Compiled by Mariam Kareem

The following are twenty traditions from the Beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in relation to giving charity – its importance, virtue and avenues.

“A charity is due for every joint in each person on every day the sun comes up: to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it, is a charity; a good word is a charity; and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

“Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” [Tirmidhi]

“When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: sadaqah jariyah (continuous charity); knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (i.e., the deceased).” [Muslim]

“The believer’s shade on the Day of Judgement will be his charity.” [Tirmidhi]

“Protect yourself from hell-fire even by giving a piece of date as charity.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

“Charity extinguishes the sins like water extinguishes a fire.” [Ibn Majah]

“Allah, the Exalted, says, ‘Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.’” [Bukhari & Muslim]

“Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives; Allah adds to his respect; and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people).” [Muslim]

“A crafty one, a miser, and one who keeps reminding people of what he has given, will not enter Paradise.” [Tirmidhi]

“Do not show lethargy or negligence in giving alms and charity till your last breath.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

“Among the actions and good deeds that will reach a believer after his death are: knowledge which he learned and spread; a righteous son whom he leaves behind; a Mushaf (Qur’an) that he leaves as a legacy; a mosque that he built; a house that he built for wayfarers; a river that he has caused to flow; or charity that he gave from his wealth during his good health and in his lifetime. These deeds will reach him after his death.” [Ibn Majah]

Sa`d ibn Ubadah RA narrates: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, my mother has passed away. Shall I give charity on her behalf? He PBUH replied, “Yes.” What is the best charity?” He (peace and salutations be upon him) replied, “To provide water to drink.” [Ibn Majah; Sunan Nasa`i; Ahmad] So he (Sa`d ibn Ubadah) dug a well and said, “This is for Umm` Sa`d.” [Abu Dawud]

“Whoever digs a well, no free soul of a jinn, a human, or a bird will drink from it but Allah will reward him until the day of Judgement and whoever builds a mosque for Allah the size of the ground nest of a sandgrouse or even smaller, Allah will construct for him a palace in paradise.” [At-Targib]

“Seven deeds that their reward is continuous for a person even after he dies while he in his grave; he who taught knowledge to others, fixed a river, dug a well, planted a palm tree, built a masjid, a Mushaf (Qur’an) that he leaves as a legacy, or left behind a child that makes asks forgiveness on his behalf after his death” [At-Targhib]

“Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not.

He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me.” [Muslim]

“Whoever relieves a believer’s distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter. Whoever alleviates [the situation of] one in dire straits who cannot repay his debt, Allah will alleviate his lot in both this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal [his faults] in this life and the Hereafter. [Muslim]

“Whenever you intend giving charity, then do so on behalf of your parents; for its rewards will surely reach them without your rewards decreasing in the least bit.” [Shu`ab al-Iman]

“Whoever visits a sick person will remain in an orchard of Paradise until he returns.” [Muslim]

“Smiling in the face of your brother (another) is an act of charity”. [Tirmidhi]

“There is no day on which the people get up but two angels come down and one of them says, ‘O Allah, give in compensation to the one who spends (in charity),’ and the other says, ‘O Allah, destroy the one who withholds.”[Bukhari & Muslim]