Sadaqah is the generic, all embracing term for charity and includes: alms giving, doing good deeds, being excellent, implementing reconciliation and justice, generosity, having goodness of heart, doing good to others, smiling, being courteous, exercising restraint, giving a helping hand, removing an obstacle from the path of anyone, being respectful, and, giving of our selves and our wealth – no matter how little according to our means. Indeed, the value of each ones giving and reward is measured according to each ones means.
Sadaqah has specific financial elements. Financial sadaqah includes Zakah and Fitra (compulsory on Muslims) and charities such as Waqf and Lillah which are voluntary forms of giving. We invite researchers and writers to submit detailed discussion papers on the subject of Sadaqah. Read the description of sadaqah below, as presented by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Sadaqa literally means truthfulness. The Qur’an refers to sadaqah broadly as to giving from ones possessions as an active expression of faith. The Prophet (s), on the other hand, referred to many acts of voluntary sadaqah, for example, smiling or kindness, as acts act of sadaqah. He also referred to sadaqah as zakah. “Inform them that Allah (swt) has prescribed on them sadaqah…” (Hadith quoted in al-Qardawi: 1999 343) Not all sadaqah is compulsory but prescribed sadaqah is zakah. Hence one also finds the zakah-al-fitr which is a compulsory levy which Muslims must pay before the I’d salaah for the benefit of the poor and indigent.
From the Holy Qur’ān:
“And establish regular Prayer (Salaat)
And give regular Zakah
And loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan”
Sura Muzammil 73:20
From the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):
1. Every good act is sadaqah (charity).
2. Doing justice between two people is sadaqah; and assisting a man upon his beast, and lifting his baggage, is sadaqah; and pure, comforting words are sadaqah; and answering a questioner with mildness, is sadaqah; and removing that which is an inconvenience to wayfarers, such as thorns and stones, is sadaqah.
3. Your smiling in your brother’s face, is sadaqah; and exhorting mankind to virtuous deeds, is sadaqah; and prohibiting the forbidden, is sadaqah; and your showing men the road, in the land in which they lose it, is sadaqah; and your assisting the blind, is sadaqah.
4. ‘A’isha (RA) said that Rasulullah (saw) said : “The deeds most loved by Allah swt (are those) done regularly, even if they are small”. ( Bukhari, Muslim )
5.
Whosoever revives my Sunnah has loved me, and whosoever loves me will be with me in Jannah. [Al-Tirmidhi]
By spreading knowlege of waqf and which results in the establishment of a waqf by that person, you are effectively reviving the sunnah of our beloved Prophet (S).
Narrated: Mundhir bin Jarir that his father said:
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Whoever introduces a good practice that is followed, he will receive its reward and a reward equivalent to that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their reward in the slightest. And whoever introduces a bad practice that is followed, he will receive its sin and a burden of sin equivalent to that of those who follow it, without that detracting from their burden in the slightest.
(Sahih)
Other inspiration:
“It is not when you give of your wealth that you truly give. It is only when you give of yourself that is when you truly give.” Khalil Gibran in The Prophet