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Charity is considered one of the best means for a person to repel calamities and attract blessings and sustenance. Islam has encouraged giving charity to the poor and the needy, as it is one of the most beautiful and greatest acts of closeness to Allah, due to its positive impact on people’s lives and its support for those who cannot afford their daily sustenance. How wonderful and great it is to extinguish sins and misdeeds through a charity given to a needy person, supporting them in their life, and in return receiving immense reward and great recompense.
Therefore, let us explore in today’s article the virtue of charity, its most prominent types, and ultimately the conditions of charity and the donated wealth, in order to ensure receiving reward and recompense from Allah.
Charity: Its Benefits and Virtues
Charity is everything that is given to others in the form of money, clothing, or food for the sake of Allah and seeking His pleasure. A person gives charity from their possessions with a sincere intention purely for Allah. It is considered one of the humanitarian acts that bring the believer closer to their Lord and admit them into Paradise.
Benefits and Virtues of Charity
Follow with us below the benefits and virtues of charity in this world and the Hereafter:
- It brings blessings and increases sustenance in the wealth of the one who gives charity.
- It repels evil and calamities from the giver and fills their life with happiness and security.
- It brings comfort and peace to the heart.
- It multiplies reward and recompense with Allah.
- It purifies the soul from miserliness and stinginess and instills generosity and giving.
- It contributes to achieving social solidarity and reducing poverty, creating balance between social classes.
- It increases love and affection and strengthens relationships within society.
- It removes the wrath of Allah and replaces it with pleasure and blessings, expiating sins and increasing good deeds.
Types of Charity
Charity has several forms in Islam. Below are the most prominent types:
- Charity with money: Giving financial aid to the poor and needy to help them manage their living conditions, or donating through charitable organizations that distribute aid to those in need.
- Charity with food: Donating food and drink to the poor and needy. Whoever feeds a poor person earns a great reward and deserves Paradise, as evidenced by the saying of Allah Almighty:
“And they give food, in spite of love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, saying, ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We desire from you neither reward nor thanks.’” - Charity with knowledge: Teaching others and helping them increase their knowledge, such as educating the illiterate and guiding others.
- Charity with effort: Giving charity through physical work to help others or through personal skills, such as contributing to building hospitals, schools, or mosques, all of which carry great reward with Allah.
- Sponsoring an orphan: One of the most beautiful forms of charity, as it helps an orphaned child build a stable life and compensates them for part of the loss they have endured.
- In-kind charity: Donating useful items such as tools, clothing, or essential goods.
Conditions for Charity
There are several conditions that must be fulfilled for charity to be valid and for the giver to receive great reward and recompense:
- Sincere intention for the sake of Allah: The donor’s intention must be sincere and purely for seeking Allah’s pleasure.
- Lawful wealth: Charity must be given from lawful (halal) wealth, not from money acquired unlawfully.
- Respect and good manners: Charity should be given respectfully, with politeness and heartfelt compassion.
- Kind words: Speaking gentle and kind words when giving charity.
- Avoiding reminders or showing off: Avoiding boasting or reminding the recipient, as this nullifies the reward.
- Giving to the poor: Charity should be directed to the poor and needy, not to those who are financially well-off.
- Giving discreetly: Charity should preferably be given in secret to preserve the dignity of the recipient.
Conditions of the Donor
For charity to be valid, the donor must meet the following conditions:
- The donor must be mature and of sound mind.
- The donor should be among the righteous.
- The donor should possess good morals.
- The donor should not be someone who complains excessively.
Conditions of the Donated Wealth
Below are the conditions related to the wealth given in charity to ensure its validity:
- The wealth must come from a lawful and legitimate source.
- The wealth must be fully owned by the donor.
- The wealth given in charity should be free of debt, as settling debts takes priority.
The Importance of Charity in Society
The importance of charity in society is reflected in several key points:
- Strengthening bonds of love, compassion, and mercy among members of society.
- Purifying hearts from hatred and resentment and increasing love for the poor.
- Cleansing the soul from greed and stinginess while increasing generosity and giving.
- Achieving social solidarity and enhancing harmony within the community.
- Reforming society and reducing theft, crime, and fraud that result from poverty.
- Creating a noticeable balance between social classes, reducing disparities, and promoting social cohesion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What invalidates charity?
Among the most prominent actions that invalidate charity are reminding others of one’s charity, causing harm when giving it, humiliating the recipient through words or actions, giving charity publicly for the sake of showing off, and donating wealth from an unlawful source.
Who is not eligible to receive charity?
Charity is not permissible for wealthy individuals who are capable of providing for their daily needs. It is also not permissible to give charity to parents or children whose financial support is obligatory.
What are the types of charity and their conditions?
Charity is of two types: ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah) and voluntary charity. Both require sincere intention for the sake of Allah, free from showing off or reminders, and the wealth must be lawful and given to those entitled to receive it.
What is the best form of charity with Allah?
Ongoing charity is considered one of the best forms of charity with Allah, as its benefit continues even after the donor’s death. Examples include digging wells and building mosques and hospitals.
