Question
Is giving sadqah each morning a misconception associated with certain cultures, in that it will help you in some way during that day? Is there any authentic Hadith supporting this?
Following this, if I make intention to give sadqah each day however this takes the form of having a set amount deposited each month for example, in the form of a monthly direct debit to an online charity, meaning I know an estimate of what I will set aside each month/year, does this reduce the purpose/blessing of sadqah when compared to giving a random amount each day?
What is the best method/s of giving sadqah ?
Answer
We are not aware of any specific narration which mentions that giving charity everyday will help a person throughout the day. However, there are narrations which speak about the general benefits of giving charity and one can deduce from them that if one was to donate on a regular basis they will regularly benefit in the different ways highlighted in the narrations.
Below are some of the virtues of giving charity:
- Charity is from the most beloved and virtuous actions in the site of Allah the Almighty.
- Charity raises the rank of a person.
- Charity removes difficulty and hardship.
- Charity is extremely rewarding.
- Charity results in the forgiveness of sins.
- Charity extinguishes the anger of Allah the Almighty.
- Charity averts bad death.
Hence, if a person is charitable on a regular basis it is hoped that they will receive these benefits.
We do not see any reason why setting up a direct debit would reduce the reward of giving in charity. In fact, the benefit of setting up a direct debit would be that donations are still made from you even if you yourself forget to make a donation.
The best form of charity is to be charitable to one’s relatives as that strengthens the relationship between family members in addition to just being charitable. Also, those charitable acts should be adopted that continue to give long term benefit. For example, digging a well, planting fruit trees, donating Qur’ans and other Islamic literatures, building Masjids and Islamic institutions, etc. Even if the donor passes away, they will continue to gain reward for as long as individuals benefit from their donations.
سنن الترمذي ت بشار (4/ 140)
عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الطَّائِيِّ أَبِي البَخْتَرِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو كَبْشَةَ الأَنَّمَارِيُّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ثَلاَثَةٌ أُقْسِمُ عَلَيْهِنَّ وَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ حَدِيثًا فَاحْفَظُوهُ قَالَ: مَا نَقَصَ مَالُ عَبْدٍ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ، وَلاَ ظُلِمَ عَبْدٌ مَظْلِمَةً فَصَبَرَ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ زَادَهُ اللَّهُ عِزًّا، وَلاَ فَتَحَ عَبْدٌ بَابَ مَسْأَلَةٍ إِلاَّ فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بَابَ فَقْرٍ أَوْ كَلِمَةً نَحْوَهَا وَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ حَدِيثًا فَاحْفَظُوهُ قَالَ: إِنَّمَا الدُّنْيَا لأَرْبَعَةِ نَفَرٍ، عَبْدٍ رَزَقَهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً وَعِلْمًا فَهُوَ يَتَّقِي فِيهِ رَبَّهُ، وَيَصِلُ فِيهِ رَحِمَهُ، وَيَعْلَمُ لِلَّهِ فِيهِ حَقًّا، فَهَذَا بِأَفْضَلِ الْمَنَازِلِ، وَعَبْدٍ رَزَقَهُ اللَّهُ عِلْمًا وَلَمْ يَرْزُقْهُ مَالاً فَهُوَ صَادِقُ النِّيَّةِ يَقُولُ: لَوْ أَنَّ لِي مَالاً لَعَمِلْتُ بِعَمَلِ فُلاَنٍ فَهُوَ بِنِيَّتِهِ فَأَجْرُهُمَا سَوَاءٌ، وَعَبْدٍ رَزَقَهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً وَلَمْ يَرْزُقْهُ عِلْمًا، فَهُوَ يَخْبِطُ فِي مَالِهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ لاَ يَتَّقِي فِيهِ رَبَّهُ، وَلاَ يَصِلُ فِيهِ رَحِمَهُ، وَلاَ يَعْلَمُ لِلَّهِ فِيهِ حَقًّا، فَهَذَا بِأَخْبَثِ الْمَنَازِلِ، وَعَبْدٍ لَمْ يَرْزُقْهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً وَلاَ عِلْمًا فَهُوَ يَقُولُ: لَوْ أَنَّ لِي مَالاً لَعَمِلْتُ فِيهِ بِعَمَلِ فُلاَنٍ فَهُوَ بِنِيَّتِهِ فَوِزْرُهُمَا سَوَاءٌ.
المعجم الأوسط (1/ 289)
عَنْ بَهْزِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ صَدَقَةَ السِّرِّ تُطْفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ، وَإِنَّ صَنَائِعَ الْمَعْرُوفِ تَقِي مَصَارِعَ السَّوْءِ، وَإِنَّ صِلَةَ الرَّحِمِ تَزِيدُ فِي الْعُمُرِ، وَتَقِي الْفَقْرَ. وَأَكْثِرُوا مِنْ قَوْلِ: لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا وَقُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، فَإِنَّهَا كَنْزٌ مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ فِيهَا شِفَاءً مِنْ تِسْعَةٍ وَتِسْعِينَ دَاءً، أَدْنَاهَا الْهَمُّ
صحيح مسلم (2/ 702)
عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَا تَصَدَّقَ أَحَدٌ بِصَدَقَةٍ مِنْ طَيِّبٍ، وَلَا يَقْبَلُ اللهُ إِلَّا الطَّيِّبَ، إِلَّا أَخَذَهَا الرَّحْمَنُ بِيَمِينِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ تَمْرَةً، فَتَرْبُو فِي كَفِّ الرَّحْمَنِ حَتَّى تَكُونَ أَعْظَمَ مِنَ الْجَبَلِ، كَمَا يُرَبِّي أَحَدُكُمْ فَلُوَّهُ أَوْ فَصِيلَهُ
Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel