Even small acts of kindness are Sadaqah / Voluntary Charity (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

One doesn't have to be rich to dole out voluntary charity / Sadaqah, for even small acts of kindness too are Sadaqah and are rewarding. While the rich give Sadaqah from their wealth and get rewarded, the poor too can give Sadaqah even as less as half of the date with the intention of pleasing Allah and helping one's brethren. This is how Allah counter balances the reward He has promised for both poor and the rich.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has also indicated small acts that amount to Sadaqah in a Hadith as mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 56 Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad) /  كتاب الجهاد والسير / Chapter 1285:  The Statement of Allah: "Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Holding the riding animal of somebody else / باب  مَنْ أَخَذَ بِالرِّكَابِ وَنَحْوِهِ‏ ) as Hadith 2989, given herein under:

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "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 ride 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."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ كُلُّ سُلاَمَى مِنَ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ صَدَقَةٌ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَطْلُعُ فِيهِ الشَّمْسُ، يَعْدِلُ بَيْنَ الاِثْنَيْنِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَيُعِينُ الرَّجُلَ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ، فَيَحْمِلُ عَلَيْهَا، أَوْ يَرْفَعُ عَلَيْهَا مَتَاعَهُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَالْكَلِمَةُ الطَّيِّبَةُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَكُلُّ خَطْوَةٍ يَخْطُوهَا إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَيُمِيطُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ صَدَقَةٌ ‏"

Imagine how small acts like helping someone to ride a means of transport, judging justly between two people, or even saying a good word that pleases a hurt heart can be immensely rewarding. Likewise every step taken to go to masjid for a prayer or clearing a walkway of any hurdle, even a thorn, adds to one's account of voluntary charity. 

If we start to focus on small acts of kindness, this will slowly  and gradually build up our stamina to do more in helping others with as less as we have. And Allah certainly adds to the wealth, both material and spiritual, to those who give Sadaqah to please Allah. Let us make our endeavour to start right now, and surely Allah will give us more to help more. In Sha Allah.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For Hadiths on the subject, please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Sadaqah صدقة  / Voluntary Charity

For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Source of Hadith

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Posted in: Hadith Collection - Sadaqah