Islam
calls upon the individual to spend freely in ways that please the heart of the
donor, and evoke generosity, goodness, reverence, and obedience to Allah:
Zakat
ut-Tatawwu or Voluntary Sadaqah in the Qur’an
Allah,
the Exalted One, says: “The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way
of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it grows seven ears, and each ear has a
hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases; Allah cares
for all and knows all things” [al-Baqarah 261].
“By
no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give freely of that which
you love, and whatever you give, Allah knows it well” [al’Imran 92].
“And
spend from what We have made you heir. For those of you who believe and spend,
for them is a great reward” [al-Hadid 7].
Zakat
ut-Tatawwu or Voluntary Sadaqah in the Hadith
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “Sadaqah appeases the anger of
the Lord and wards off the agony of death.”
It
is similarly related that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said:
“The sadaqah of the Muslim increases during his lifetime. It also softens the
agony of death, and through it, Allah takes away arrogance and vanity.”
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “There is not a day in which the
obedient servants rise in the morning or two angels descend, and one of them
says: ‘O Allah! Compensate the one who spends freely.’ The other angel says: ‘O
Allah! Let an Annihilation come upon the one who is niggardly.’ “This is
related by Muslim.
The
Messenger of Allah, (SAW), said: “Acts of kindness protect one from ruin
wrought by evil. Sadaqah given secretly appeases the anger of the Lord, and a
gift to strengthen the ties of relationship increases one’s life span. All good
deeds are sadaqah, and those who do acts of kindness in this world are also the
same people in the other world. Those who do misdeeds in this world are the
same people in the other world. The first of those who shall enter Paradise are
the people who do acts of kindness.” This is related by at-Tabarani in
al-Awsat. Manzhiri does not mention it.
Types
of Sadaqah
Sadaqah
is not restricted to any special deed of righteousness. The general rule is
that all good deeds are sadaqah. Some of them are as follows:
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “Every Muslim has to give
sadaqah.” The people asked: “O Prophet of Allah, what about the one who has
nothing?” He said: “He should work with his hands to give sadaqah.” They asked:
“If he cannot find [work]?” He replied: “He should help the needy who ask for
help.” They asked: “If he cannot do that?” He replied: “He should then do good
deeds and shun evil, for this will be taken as sadaqah.” This is related by
al-Bukhari and others.
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “Sadaqah is prescribed for every
person every day the sun rises. To administer justice between two people is
sadaqah. To assist a man upon his mount so that he may ride it is sadaqah. To
place his luggage on the animal is sadaqah. To remove harm from the road is
sadaqah. A good word is sadaqah. Each step taken toward prayer is sadaqah.”
This is related by Ahmad and others.
Abu
Zhar al-Ghafari said: “The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said:
‘Sadaqah is for every person every day the sun rises.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of
Allah, upon whom be peace, from what do we give sadaqah if we do not possess
property?’ He said: ‘The doors of sadaqah are takbir [i.e., to say:
Allahu-akbar, Allah is Great]; Subhan-Allah [Allah is free from imperfection];
Alhamdulillah [all praise is for Allah]; La -ilaha-illallah [there is no god
other than Allah]; Astaghfirul-lah [I seek forgiveness from Allah]; enjoining
good; forbidding evil; removing thorns, bones, and stones from the paths of
people; guiding the blind; listening to the deaf and dumb until you understand
them; guiding a person to his object of need if you know where it is; hurrying
with the strength of your legs to one in sorrow who is appealing for help; and
supporting the weak with the strength of your arms. These are all the doors of
sadaqah. [The sadaqah] from you is prescribed for you, and there is a reward
for you [even] in sex with your wife.’ “This is related by Ahmad, and the
wording is his. According to Muslim, they said: “O Messenger of Allah, upon
whom be peace, is there a reward if one satisfies his passion?” He said: “Do
you know that if he satisfies it unlawfully he has taken a sin upon himself?
Likewise, if he satisfies it lawfully, he is rewarded.”
