giving to poor and needy people for the sake of Allah (SWT) from your wealth.

The Islamic aid Sadaqah is something that has been given a great deal of importance in Islam because it leading to an ultimate goal that is to help needy and poor people. Islamic aid Sadaqah a charitable giving is to undertake a highly preached, highly emphasized and highly encouraged act in Islam. 

We as a Muslim should give Sadaqah to help poor people. Sadaqah charitable giving is something that Allah (SWT) and the last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) talked about in great detail. There is a Sadaqah for everything, and it is the spiritual duty of every Muslim to commence this task in every possible way. In its simplest form, even passing a friendly smile to someone is considered to be a Sadaqah.

Importance of Sadaqah

Islam greatly emphasizes the importance of doing good to others. Allah SWT says in the Holy Quran: “And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allah is appreciative and Knowing.” (Quran, 2: 158). Every action of righteousness in Islam is considered as Sadaqah, which is derived from the Arabic root word, Sadq (truth).

Its literal meaning is to expend from one`s possessions and abilities in the way of the Almighty Lord. Islamic aid Sadaqah is the necessary factor of a believer`s faith through which it seeks the pleasure of the Creator of the world Almighty Allah by charitable giving or helping out the poor and others who are in a state of need.

In another verse Allah (SWT) mentioned in Holy Quran: “And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good – those will have the good consequence of [this] home” (Quran, 13: 22).

From this verse we can conclude that the Gracious Almighty Allah describes the excellent qualities of His true believers, who are always forgiving, constantly looking for His favors, offer Salah, spend from their wealth and remove lawlessness through good manners. Such believers are granted a great reward in Jannah.

We have so many examples from the life of our beloved Prophet (SAW) regarding to Islamic aid Sadaqah as Ibn al-Qayyim stated in Zādul Ma’ād regarding our Messenger Muhammad (SAW) that he was the most generous of people in charitable giving, and that he did not think anything too valuable or anything too insignificant to give in charity.

Rather if anyone was to ask for something then he (SAW) would give it to them. Whether it was little or whether it was great. His happiness and his joy in giving were greater than the joy of the one who was receiving that charity from him. This shows the tremendous faith that Allah’s Messenger (SAW) had. This is because he hoped for the reward from Allah Almighty, and he took happiness in helping others and giving in Islamic aid Sadaqah the charitable giving.

So we also should follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and took part in helping others by charitable giving in hope to get the reward from Almighty Allah. We have types of Sadaqah which we will discuss below:

Types of Sadaqah | Charitable Giving

According to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) traditions, we are discussing some types of Sadaqah which are as follows:
Every Action of Goodness is Sadaqah: This Saying of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) clarifies that every act of modesty is Sadaqah.

Narrated Abu Musa (RA) that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Every Muslim has to give in sadaqah (charity).” The people asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (PBUH)! If someone has nothing to give, what will he do?” He (PBUH) 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 (PBUH) replied, “Then he should help the needy who appeal for help.” Then the people asked, “If he cannot do that?” He (PBUH) 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.” (Sahih Bukhari). Every good deed that benefits one or other in some way is considered to be important because it leads towards righteous life.

Making Dua for Others: If someone is just praying for someone who asked for making Dua and also for those whom you care about and love is also included in Sadaqah.
Giving a Good Advice to Other Person: Giving wise advice to your younger siblings or people who are younger than you and also to your friends is also comes in Sadaqah.

Prophet (SAW) said: “To guide a person in a place where he cannot get astray is charity.” (Bukhari). It shows that giving a good advice to a less knowledgeable individual in such a way that it would lead to its getting the desired outcome from that advice is also a deed equal to charity.

To smile at your Muslim Brother:

 Put a smile on your face while talking, meeting and greeting the people you meet is Sadaqah. Prophet (SAW) said: “To smile in the company of your brother is charity” (Bukhari). So we can say a simple action of smiling in the face of other Muslim fellow is also a kind of charity. As it promotes friendliness and gives the other person a reason to be happy.

Pouring Water for Muslim Fellow: Putting a little effort in giving someone else to drink water is also a charitable giving. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “To pour water from your jug into the jug of your brother is charity.”

To Stop from Evil: 1One should not only keep on doing acts of morality itself but also prevent others from doing wrong, as these both are types of Sadaqah, which result in attaining great blessings from the Most Beneficent. Also, don’t plan the bad thing, do not hurt or kill any living thing. Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) said: “To command to do good deeds and to prevent others from doing evil is charity.” (Bukhari)

 Benefits of Sadaqah

Best Investment with Allah (SWT) as Sadaqah is being stored as giving a loan to Him, Who will surely multiply the effect of this credit given to Him by many folds.
It is ultimately an investment for the hereafter as in Quran Allah said: “And those who are patient and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good – those will have the good consequence of [this] home” (Quran 13:22)

It is a source of forgiveness of sins as the Prophet (SAW) says, “Charity extinguishes sins just as water extinguishes fire”(Tirmidhi).
It is an ultimate source of attaining the pleasure of Almighty Allah. “Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (Quran 2:274)

It protects from tragedies as Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said: “Give the Sadaqah without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” (Tirmidhi 1887)
A person keeps on reaping benefits from it even after its death.

Sadaqah is actually an ongoing process that includes every act of goodness and uprightness, which ultimately results in attaining the Pleasure of Allah SWT and earning great rewards and blessings from Him.