Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
 

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. All praises is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds - The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, Sovereign of the Day of Recompose. It is You we worship and You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path - the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked (Your) anger or of those who are astray. Ameen.

Words like Infaq which connote devotion of wealth and life to the path of Allah s.w.t. the Almighty are mentioned in more than two hundred places in the Qur’an. Even this number is enough to comprehend the extent and significance of Infaq.

Sadaqa and Infaq, which are the common terms for charity in Islam, have many kinds. Sadaqa and Infaq starts with giving whatever there is. According to this, even giving half a date is accepted as Infaq and it saves the donor from the hellfire. The Prophet s.a.w. considered every Muslim rich. Because he taught through his sayings that Muslims’ actions such as commanding right and forbidding wrong, helping the oppressed, comforting the faithful, rejoicing the stricken souls, picking up objects in the road that could cause problems to passersby, and visiting the sick etc. can all be considered acts of Infaq. And these do not depend on the person’s financial strength. That means even for the financially weakest believer there are several ways to perform Infaq and sadaqa.

In fact charity is not something undertaken with just wealth. Numerous acts which everybody is able to do such as giving directions, comforting, advising and smiling are among the factors which create a peaceful and tranquil society, and help the sense of brotherhood and solidarity to take root in the society.

Since it maintains the order and the balance of the society, in a way giving charity to the poor and stricken members of the society are causes of blessing both in this world and the Hereafter.

Our beloved Prophet s.a.w. wanted Muslims to transform generosity into a natural habit. He encouraged Infaq by saying:

“The upper hand is better than the lower hand (i.e. he who gives in charity is better than him who takes it).”(Bukhari, Zakāt, 18)

“Do not wish to be like anyone except in two cases. (The first is) A person, whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously; (the second is) the one whom Allah has given wisdom (the Holy Qur’an) and he acts according to it and teaches it to others.”(Bukhari, ‘Ilm, 15)

Prophet s.a.w.also reorganized part of his mosque as a shelter for the homeless, poor and needy Companions. He paid close attention to the needs of these Companions, called “Companions of Suffa” and by his modest lifestyle he also became a comfort for them.

Again he said:

“The poor (who will not be worried about to be questioned by wealth in the Hereafter) will enter Paradise half a day (which is equal to 500 worldly years) before the rich.”(Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Zuhd, 37)

In another hadith, he pointed out that real dignity is not measured by one’s wealth, but by one’s piousness and righteousness “Those who increase their wealth (by not giving in charity) are the ones who decrease their reward in the Hereafter” (Bukhari, Riqaq, 13)

He also advised the poor members of his community: “Protect yourselves from the Fire, even if with one half of a date and he who hasn’t got even this, (should do so) by (saying) a good, pleasant word.” (Bukhari, Adab, 34) and showed that Infaq is possible in every circumstance. Therefore, if the people who do not have enough wealth to give in charity treat others nicely and talk nicely, this is considered a kind of charity. It is even declared in a verse as better than monetary charity, which is followed by insults:

“Kind speech and forgiveness is better than charity followed by injury; and Allah is Self-sufficient, Forbearing.”(2; 263)