Sadaqah or voluntary charity has been recommended upon Muslims as a means to thank Allah and protect themselves from unexpected problems. It also helps the society by providing help to the needy and putting piety in the heart of the people who give charity.
I read this funny news:
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With the collapse of the world's banking system, an Israeli woman's decision to keep her life savings in her mattress must have seemed like a wise one. But it came back to haunt her when her daughter threw the mattress out – along with $1m (£611,000) stuffed into the lining.
Security guards have been placed on landfill sites in Tel Aviv to keep treasure hunters away, as word spread in Israel of what must be the worst exchange since Aladdin's battered old magic lantern was swapped for a shiny new one. The daughter, identified only as Anat, generously bought her mother a new mattress on Sunday, and got rid of the old one.
Anat, who did not want to reveal her full name, told Israeli radio that she had wanted to surprise her mother. She was shattered wto learn that her mother had banked all her savings in that most traditional of hiding places. She immediately rushed off to retrieve the mattress – only to discover the rubbish had already been collected.
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Coming back to the topic, here are some Hadith's on Sadaqah:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: “If one gives sadaqah as equal as one date-fruit from the honestly earned money, and Allah accepts only the honestly earned money, Allah takes it in His right (hand) and then enlarges its reward for that person (who has given it), as anyone of you brings up his baby horse, so much so that it becomes as big as a mountain” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
"That you should give charity (in a state when you are) healthy, closefisted, haunted by the fear of poverty and hoping to become rich (charity in such a state of health and mind is the best). And you must not defer (charity to such a length) that you are about to die and would be saying: This is for so and so, and this is for so and so. Lo, it has already come into (the possession of so and so)." (Muslim)
Even the money that a person spends on his family counts as charity if his intention is for Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "When a Muslim spends on his family seeking reward for it from Allah, it counts for him as charity." ( Muslim)
In fact, Prophet Muhammad told his followers that sadaqah (voluntary charity) is incumbent upon them every single day. But this sadaqah can take many forms:
"There is a (compulsory) sadaqah (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) everyday the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as sadaqah; and to help a man concerning his riding animal, by helping him to mount it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as sadaqah; and (saying) a good word is also sadaqah; and every step taken on one's way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is also sadaqah; and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also sadaqah." (Al-Bukhari)
The Prophet said, "Giving charity is obligatory upon each Muslim." It was asked, "What do you say of him who does not find (the means) to do so?" He said, "Let him do manual work, thus doing benefit to himself and give charity." It was asked, "What about one who does not have (the means) to do so?" He said, "Then let him assist the needy, the aggrieved." It was asked, "What do you say of one who cannot even do this?" He said, "Then he should enjoin what is reputable or what is good." He asked, "What if he cannot do that?" He (the Prophet) said, "He should then abstain from evil, for verily that is charity on his behalf." (Muslim)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “A man expressed his intention to give sadaqah, so he came out with sadaqah and placed it in the hand of an adulteress. In the morning, the people were talking and saying ‘Sadaqah was given to an adulteress last night.’ He (the giver of sadaqah) said, ‘Praise be to Allah that I was able to give sadaqah (even though it went) to an adulteress.’ He then expressed his intention to give sadaqah; so he went out with the sadaqah and placed it that time in the hand of a rich person. In the morning the people were talking and saying ‘Sadaqah was given to a rich person last night.’ He (the giver of sadaqah) said, ‘Praise be to Allah that I was able to give sadaqah (even though it was given) to a rich person.’ He then expressed his intention to give sadaqah, so he went out with the sadaqah and placed it in the hand of a thief. In the morning, the people were talking and saying ‘Sadaqah was given to a thief last night.’ The giver then said, ‘Praise be to Allah that I was able to give sadaqah (even if it was placed in the hands of) an adulteress, a rich person, and a thief.’ Then there came (an angel to him) and he was told ‘Your sadaqah has been accepted. As for the adulteress, the sadaqah might become the means whereby she might restrain herself from fornication. The rich man might learn a lesson and spend from what Allah has given him, and the thief might thereby refrain from committing theft.’”
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