Islamic Date

16 Thu al-Hijjah

English Date

25 July

The Doors of Sadaqah

Abu Dhar al-Ghafari said, The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) said:

“ ‘Sadaqah is prescribed for every person every day the sun rises.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, from what do we give sadaqah if we do not possess property?’ He said: ‘The doors of sadaqah are takbir (Allahu Akbar), Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, La-ilaha-ilAllah, Astaghfirullah, enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing thorns, bones and stones from the paths of people, guiding the blind, listening to the deaf and dumb until you understand them, guiding a person to his object of need if you know where it is, hurrying with the strength of your legs to one in sorrow who is appealing for help, and supporting the weak with the strength of your arms. These are all the doors of sadaqah.” [Ahmad]

In other words one does not need to have financial resources to earn the reward of sadaqah. There are many deeds that qualify as sadaqah with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). In addition to those listed above the following ordinary courtesies are also sadaqah if we do them with the intention of pleasing Allah with them.

1. To administer justice between two people is sadaqah.
2. To assist a man upon his mount so that he may ride it is sadaqah.
3. To place his luggage on the animal is sadaqah.  
4. A good word is sadaqah.
5. Every step taken toward prayer is sadaqah.
6. Your smile for your brother is sadaqah.
7. Planting anything from which a person, an animal or anything eats is sadaqah.