It
is related following Abu Zhar that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace,
said: “Sadaqah is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun
rises.” It was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, from what do
we give sadaqah every day?” He said: “The doors of goodness are many--the
tasbih [to say ‘Subhaan-Allah’], the tamhid [to say ‘Alhamdu lillah’], the
tahlil [to say ‘Lailaha-illallah], enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing
harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to
the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one’s legs to one in
sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of
one’s arms--all of these are sadaqah prescribed for you.” This is related by
Ibn Hibban in his Sahih. Al-Bukhari related it in a shortened form and added in
his report: “Your smile for your brother is sadaqah. Your removal of stones,
thorns, or bones from the paths of people is sadaqah. Your guidance of a person
who is lost is sadaqah.”
The
Messenger of Allah also said: “He from among you who is able to protect himself
from the Fire should give sadaqah, even if but with half a date. If he does not
find it, then with a good word.”
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “Allah, the Majestic and Mighty,
shall say on the Day of Judgment: ‘O son of man! I was ill and you did not
visit me.’ He will reply: ‘O my Lord! How could I visit You and You are the
Lord of the Worlds?’ Allah shall say: ‘Did you not know that My slave,
so-and-so, was ill and you did not visit him? If you had visited him, you would
have found Me with him. O son of man! I asked you for food and you did not give
it to me.’ He will reply: ‘O my Lord! How could I give You food--You are the
Lord of the Worlds?’ Allah shall say: ‘Did you not know that My slave, so
and-so, asked you for food and you did not give it to him? Did you not know
that if you had given the food, you would have found that with Me? O son of
man! I asked you to quench My thirst and you did not.’ He will say: ‘O my Lord!
How could I quench Your thirst--You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ Allah shall
say: ‘My slave, so-and-so, asked you to quench his thirst and you did not. If
you had given him to drink, you would have found that with Me.’ “ This is
related by Muslim.
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “A Muslim does not plant or sow
anything from which a person, an animal, or anything eats but it is considered
as sadaqah from him.” This is related by al-Bukhari.
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “Every good deed is sadaqah. To
meet your brother with a smiling face and to pour out from your bucket into his
container are sadaqah.”
Those
Who Have Precedence for Receiving Sadaqah
One’s
children, family, and relatives have precedence over others. It is not
permissible to give sadaqah to a stranger when you and your dependents are in
need of it.
It
is related from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said:
“When one of you is poor, he starts with himself. If anything is left, he
spends it on his dependents. If anything is (still left) then on his relatives,
and then, if more is left, he spends it here and there.”
The
Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: “Give sadaqah.” A man said: “I
have a dinar.” He replied: “Give it to yourself as sadaqah.” He said: “I have
another dinar.” He replied: “Give it to your wife as sadaqah.” He said: “I have
another dinar.” He replied: “Give it to your child as sadaqah.” He said: “I
have another dinar.” He replied: “Give it to your servant as sadaqah.” He said:
“I have another dinar.” He replied: “You would be able to assess better [to
whom to give it].” This is related by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa’i, and Hakim. Hakim
grades it as authentic.
The
Messenger of Allah (SAW), said: “A man has sinned enough if he neglects to feed
those in need.” This is related by Muslim and Abu Dawud.
Also:
“The most excellent sadaqah is that given to a relative who does not like you.”
This is related by at-Tabarani and Hakim. The latter grades it authentic.
The
Invalidation of Sadaqah
It
is unlawful for the one giving sadaqah to remind the recipient of his
generosity, to reproach him, or to make a show with his sadaqah. Allah warns:
“O you who believe! Do not invalidate your sadaqah by reminders of your
generosity or by injury, like those who spend their property to be seen by men”
[al-Baqarah 264].
The
Messenger of Allah, (SAW), said: “There are three [types of people]. Allah
shall not speak to them, notice them, or sanctify them; and for them is a grievous
penalty.” Abu Zhar inquired: “O Messenger of Allah, who are the ones gone wrong
and astray?” He replied: “Those who through conceit lengthen their garments to
make them hang on the ground, who give nothing without reproach, and who sell
their merchandise swearing untruthfully [to its quality].”
