Small Acts of Charity In Islam

One of the most important lessons of Islam is the significance of charity in Islam. In this letter, I'm sharing heartfelt experiences on small acts of charity in Islam and instilling values that will guide them throughout their lives. 

By discovering what small acts of charity are one can understand the true meaning of charity in Islam. I want to start by sharing an interesting incident to explain the importance of charity in Islam. 

Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra) once sat with his companions and asked them to make a wish. One wished for a house full of gold to spend in Jihad. Another wished for jewels and pearls to spend in Jihad and charity for the sake of Allah.

Umar then revealed his own wish: for a house full of men like Abu ‘Ubaydah Ibn Al-Jarraah, Mu’aadh ibn Jabal, and Saalim who works for Abu Hudhayfah to spread the word of Allah. 

I remember myself as the typical broke university student. There were times I barely had enough cash to buy a sandwich or a cup of coffee in the middle of a long day of classes. This was a common struggle among students, and it didn’t bother me much. 

But there was something that bothered me about continuously finding myself in this state. I used to attend lectures and fundraising dinners with my family or get caught up in impromptu fundraisers in that break between the eight rak’ahs of taraweeh.  

It didn’t upset me to hear about how good it was to give charity or how much just a few dollars would help the masjid. It bothered me that I didn’t have the money to give. I remember I would leave those gatherings feeling down on myself and thinking...

"When I graduate and start making money, I am going to make a difference. I am going to donate a set amount of my paycheck that I don’t need to charity."

I sometimes daydreamed about what it would be like to be extremely rich and give away that wealth in a way that would change people’s lives and lift them out of poverty, etc. Now, many years down the road, not much has changed. I’m still not rich. Although I’m not as desperately broke as I was as a student.

I still can’t donate a ton of money to charity. But something has changed since then... My attitude towards giving. Understanding charity in Islam is crucial as it goes beyond monetary donations. It’s about making others understand that giving from the heart, your time, your smile, and your good words is much more important. 

Everyone speaks about the merits and rewards of giving to charity, and there is great reward in it – even if all you can afford is a dollar every so often. Allah (swt) is Al-Kareem, The Generous. An “insignificant” dollar of charity can be multiplied as much as Al-Kareem chooses according to His generosity and mercy, as well as your sincerity.

That one dollar could be the deed that just tips your scales on the Day of Judgment and enters you into Paradise. But giving also means more to me now as I understand the true meaning of charity in Islam and also the importance of charity in Islam. Charity isn’t only about giving money to those in need.

It is about giving yourself to your family, friends and community. I mean the kind of charity that is to be a positive force on this earth, to establish goodness and fairness wherever you go... and to give from what is most personally yours – your heart, your smile, your good words. 

I don’t think we really understand what charity means. It doesn’t mean that the person giving is rich, or noble or exceptionally philanthropic. Rather, those who continuously give are actually those who see themselves as in need.  

They need Allah’s Mercy, His Forgiveness. They need to alleviate the distress of others so that Allah (swt) can alleviate their distress on the Day of Judgment. So, through small acts of charity they help themselves more. 

Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra) wished for a kind of wealth and commodity that his peers did not think of wishing for – people. He wished for more people to hold up the banner of the Oneness of God, to call towards what is good and to remove what is bad in society. To be pillars in the structure and history of this faith – holding steady those around them, propelling themselves and others into the service of God. 

We have countless examples of men and women in our rich history who were not necessarily known for giving away wealth. There were poor people among them, and there were even homeless people among them. Some wished to fight alongside the Prophet ﷺ in battles but couldn’t because they did not have access to a riding animal. 

But their names are still in the history books because they gave what was most valuable – their lives. They understood the true meaning of charity in Islam. They lived their lives in truth to the commands of God. That’s what made them great. 

Closer to your home is your father, Amr. He wasn’t a very rich man, but he worked hard. He gave charity, but it was small (in his eyes, but to Allah, I hope that it was not small). But what made him different, what elevated him to a point of admiration, was his strength of character. He stood his ground against injustice, refusing to let the voices of tyranny drown out the voice of peace and courage. And he was killed for it. 

And those who killed him think that they’ve won. But everything I have seen after his passing indicates to me that Amr is the winner. He was not able to build mosques or change people’s lives with money. But he changed something that not many people are capable of – hearts. He would have been a great example for you, he knew the importance of charity in Islam.  

After his passing, people came together and collected money on his behalf, donating it to build mosques and wells, to buy medical equipment for under-funded hospitals, to feed the needy, and I’m sure other causes I don’t know about. I pray that Allah (swt) accepts it from them and accepts it on behalf of Amr as well. 

So yes, he was not a rich man in terms of wealth. But he was rich in that which is more valuable – faith. And in the end, that richness of faith, knowledge of charity in Islam and courage in the face of injustice caused people to give their wealth to charitable projects in his name. Now, inshaAllah, he has the added deeds of charity, even though it didn’t come directly from his hands. That is the heavy reward of strength of faith and character… 

So, if you don’t have the money to give charity, it isn’t appropriate for you to slump in your chair thinking “maybe someday I will be able to give.” As a parent, it is my obligation to teach you about the true meaning of charity and the importance of charity in Islam, as I believe it is a crucial element of Muslim Parenting. 

You can give it today. You can give something every day and every moment that you are alive because just one of you is worth more than every bit of wealth on this earth. And it is important to not only understand the true meaning of charity but to perform small acts of charity as well. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:  

"Your smiling in the face of your brother is charity, commanding good and forbidding evil is charity, your giving directions to a man lost in the land is charity for you. Your seeing for a man with bad sight is a charity for you, your removal of a rock, a thorn or a bone from the road is charity for you. Your pouring what remains from your bucket into the bucket of your brother is charity for you."  Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1956 

Every day is an opportunity to become someone worth more than bank accounts stuffed with wealth. You can be the poorest person in your community, while simultaneously being the one who gives the most and brings the most benefit to others if you understand the importance of charity in Islam. 

You can be worth more than rooms full of treasure given for the sake of Allah (swt). But you have to understand yourself and understand your world to know how to capitalize on the wealth that is your faith, skills, talents and dedication. 

Just as it is not befitting for a believer to hoard wealth in the face of a community in dire need of it, it is not befitting that you should withhold all the positive forces within you from bettering yourself and your surroundings.

Now you have work to do. Get up.