Question
I got gold from my husband and my parents. I kept tht gold for 10 years n paid zakat. I m not wel off person. I wanted to do charity rather thn paying zakat as sadqa ll save in akhairyat. So i dedicated my gold in children. N i don’t use that gold nor have attention to use i furture. I give sadqa as much as i can give for my next life. But some people make me upset by saying tht i m committing sin. Kindly guide me.. I m very happy as i m giving sadqa freely as kn zakat i have to give to special categories مصارف..
Kindly guide me.
Answer
It is recorded in a Hadith Qudsi that Allah said: “My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory (nafl) works so that I shall love him”.[1] Based on this, the jurisprudents hold obligatory actions to be greater in reward than supererogatory actions of the same kind.[2] Therefore, paying zakat is more rewarding than sadaqa; you fulfil responsibilities towards the poor and Allah through it.
One of the reasons offered for this difference is because obligatory actions are done in submission to Allah. One gives zakat because Allah has obligated them to do so, and thus, are only doing this deed in submission to Allah. On the other hand, sadaqa could include self-interest. Your intention to prepare for the Hereafter is inspiring; nonetheless, it is self-interest even if it is incredibly noble and virtuous. On the other hand, giving zakat is an act of submission to Allah – irrespective of one’s desires and agenda – and thus, submitting to Allah’s will returns the highest reward.
Nonetheless, your preparation for the hereafter is totally valid. This is something we all must think about. However, remember our actions are not counted; they are weighed. Suppose one does not have the means to give sadaqa in abundance. In that case, small amounts of sadaqa with sincerity will still weigh heavy on the scales. As the Prophet ﷺ said: “Save yourself from Hell-fire even by giving half a date in charity”.[3] Even the most negligible amounts of charity are significant in the Hereafter. In another hadith, it is reported that:
Some people from amongst the Companions of the Messenger of Allah said to the Prophet ﷺ, “O Messenger of Allah, the affluent have made off with the rewards; they pray as we pray, they fast as we fast, and they give [much] in charity by virtue of their wealth.” He ﷺ said, “Has not Allah made things for you to give in charity? Truly every tasbih [saying: ‘subhan-Allah’] is a charity, and every takbir [saying: ‘Allahu akbar’] is a charity, and every tahmid [saying: ‘al-hamdu lillah’] is a charity, and every tahlil [saying: ‘laa ilaha illAllah’] is a charity. And commanding the good is a charity, and forbidding an evil is a charity, and in the bud`i [sexual act] of each one of you there is a charity.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, when one of us fulfils his carnal desire will he have some reward for that?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Do you not see that if he were to act upon it [his desire] in an unlawful manner then he would be deserving of punishment? Likewise, if he were to act upon it in a lawful manner then he will be deserving of a reward”.[4]
Now, turning to the fiqh of your question, it is unclear what you mean by dedicating the gold to your children. If you mean that you have put aside the gold for them to give in the future, then this has no bearing on the transfer of ownership – the gold will still belong to you.[5] This is a common scenario where individuals merely earmark gold for their children. This has no effect in alleviating zakat obligations as it does not affect the transfer of ownership.
However, if you mean that the gold has been gifted to them, then children that have reached puberty must take possession of the gold for the transfer of ownership to take place. Possession would also be necessary for younger children also; however, the father will carry this responsibility. If the father is not alive, then this matter may be conferred to the mother if she has sole legal responsibility for the child.[6] Based on these rulings, if the transfer of ownership has not occurred, the gold will still belong to you, and you will be obligated to calculate it towards your zakat. If you have missed zakat payments, they should be backdated.
[1] صحيح البخاري (حديث 6502) حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، حَدَّثَنِي شَرِيكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي نَمِرٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي بِشَىْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَىَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطُشُ بِهَا وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنِ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لأُعِيذَنَّهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَىْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ الْمُؤْمِنِ، يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ
[2] التقرير والتحبير علي تحرير الكمال بن الهمام» (2/ 106):ثُمَّ بَعْد هَذَا كُلِّهِ لَا خَفَاءَ فِي أَنَّ الْفَرْضَ مِنْ كُلِّ جِنْسٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ نَفْلِ
[3] صحيح البخاري (حديث 1417) حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَعْقِلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَدِيَّ بْنَ حَاتِمٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ اتَّقُوا النَّارَ وَلَوْ بِشِقِّ تَمْرَةٍ “.
[4] الصحيح لمسلم (حديث 1006) حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَسْمَاءَ الضُّبَعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَهْدِيُّ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَاصِلٌ، مَوْلَى أَبِي عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَعْمَرَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَسْوَدِ الدِّيلِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي، ذَرٍّ أَنَّ نَاسًا، مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالُوا لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ذَهَبَ أَهْلُ الدُّثُورِ بِالأُجُورِ يُصَلُّونَ كَمَا نُصَلِّي وَيَصُومُونَ كَمَا نَصُومُ وَيَتَصَدَّقُونَ بِفُضُولِ أَمْوَالِهِمْ . قَالَ ” أَوَلَيْسَ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مَا تَصَّدَّقُونَ إِنَّ بِكُلِّ تَسْبِيحَةٍ صَدَقَةً وَكُلِّ تَكْبِيرَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَكُلِّ تَحْمِيدَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَكُلِّ تَهْلِيلَةٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَأَمْرٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ صَدَقَةٌ وَنَهْىٌ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَفِي بُضْعِ أَحَدِكُمْ صَدَقَةٌ ” . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيَأْتِي أَحَدُنَا شَهْوَتَهُ وَيَكُونُ لَهُ فِيهَا أَجْرٌ قَالَ ” أَرَأَيْتُمْ لَوْ وَضَعَهَا فِي حَرَامٍ أَكَانَ عَلَيْهِ فِيهَا وِزْرٌ فَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا وَضَعَهَا فِي الْحَلاَلِ كَانَ لَهُ أَجْرٌ ” .
[5] الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي» (3/ 222): وتصح بالإيجاب والقبول والقبض” أما الإيجاب والقبول فلأنه عقد، والعقد ينعقد بالإيجاب، والقبول، والقبض لا بد منه لثبوت الملك» وقال مالك: يثبت الملك فيه قبل القبض اعتبارا بالبيع، وعلى هذا الخلاف الصدقة. ولنا قوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: “لا تجوز الهبة إلا مقبوضة
[6] «الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي» (3/ 224): قال: “وإذا وهب الأب لابنه الصغير هبة ملكها الابن بالعقد”؛ لأنه في قبض الأب فينوب عن قبض الهبة، ولا فرق بين ما إذا كان في يده أو في يد مودعه؛ لأن يده كيده، بخلاف ما إذا كان مرهونا أو مغصوبا أو مبيعا بيعا فاسدا؛ لأنه في يد غيره أو في ملك غيره، والصدقة في هذا مثل الهبة، وكذا إذا وهبت له أمه وهو في عيالها والأب ميت ولا وصي له، وكذلك كل من يعوله»
«العناية شرح الهداية – بهامش فتح القدير ط الحلبي» (9/ 33):وَقُيِّدَ بِمَوْتِ الْأَبِ وَعَدَمِ الْوَصِيِّ لِأَنَّ عِنْدَ وُجُودِهِمَا لَيْسَ لَهَا وِلَايَةُ الْقَبْضِ»
«البناية شرح الهداية» (10/ 177): م: (في عيالها والأب ميت ولا وصي له) ش: هاتان الجملتان أيضًا حال، قيد بقوله: في عيالها؛ ليكون لها عليه نوع ولاية، وقيد بموت الأب وعدم الوصي لأن عند وجودهما ليس لها ولاية القبض»
Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel