A Charity is a common pratice means that someone voluntary giving a help in any kind of form to those in needs.
Islam has known this practice since the beginning. Islam saw charity as the form of worship and ways to earn good deeds in Islam. Therefore Islam always encourage muslims to perform it.
Performing charity in Islamic perspective can be so many ways. If we have no wealth we can give them form of help such as physical strength or knowledge.
In Islam the concept of charity also means that muslims accepted the fact that we born in nothing. What we have right now is a matter of Allah’s kindness. Whatever we have even our life and our breath of air are belong to Him.
There are 14 virtues of charity in Islam along with benefits of charity in Islam muslims should know, Those virtues are tremendous and muslim will be fallen into a great loss if they did not perform charity in their life.
In this article we will discuss about this virtues as in the following explanation:
1. Charity is a shelter in the Day of Resurrection
There is a hadith says about this virtue of charity,
“The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” (Tirmidhi)
The Prophet SAW always give us many examples of him doing charity in His lifetime , therefore muslims should make charity an obligation or one of the main practice. The above hadith shows us how big the effect of charity are, since it will protect us during the Day of Resurrection. It will help muslim when the end of time came.
2. Allah promise muslims a reward of doing charity
“Never will you attain the good (reward) until you spend (in the way of Allah) from that which you love. And whatever you spend – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.” (QS. Ali ‘Imran : 92)
Performing charity means we spend our wealth or our possession in the way of Allah and Allah adored whoever doing it. Allah will grant them a reward for doing charity.
3. Charity will bring us the blessing and forgiveness of Allah SWT
Indeed dont we muslims want to obtain the blessing of Allah? His blessing is our honor and pleasure, by that we will leave in ease.
“They ask you, (O Muhammad), what they should spend. Say, “Whatever you spend of good is (to be) for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler. And whatever you do of good – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.” (QS. Al-Baqarah : 215)
4. Charity is a way to pure our wealth
“And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing.” (QS. Al-Baqarah : 110)
[AdSense-B] In Islamic tought performing charity namely zakah is considered as purifying our wealth.
Paying zakah is always mentioned right after commandment of performing prayer which means that paying zakah is strongly important in Islam. Read also about Common Types of Purification in Islam.
5. Charity is an unbroken deed of reward
As mentioned in the following verse that charity is like a seed, it can be grown multiply and give us its benefit continously,
“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed (of grain) which grown seven spikes, in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies (His reward) for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” (QS. Al-Baqarah : 261)
The reward and the effect of charity is like a domino effect. From one charity it will grown many goodness both for given and the recipient. One small good act will lead to another good acts.
6. Charity is the third pillar of Islam
Zakah or charity always mentioned in the verses and hadith along with prayer as Islam main worship. [AdSense-A]
Charity is considered as the third pillar of Islam. One of this following verse mentioned how important charity are for Islam :
“And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing.” (QS. Al-Baqarah : 110)
7. There are plenty forms of charity muslims could perform or give
Rasulullah once said in the following hadith,
“Your smile for your brother is charity. Your removal of stones, thorns or bones from the paths of people is a charity. Your guidance of a person who is lost is a charity.” (Bukhari)
So many forms of act or deed counted as charity make it as an easiest thing we could give to follow His commandment.
8. Charity prevent muslims from calamity
“Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” (Tirmidhi)
Charity as mentioned before has so many forms, even just a smile is also counted as Sadaqah (type of charity). But even the form can be simple as smile or kindness to other but charity can prevent muslims from calamity.
Charity gives benefits, a simple smile can lift up someone burden or ease their pain. Offering food to the needy will help them from starving and so forth.
9. Charity prevent muslims from heart disease
Greed, agony, an arrogant is types of heart disease that can lurk from someone hearts in no time.
Performing charity will make us remember of other, arise our empathy and simpathy toward other including non muslims. It help to prevent us from being greedy of possession, luxury, and position. Read also about Ways on How to Increase Self Caring in Islam.
10. Charity strenghtened our communities and society
Nowadays even a simple matter can trigger a conflict. A big one even may lead a country to begin a war.
Performing charity is a simple act to make us care about others, and believe that we all just human beings.
What we have is mere the possession of Allah SWT our Lord. Even our breath and body is belong to Him.
By doing this at least will be a reminder for communities and society that we can not live alone without being helps by others. Not only human but also nature including animals. Muslims especially should appreciate the creation of Allah.
11. Charity remind muslims of the life after death
Charity also can be our self-awareness that wordly matter only last for short of time. What we aim actually is the Afterlife.
A life that long last for entire time, where we will spend our time. Indeed we want to get a better provision to the hereafter and avoid being the inhabitants of hell.
12. Charity is the way to keep human rights
It is a right for human being to be happy and fulfilled their basic needs. Indeed charity is the way to keep that right for every human beings.
13. Charity will keep the balance between the poor and the rich one
If we want to balance the world condition between the poor and the rich one, then we must accustom of charity.
Since charity will keep the flow of the wealth from the rich to the one who is poor.
14. Charity will give muslims happiness
Charity will give us our heart an ease. It will also give happiness both for the giver and the recipients.
They will know each other and even be brother with the existence of charity as a form of giving and caring.
So, those are 14 virtues of charity in Islam, you may also want to read about Reasons of Why Good Deeds Rejected by Allah SWT.