Sadaaqaat is an Arabic word that means Donations of generosity of a giving heart. This kind of Donation is about sharing with others helping those in need. Sadaqaat does not have how much you can donate but only tells you how to give your Sadaqaat when your heart pleases.
Classes of Sadaqaat
In Sharia of Islam, we have two Classes of sadaqaat:
- Mandatory Sadaqaat
- Generosity Sadaqaat
Mandatory Sadaqaat
Mandatory Sadaqaat is to the truth when its required in all our aspects of life. When doing business, you must truthful, when making agreements. you must be trust worthy, when giving evidence in courts of law, you must be truth, never accept at all cost to give false evidence against some one in courts of law because your evidence cost his life, and save life if you speak the truth. You must tell your wife the truth and wife must her husband the truth even is too bitter, ask for forgiveness than lies. There is very big reward for those never allow their tongues to say any kind of lies.
Generosity Sadaqaat
Generosity Sadaqaat In Sharia of Islam is wide range of good actions categorized into two:
- Sadaqatul Jaria
- Sadaqaat
- Sadaqul Jaria
Sadaqaatul Jariya is donating everlasting things , something that will be useful for a very long time , generations after generations, this include donating a building like a house for use by a Mosque, madarasa, or anything that benefit Islam, donating land for building a Mosque and School of learning Quran called waqfu , donating money to build Mosque, madarasa. Building a water well for example bore hall for all people to get water and their animals and birds. anything donated for long lasting benefit to people is called Sadaqatul Jariya. The rewards of Sadaqatul Jariya are everlasting as long as what is donated is still in existing benefiting the people, donors of sadaqatul Jariya are rewarded abundantly by Allah Subhanahu Wataala because their donations lasts for generations.
2. Sadaqaat
Sadaqaat is donation of anything from small to big starting with just a smile when you talk to some, clearing road and passage from anything harmful, giving a cup of water to a thirsty person, giving your wanted cloth to a friend or to those in need, to give some one a lift on the way, to feed some one a meal, In Sharia , every good action is considered Sadaqaat that is rewarded abundantly by Allah Subhanahu Wataala.
Conditions of giving Sadaqaat ( Donations)
- Must be obtained in permissible means (Halaal)
- Must not be show off , meaning giving to be praised by people that your generous. its forbidden in Islam to do anything for show by others, its one of the worst sins categorized as shirk ( adding partners with Allah Subhanahu Wataala by wanting people to worship you because you give them instead of worshiping Allah Subhanahu wataala who gave you wealth and heart to give. so in Islam you must clear your intention to adhere on this condition that ruins your giving if that is what you have in your heart as the reason why your giving.
- You Must give with intentions of helping those in need without feeling proud over them because one day you can be like them or you may have been like them before you get the means.
- Your donation may be publicly announced and every body knows its so and so who built a Mosque, or your donations may be kept secret. according to sharia of Islam, its better to keep your donations secret to avoid interference between those who you have given and your family. for example if you donate a building openly, the family may after your death claim it back if does not have proper documentation or fight for it to be in charge of it.
Donations from not permissible means but accepted in Islam
- Donation of a non Muslim who may wish to donate to Muslim community in need of something not consumable such as making a water well for Muslim community by donations of non Muslim.
- Money gathered by banks added on savings as interests. this kind of donations is accepted but not consumed for food , drink, clothing, it is recommended to utilize this kind of donations for building toilets and renovating roads.
- Money earned from gambling and lottery may be accepted if the giver promise to keep it a secret of how she or he earned that money. as long as the donor does not declare that i earned this money from lottery and gambling but he or she feels would like Muslim Community from this kind of money.