Sunday, May 13, 2012

Sadaqah(صدقة)


Sadaqah




Ṣadaqah or Saddka (صدقة)  (plural ṣadaqāt صدقات) is an Islamic term that means "voluntary charity"
This concept encompasses any act of giving out of compassion, love, friendship (fraternity) or generosity.

[Hadith on Sadaqah/Saddka]

Prophet Muhammad said : "We used to sacrifice Atirah in pre-Islamic days during Rajab; so what do you command us?” He said: “Sacrifice for the sake of Allah in any month whatever; obey Allah, Most High, and feed (the people).” (Abu-Dawood : 2824)

"Saddka extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire." (Tirmidhi : 2541)
"Saddka appeases the Lord’s anger and averts an evil death." (Tirmidhi : 1909)
"Give the Saddka without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity." (Tirmidhi: 1887)
"The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his Saddka." (Tirmidhi: 1925)

A woman said: "Apostle of Allah, my mother suddenly died; if it had not happened, she would have given Saddka (charity) and donated (something). Will it suffice if I give Saddka on her behalf?" Prophet Muhammad(S.A.W.W.) said: "Yes, give Saddka on her behalf." (Abu-Dawood: 2875)

Abu Hurairah reported: Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) said, "Every day the sun rises, charity (sadaqah/saddka) is due on every joint of a person. Administering justice between two people is a charity; and assisting a man to mount his beast, or helping him load his luggage on it is a charity; and a good word is a charity; and every step that you take (towards a masjid) for salat is a charity; and removing harmful things from the road is a charity." (From Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

In Sahih Muslim, it is reported on the authority of Aisha that Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) said, "Everyone of the children of Adam has been created with three hundred and sixty joints; so he who declares the Greatness of Allah (i.e, saying "Allahu akbar"), praises Allah ("Alhamdulillah"), declares Allah to be one ("La ilaha ilallah"), glorifies Allah ("Subhan'Allah"), and seeks forgiveness from Allah ("Astaghfirullah"), and removes a stone or thorn or bone from people's path, and enjoins good and forbids evil, to the number of those three hundred and sixty, will come upon the evening that day having rescued himself from jahannam."


[Qur'an on Sadaqah/Saddka]

"Have you considered him who calls the judgment a lie? That is the one who treats the orphan with harshness, And does not urge (others) to feed the poor. So woe to the praying ones, Who are unmindful of their prayers, Who do (good) to be seen, But refuse (to supply) (even) neighbourly needs)."
[Al Qur'an 107: 1-8]

And spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you, before Death should come to any of you and he should say, “O my Lord! Why didst Thou not give me respite for a little while? I should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good.” But to no soul will Allah grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come; and Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.
[Al Qur'an 63: 11-12]

Saddka should be given solely out of love for God, out of the desire to do good to His creation, as the Quran says about the righteous: "They give food, out of love for Him (Allah), to the poor, the orphan, and the slave, saying: We feed you only for Allah's pleasure - we desire from you neither reward nor thanks."
[Al Qur'an 76: 9-10]

Giving Saddka will not diminish a Muslim's wealth. It serves as expiation for sins and yields rewards in the next life. Allah says: "For those who give in charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward."
[Al Qur'an  57:19)

Who is it that will lend Allah a goodly loan that He may multiply it for him manifold? And Allah receives and enlarges, and to Him shall you be made to return
[Al Qur'an 2: 245]

Whatever good you spend is for your own selves, and you shall not spend but to seek the pleasure of Allah, and whatever good thing you spend shall be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.
[Al Qur'an 2: 273]

These alms are for the poor who are detained in the cause of Allah and are unable to move about in the land. The ignorant man thinks them to be free from want because of their abstaining from begging. Thou shalt know them by their appearance; they do not beg of men with importunity. And whatever of wealth you spend, surely, Allah has perfect knowledge thereof.
[Al Qur'an 2:274]


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