The Physical Charity

Whenever we think of charity or sadaqa, we always think of it in monetary terms. But as my parents reminded us a couple of days back, that there’s a different type of sadaqa which we can all do, even if we’re broke: Physical Sadaqa!

Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “On every Muslim there is enjoined (a compulsory) sadaqa (alms).” They (the people) said, “If one has nothing?” He said, “He should work with his hands so that he may benefit himself and give in charity.” They said, “If he cannot work or does not work?” He said, “Then he should help the oppressed unhappy person (by word or action or both).” They said, “If he does not do it?” He said, “Then he should enjoin what is good (or said what is reasonable).” They said, “If he does not do that” He said, “Then he should refrain from doing evil, for that will be considered for Him as a sadaqa (charity).”  (Sahih Bukhari, Book #73, Hadith #51)

Use the body that Allah has given you to help your brothers, whether that’s laying carpets for prayers, serving Iftars, carrying a load from an old man, or walking to fulfill a brother’s/sister’s needs. This concept is beautifully narrated in the following hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

“Every good act is charity. Your smiling to your brother is charity;  an exhortation of your fellowman to virtuous deeds is equal to alms-giving; your putting a wanderer on the right road is charity;  your assisting the blind is charity; your removing stones, and thorns, and other obstructions from the road is charity; your giving water to the thirsty is charity. A man’s true wealth, as regards the Hereafter, is the good he does in this world to his fellow men. When he dies, people will say “what property has he left behind him?” But the angels will ask, “what good deeds has he sent before him?”

Abu Huraira narrated that Allah’s Apostle said, “There is a (compulsory) sadaqa (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 sadaqa, 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 sadaqa, and (saying) a good word is also sadaqa, and every step taken on one’s way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is also sadaqa and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also sadaqa.”  (Sahih Bukhari, Book #52, Hadith #232)