Part 9 of Preparation for the month of The Glorious Quran article series - Charitable acts.1/3/2022 Dear brothers and sisters,
How are you all? We are weeks away from the blessed month of Ramadan. How does it feel? I am so excited! The best time throughout the year for me. This week, we will be discussing charitable acts. What does it mean to be charitable? Being charitable is about giving and is an important aspect of a character. It unites people together to build a community with respect, support and goodwill towards another. You may or may not know who you are giving or helping but it does not stop someone to be generous no matter how small the act is. So please do not underestimate yourself. It is never about the time, but the intention and quality of the act. It is enthusiasm that drives one’s energy. Love is the fuel. Encouragement and care are what allow it to flow. Being authentic let the action be less viscous and never dry up. It is the skills and talent that allows one to be passionate to give and share. Al-Numan Ibn Bashir (may Allah have mercy upon him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari 6011, and Muslim 2586] Being charitable is inviting one another to do good, Allah (The Most High) says in the Quran: “And let there be among you [a] people inviting to the good [and] enjoining the right, and forbidding from the wrong, and those - they (are) the successful ones.” [Quran, Surah Ale Imran (The Family of Imran), 3:104] A more simplified form of charity is to give a smile. No matter what the season is like, brightening a day with a simple Salaam or Good morning or asking how are you? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Your smile for your brother is a charity. Your removal of stones, thorns or bones from the paths of people is a charity. Your guidance of a person who is lost is a charity.” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari] In another hadith, The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A charity is due for every joint in each person on every day the sun comes up: to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it, is a charity; a good word is a charity, and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari, Muslim] Other charitable acts are teaching knowledge, looking after the sick, looking after the environment and giving to those who struggle financially to buy food, clean water, build a home, and many other examples. The true definition of poor or poverty is not the one who does not have the finance but the one who is not content. Some people in the world have plenty of money but have not sought happiness. However, other people are happy with the simplest things because their hearts are filled with gratitude, faith, having the necessities and a family that loves. When there is an opportunity to give, there is no need to roll the eyes or have an attitude of ‘here it goes again’. Instead, be positive, gives what you can and see it as an opportunity to do good. Be and set an example. How do you know what you gave previously accepted by the Almighty? We do not know what our ticket to Jannah is. We just got to keep striving and giving. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The upper hand is better than the lower hand (he who gives is better than him who takes). One should start giving first to his dependents. The best object of charity is that which is given by a wealthy person (from the money 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.” [Hadith, Al-Bukhari] In another hadith, it states: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) 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.” [Hadith, Al-Tirmidhi] “Those who spend their wealth [in Allah's way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly - they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.” [Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow, verse 274] If you cannot give, then supplicate that they may find ease. Do not underestimate the power of dua (supplication). If you can give, give what you can. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Save yourself from hellfire by giving even half a date-fruit in charity." [Hadith, Al-Al-Bukhari, 498] Allah (The Most High) states: “Allah does not require of any soul more than what it can afford. All goodwill be for its benefit, and all evil will be to its loss. ˹The believers pray,˺ “Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place a burden on us like the one you placed on those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our ˹only˺ Guardian. So grant us victory over the disbelieving people.” [Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow), Verse 286] The chain of giving charity will never end? Why? There are so many people out there that are unfortunate in the under-developed countries around the world that have no access to clean water, food, sustainable jobs to maintain independence, access to education, access to healthcare and learn skills, shelter and other acts. Imagine a world where every home across the continents has the basic requirements such as food, clean water, shelter and access to education and healthcare? Why is it a basic person like me has this mindset? A heart moves when it is alive. A dead heart sees something wrong and does not do anything about it. Every little help. I hope this happens one day, it aches for me to see photos of the young, the old on different continents to make ends meet. Spread good. Do not spread evil like a virus or brainwash people from being good and giving good. When there is a balance in the world economy and everyone is treated like human beings rather than a hierarchy, we never know the true sense of community. Islam teaches to give charity regardless of whether they are Muslim or not. Islam is about peace, bringing peace and acting with peace. What more does one need in their life more than peace? Why give charity? 1. The shade on the Day of Judgement. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” [Hadith, Al-Tirmidhi] This implies that helping others and giving charity will help us during our accountment with Allah (The Most High). 2. Protect one from calamity. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” [Hadith, Al-Tirmidhi] How to give charity in the form of money? There are two types of charity: Zakat (obligatory charity) and Sadaqa (voluntary charity) given for the sake of Allah (The Most High). Zakat is the third of the five pillars of Islam after testimony that there is no God but Allah (The Most High) and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last messenger - the Shahadah. The second pillar is prayer. There is a standard percentage, 2.5% from one’s wealth to give to those in need. This is a form of purification to help the less fortunate. Sadaqah is associated with charitable acts where some rewards are ongoing and some are not. The scholars have said that giving food to someone unfortunate, sponsoring orphans, taking care of the elderly is not considered an ongoing charity [Islam Q and A] One type of sadaqah is known as Sadaqa jariyah which involves endowment (waqf) [Al-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim 11/85 and Al-Khatib Asharbini in Mughni Al-Muhtaj 3/522-523]. It is an ongoing form of charity where one gets the reward in the life and even after when they pass away by helping others. Amongst the examples of sadaqah jariya are building a well, mosque, helping build an orphanage, distributing Quran, planting trees, shelter for the needy. It rewards the donor and the recipient, especially creating sustainable jobs as long as it helps or continues to benefit the people the more they use it. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “When a person dies his works end, except for three: ongoing charity, the knowledge that is benefited from, and a righteous child who prays for him.” [Hadith, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi] In another hadith, narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah have mercy upon him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Among the good deeds the reward of which will reach a believer after his death are: knowledge which he learned and then spread; a righteous son whom he leaves behind; a copy of the Quran that he leaves as a legacy; a mosque that he built; a house that he built for wayfarers; a canal that he dug; or charity that he gave during his lifetime when he was in good health. These deeds will reach him after his death.” [Hadith, Ibn Majah, 242] Overall, there are different types of charitable acts that can be done throughout the year and more rewards during Ramadan. Please do not estimate its significance, do what you can, give what you can, have a balance, do it for Allah's sake and pray for acceptance from the Almighty. Take the first step. Reference: Islam Q and A Islamicfinder.org UKIM
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