Giving
what is Unlawful as Sadaqah
Allah
does not accept sadaqah if it is from what is unlawful: The Messenger of Allah,
upon whom be peace, said: “O people! Allah is good and accepts only good, and
He has instructed the believers through the Messengers. Allah, the Mighty and
the Majestic, says: ‘O Messengers! Consume what is good and work righteously. I
am well-acquainted with what you do’ [al-Mu’minum 51].” He also calls upon
[you]: ‘O you who believe! Consume of the good that We have provided for you’
[al-Baqarah 172]. Then [the Messenger] mentioned a man who had traveled for a
long time. Unkempt and covered in dust, he raised his hands to the heavens (and
cried): ‘O my Lord! O my Lord!’ His food was unlawful, his drink was unlawful,
his clothing was unlawful, and what he had provided to sustain himself with was
also unlawful. How could his invocation be accepted?” This is related by
Muslim.
Also:
“If one gives a date bought from honestly earned money (and Allah accepts only
good), Allah accepts it in His right hand and enlarges [its rewards] for its
owner (as one rears his foal) until it becomes as big as a mountain.” This is
related by al-Bukhari.
Sadaqah
of the wife from the property of her husband
It
is permissible for the wife to give sadaqah from her husband’s holdings if she
knows that he would not mind. However, it is unlawful if she is not sure of
this: It is related from ‘Aishah that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be
peace, said: “When a wife gives something as sadaqah from the food of her home
without causing any waste, she will get the reward for what she has given. Her
husband will be rewarded for what he has earned, and the keeper (if any) will
be similarly rewarded. The one does not reduce the reward of the other in any
way.” This is related by al-Bukhari.
Abu
Umamah reports that he had heard the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace,
saying in a sermon during the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage: “The wife should
not spend anything from the household of her husband without his permission.”
He asked: “O Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace! Not food either?” He said:
“That is the most excellent of our holdings.” This is related by at-Tirmizhi
who graded it Hassan.
Of
small things which she is in the habit of giving, no permission from her
husband is called for: It is related from Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr, that she
said to the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace: “Zubair is a well-off man.
A man in need approached me and I gave him sadaqah from my husband’s household
without his permission.” The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said:
“Give what you are in the habit of giving of what is small, and do not store
property away, for Allah shall withhold his blessings from you.” This is
related by Ahmad, al-Bukhari, and Muslim.
Permissibility
of Giving Sadaqah of All One’s Property
For
one who is fit and capable of earning his living, giving sadaqah of all his
property is permissible.
‘Umar
reports: “The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, instructed us to give
sadaqah, and it applied to my property. I said: ‘Today I shall better Abu Bakr.
I have never bettered him.’ Then I brought half my property. The Messenger of
Allah, upon whom be peace, said: ‘What did you leave for your family?’ I said:
‘An amount like this.’ Abu Bakr came with all his property, and the Messenger
of Allah, upon whom be peace, asked: ‘What did you leave for your family?’ He
said: ‘I have left Allah and His Messenger, upon whom be peace, for them.’ Then
I said: ‘I shall never better you in anything.’” This is related by Abu Dawud
and atTirmizhi. The latter grades it authentic.
Giving
all of one’s property in sadaqah
The
jurists says that giving all of one’s property in sadaqah is permissible
provided the donor is fit, earning, and steadfast, not in debt, nor has
dependents for whom adequate support from him is obligatory. If he does not
fulfil these conditions, then his action is makruh.
Jabir
narrated: “While we were with the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, a man
came with what was like an egg of gold. He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I
obtained this from buried treasure, so take it. It is sadaqah, and I do not
possess anything other than it.’ The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace,
turned away from him and he [the man] then approached him from the direction of
his left side. The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, then turned away
from him again and he approached him from behind. Then the Messenger of Allah,
upon whom be peace, took it and threw it at him. If it had hit him, it would
have injured him. Then he said: ‘One of you comes with all his property to make
sadaqah, then after [giving all he had] he sits [by the road] begging from the
people. Sadaqah is given by the one who is rich.’ “This is related by Abu Dawud
and Hakim. The latter said: “It is authentic according to the stipulation of
Muslim. In its transcription is Muhammad ibn Ishaq.” To be Continued
