The Excellence of Sadaqa - Section 1

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Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone gives as <i>sadaqa</i> the equivalent of a date from something lawfully earned, for God accepts only what is lawful, God will accept it with His right hand, then foster it for the one who gave it as one of you fosters his colt, till it becomes like a mountain.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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He reported God’s messenger as saying, “<i>Sadaqa</i> does not reduce property; God increases the honour of him who forgives another; and no one will humble himself for God’s sake without God exalting him.” Muslim transmitted it.

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He reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone contributes a pair of anything in God’s path he will be invited to enter by the gates of paradise, for paradise has gates. Those who engage in prayer will be invited to enter by the gate of prayer; those who take part in jihad will be invited to enter by the gate of jihad; those who give <i>sadaqa</i> will be invited to enter by the gate of <i>sadaqa</i>; and those who fast will be invited to enter by the gate ar-Rayyan.”* Abu Bakr said, “No distress will rest on him who is invited to enter by those gates,** but will anyone be invited to enter by all those gates?” He replied, “Yes, and I hope you may be one.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * This word means literally 'well-watered,’ or 'fresh’. ** This is explained as meaning ‘by one of those gates,’as one who enters by any gate will get into paradise

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He said that God’s messenger [once] asked who had observed a fast that day and Abu Bakr said he had. He asked who had followed a bier that day and Abu Bakr said he had. He asked who had fed a poor man that day and Abu Bakr said he had. He asked who had visited an invalid that day and Abu Bakr said he had. God’s messenger then said, “Anyone in whom these good deeds are combined will certainly enter paradise." Muslim transmitted it.

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He reported God’s messenger as saying, “None of you Muslim women must consider even a sheep’s trotter too insignificant a gift to give to her neighbour.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Jabir and Hudhaifa reported God’s messenger as saying, “Every act of kindness is <i>sadaqa</i>.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not consider any act of kindness insignificant, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.” Muslim transmitted it.

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Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari reported God’s messenger as saying that every Muslim must give <i>sadaqa</i>. He was asked how this could apply to one who had nothing and replied that he should work with his hands, gaining benefit for himself thereby, and give <i>sadaqa</i>. He was asked what would happen if he were unable to do this or did not do it, and replied that he should help one who was in need and sad. He was asked what he should do if he did not do that and replied that he should enjoin what is good. He was asked what he should do if he did not do that, and replied that he should refrain from evil, for that would be <i>sadaqa</i> for him. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “Every bone of men’s fingers and toes must give <i>sadaqa</i> every day the sun rises. If one gives justice between two men it is <i>sadaqa</i>; if one helps a man with his beast, loading or lifting* his goods on it, it is <i>sadaqa</i>; a good word is <i>sadaqa</i>; every step one takes towards prayer is <i>sadaqa</i>; and if anyone removes anything injurious from the road it is <i>sadaqa</i>.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Mirqat suggests that the transmitter says 'loading or lifting', being doubtful which word was used.

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‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “Everyone of the children of Adam has been created with three hundred and sixty joints, so he who declares God’s greatness, praises God, declares that He is the only God, glorifies God, asks forgiveness of God, removes a stone, a thorn, or a bone from people’s path, enjoins what is reputable, or forbids what is objectionable to the number of those three hundred and sixty, will walk that day having removed himself from hell.” Muslim transmitted it.

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Aba Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “In every ascription of glory to God, every declaration of His greatness, every utterance of praise to Him, every declaration that He is the only God, in enjoining what is reputable, in forbidding what is objectionable, and in a man’s sexual intercourse there is <i>sadaqa</i>.” On being asked whether a reward would be given for satisfying one’s passion, he said, “Tell me; if he were to devote it to something forbidden, would it not be a sin on his part? Similarly, if he were to devote it to something lawful, he would have a reward.” Muslim transmitted it.

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Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A milch-camel with abundant milk given as a loan and a ewe with abundant milk given as a loan, which produces a vessel of milk in the morning and another in the evening, is good <i>sadaqa</i>.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “If any Muslim plants something or sows seed from which man, bird, or beast eats, it counts as <i>sadaqa</i> for him.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) In a version by Muslim from Jabir it says that what is stolen from it counts as <i>sadaqa</i> for him.

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Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Forgiveness was granted to an unchaste woman who coming upon a dog panting and almost dead with thirst at the mouth of a well, took off her shoe, tied it with her head-covering, and drew some water for it. On that account she was forgiven.” He was asked whether people received a reward for what they did to animals, and replied, “A reward is given in connection with every living creature.”* (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Literally, everything possessed of a moist liver.

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Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A woman was punished on account of a cat which she kept shut up till it died of hunger. She did not feed it or let it out so that it might eat things creeping on the earth.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “A man who came upon a branch of a tree overhanging a road and decided to move if from the way of Muslims to keep it from annoying them was brought into paradise." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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He reported God’s messenger as saying, “I have seen a man going about in paradise as a reward for cutting down a tree which was overhanging a road and annoying people." Muslim transmitted it.

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Abu Barza said that when he asked God’s Prophet (ﷺ) to teach him something from which he would receive benefit he told him to remove things which caused annoyance to Muslims from their path. Muslim transmitted it.

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‘Abdallah b. Salam said:

When the Prophet (ﷺ) came to Medina and I went and examined his face, I recognised that it was not the face of a liar. The first thing he said was, “If you people greet all whom you meet, provide food, care for the wellbeing of your kindred, and pray at night when people are asleep, you will enter paradise in peace.’’ Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

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‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “If you worship the Compassionate One, provide food, and greet all Whom you meet, you will enter paradise in peace.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

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Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “<i>Sadaqa</i> appeases the Lord’s anger and averts an evil death." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

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Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Every act of kindness is <i>sadaqa</i>, and kindness includes meeting your brother with a cheerful face and pouring water from your bucket into your brother’s vessel." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

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Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you smile in your brother’s face, or enjoin what is reputable, or forbid what is objectionable, or direct someone who has lost his way, or help a man who has bad eyesight, or remove stones, thorns and bones from the road, or pour water from your bucket into your brother’s, it counts to you as <i>sadaqa</i>.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a <i>gharib</i> tradition.

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Sa‘d b. ‘Ubada told God’s messenger that Umm Sa'd had died and asked him what form of <i>sadaqa</i> was best. When he replied that water was best, he dug a well and said it was for Umm Sa'd. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

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Abu Sa'id reported God’s messenger as saying, “If any Muslim clothes a Muslim when he is naked, God will clothe him with some of the green garments of paradise; if any Muslim feeds a Muslim when he is hungry, God will feed him with some of the fruits of paradise; and if any Muslim gives a Muslim drink when he is thirsty, God will give him some of the pure wine which is sealed* to drink.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. * Cf Quran 83:25.