As-Salama
Wealth and Sadaqah (Voluntary Charity),
Two Sides of the Same Coin
Islam is a religion which encourages us to give. Charity is the best investment a believer can ever make. Its dividend returns in akhirah (the Hereafter) are guaranteed, along with growth in multiples of what was invested.
The Qur’an specifies that the person who gives charity will be rewarded exponentially: “The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains” (ayat 261 of Surah Al-Baqarah). And a hadith (Prophetic saying) promises that “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be their charity.”
Charity in Islam takes many forms, but the 2 most essential are zakat (obligatory charity) and sadaqah (voluntary charity). Counted amongst the 5 pillars of Islam, zakat is a compulsory donation of a fixed amount once a year. Sadaqah, on the other hand, is an entirely voluntary act of kindness that need not be monetary aid but can be in any form, such as simply greeting someone with a smile or lending a helping hand, and it can be performed at any time of the year.
Prophet Muhammad outlined two types of sadaqah. Acts of sadaqah can be anything done as a one-off from donating money to the person dedicating time towards helping a worthwhile cause. Whereas sadaqah jariyah is a long-term kindness that accrues ongoing reward from God. They include:
-
Providing clean water, for example, by donating a water-well.
-
Sponsoring an orphan.
-
Planting trees and crops.
-
Building establishments such as schools, hospitals and masjids (mosques).
-
Providing free education.
The word ‘sadaqah’ literally means ‘righteousness’, and it refers to a virtuous deed done without expecting anything in return. Regarded as one of the most noble acts in Islam, its power comes from the intention of the donor to please Allah. Thus sadaqah can protect the righteous against calamities and hardships in life, and from hellfire in the Hereafter. According to another hadith, “Sadaqah extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire.”
