Islam is a religion that inculcates optimistic values in our lives. These include love, hope, honesty, faith in Allah and peace. A value that reflects the finest human characteristics like generosity, kindness and benevolence is Sadaqah.
It is an act of giving charity as a proof of your eeman. If you want to gain Allah’s blessings, Sadaqah is the best way. When you give to the one in need, you get a sense of happiness and inner peace.
The Power and Importance of Sadaqah
Sadaqah has a literal meaning of righteousness. It is the virtuous deed of kindness which is done without expecting anything in return. Many of us think that Sadaqah can only be done through monetary aid. However, this is not true as it can be just a simple act of kindness to someone. For example, a gentle smile or giving a helping hand to someone.
Sadaqah is done with a genuine faith in the angels of Allah that they are counting the good deeds for granting mercy on the Day of Judgment. Sadaqah is one of the most rewarding acts but it needs sincere intentions to perform it.
If you give sadaqah it can help save you from the hell fire and give you rewards in this life and hereafter. Sadaqah is the path of righteousness and Allah protects his righteous people from illnesses and misfortune.
What is Sadaqah Jariyah?
Sadaqah-e-Jariyah is an act of long-term charity. It could be anything from sponsoring an orphan child to paying the school fees of a poor child. It can also be an act of planting crops or trees. These simple acts of kindness and charity can help you benefit from this life and the hereafter.
The greatest act of Sadaqah Jariyah is for the deceased and for parents. It will provide you protection from the hell fire and benefit you even after you pass away. You can give Sadaqah Jariyah to your parents or deceased parents by providing help in building mosques, providing assistance in the education of children, building a school or an orphanage and also providing a clean supply of water.
Different types of Sadaqah
Sadaqah does not have any specific rules or guidelines. Also, there are no financial requirements that have to be met. You can give Sadaqah to anyone who is in need. Similarly, anyone who is willing to give Sadaqah can donate it.
Sadaqah is donated with a beautiful aim to assist the community to have a decent living standard and attain the basic necessities of the needy. If you have a homeless person in your knowledge, a traveler who is lost, a neighbor who needs help or any person who is seeking help regarding something critical in their life, you must give Sadaqah to them.
There are different types of Sadaqah. You can give charity in Islam in various ways and not only by monetary means.
- Making dua for someone.
Dua is a great form of Sadaqah. By making dua for a loved one or someone who is in need you are doing a great sawab. It doesn’t matter if they are praying for you or not, you should always pray for others.
- Spreading Knowledge
Another form of Sadaqah is to spread knowledge to others who can or cannot afford it.
There is a great reward for this type of sadaqah.
- Giving Advice.
You can also give reasonable advice to someone who is younger than you as a form of Sadaqah.
- A warm smile.
Sadaqah can be performed as simply as passing a genuine smile to someone. A smile can always make things better for someone who has had a bad day. You should always smile while talking to others or greeting someone and even when you are in a meeting.
- Providing assistance.
Providing help to someone in need is also a form of Sadaqah and would be rewarded by Allah in unexpected ways.
- Giving your precious time.
Usually, people are unable to take out time for their parents and even others from their busy life. However, it is a form of Sadaqah to take out time for others.
- Nurturing Kids.
Raising and nurturing kids with good manners and values is a very important type of Sadaqah.
- Patience.
Sadaqah can be performed by being patient with others and is considered as one of the best kinds of charity.
- Talking gently.
You should always talk gently as it is a form of Sadaqah. Arrogance and being rude to others can hurt people and it is not liked by Allah.
- Forgiving someone.
By forgiving someone who is genuinely sorry is a form of sadaqah.
- Being Respectful.
You should always give respect to your fellow human beings, including the ones who are older than you and also the ones who are younger.
- Being Happy for others.
Being happy for someone without any jealousy is a great form of Sadaqah.
- Visiting someone who is ill.
When you visit someone who is sick, you are doing a great form of Sadaqah.
- Removing harmful things from the road.
Even removing harmful things from the pathway or road that could cause accidents is a great form of charity.
- Guiding a misled person.
Showing the right path to someone who is misguided is a great form of Sadaqah.
Conclusion
Sadaqah has a great reward in this life and hereafter. There are different forms of Sadaqah which we can perform in our daily lives and seek Allah’s reward. It is not necessary to give Sadaqah in monetary terms, you can also give it by small acts mentioned above.
