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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam-o-Alaikum.

I appreciate the work being done at the website. I have two questions if you would please reply.

1- What is significance of SADIQA in Islam. For SADIQA is it necessary to slaughter some animal or just some money can be given away as SADIQA. Somebody said that even a boiled egg can be given as SADIQA if cannot afford something more expensive. In summary is sacrifise involving flow of blood mandatory to be called as SADIQA.

2- Which Sect/Fiqah do you refer to while giving the answers.

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Answer:

Sadaqa charity sacrifice goat or cash

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: What is significance of SADIQA in Islam.

There are two types of ‘sadaqa’ or charity in Islam:

One is the obligatory charity that is due from every believer of means, whereby it is obligatory upon him/her to spend 2.5% of his/her nett worth in the Cause of Allah. This obligatory ‘sadaqa’ is known as ‘zakaah’.

The second is the voluntary ‘sadaqa’ or charity which the person gives over and above the obligatory ‘zakaah’ payments.

‘Sadaqa’ or charity is one of the most encouraged deeds in Islam, and a deed which when performed with the right intentions, would earn oneself the Pleasure and Good Will of their Merciful and Bounteous Lord in the Hereafter.

Allah says in the Glorious Quran, Chapter 2, Surah Baqarah, verse 261: The charity of those who expend their wealth in the Way of Allah may be likened to a grain of corn, which produces seven ears and each ear yields a hundred grains. Likewise Allah develops manifold the charity of anyone He pleases, for He is All-Embracing, All-Wise.

Allah says in the Glorious Quran, Chapter 63, Surah Munafiqoon, verse 10: Spend from the provisions that We have given you before death should come to any of you and then he should say, "O my Lord, why did You not reprieve me awhile that I should have given in charity and become of the righteous." But Allah does not at all reprieve a person when his term comes to an end, and Allah is well aware of what you all do.

Allah says in the Glorious Quran, Chapter 2, Surah Baqarah, verse 254: O Believers, spend of the wealth We have bestowed upon you (in Allah's way), before the Day comes when there shall be no buying and no selling; when neither friendship nor intercession will be of any avail.

Allah Says in the Glorious Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 60: ‘Sadaqa’ (Zakat) collections are for the needy, and the indigent, and for those who are employed to collect them, and for those whose hearts are to be won over, and for the ransoming of slaves, and for helping the debtors, and the Way of Allah, and for the hospitality of the way-farers.

Your Question: For SADIQA is it necessary to slaughter some animal or just some money can be given away as SADIQA. Somebody said that even a boiled egg can be given as SADIQA if cannot afford something more expensive. In summary is sacrifise involving flow of blood mandatory to be called as SADIQA.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 219 (part): …They ask thee (O Prophet (saws)) how much they are to spend (in the Cause of Allah)? Say (O Prophet (saws)): "Whatever is beyond your needs!" Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs: in order that ye may consider.

Whatever a believer spends in the Cause of Allah Subhanah from his legal and ‘halaal’ earnings will be considered as ‘sadaqa’ and charity in the sight of Allah Subhanah, and the Bounteous and Merciful Lord has promised an unending and everlasting reward for those who spend in His Name with the intention to earn His Pleasure and Good Will.

Thus one may build a mosque, or a hospital, or an orphanage, or a Islamic Guidance Center, or help the needy and the poor from his wealth; or one may sacrifice an animal and distribute the meat amongst the poor and needy…provided the person does these deeds in the Name of Allah Subhanah Alone and to earn His Pleasure and Good Will, it will be regarded as ‘sadaqa’ or charity. Whatever a believer spends in the Cause of Allah Subhanah to earn His Pleasure, will be considered as charity in the sight of Allah Subhanah.

If a believer has been bestowed with limited means which are barely enough for his own needs, even a simple egg or a date he gives to feed the poor will be regarded as ‘sadaqa’ for him. If the believer is so poor that he cannot even afford that, then even a good word said to his believing brother, or a smile he gives to his believing brother, etc. will be recorded as ‘sadaqa’ or charity for him!

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.11 Narrated by Abu Huraira

A man asked the Prophet (saws), "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! What kind of charity is the best?" He (saws) replied. "To give in charity when you are healthy and greedy hoping to be wealthy and afraid of becoming poor. Don't delay giving in charity till the time when you are on the death bed when you say, 'Give so much to so-and-so and so much to so-and so,' for at that time the property is not yours but it belongs to so-and-so (i.e. your inheritors)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.524 Narrated by Abu Burda

that the Prophet (saws) said, "Every Muslim has to give in charity." The people asked, "O Allah's Prophet (saws)! If someone has nothing to give, what will he do?" He (saws) said, "He should work with his hands and benefit himself and also give in charity (from what he earns)." The people further asked, "If he cannot find even that?" He (saws) replied, "He should help the needy who appeal for help." Then the people asked, "If he cannot do that?" He (saws) replied, "Then he should perform good deeds and keep away from evil deeds and this will be regarded as charitable deeds."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 1557 Narrated by Abu Dharr

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘In the morning charity is due from every bone in the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah's glorification is an act of charity. Every utterance of praise of Him is an act of charity, every utterance of profession of His Oneness is an act of charity, every utterance of profession of His Greatness is an act of charity, enjoining good is an act of charity, forbidding what is disreputable is an act of charity, and two rak'ahs which one prays in the forenoon will suffice.’

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.141 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "Charity is obligatory every day on every joint of a human being. If one helps a person in matters concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it, all this will be regarded charity. A good word, and every step one takes to offer the compulsory congregational prayer, is regarded as charity; and guiding somebody on the road is regarded as charity."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 3764 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Never a Muslim plants a tree, but he has the reward of charity for him, for what is eaten out of that is charity; what is stolen out of that, what the beast eat out of that, what the birds eat out of that is charity for him. (In short) none incurs a loss to him but it becomes a charity on his part.’

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.52 Narrated by Adi bin Hatim

The Prophet (saws) mentioned the (Hell) Fire and sought refuge (with Allah) from it, and turned his face to the other side. He (saws) mentioned the (Hell) Fire again and took refuge (with Allah) from it and turned his face to the other side. The Prophet (saws) then said, "(O people!) Save yourselves from the (Hell) Fire even if with one half of a date fruit (given in charity), and if this is not available, then (save yourselves) by saying a good pleasant friendly word."

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2860 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘A man giving a dirham as sadaqah (charity) during his life is better than giving one hundred dirhams as sadaqah (charity) at the moment of his death.’

Your Question: In summary is sacrifise involving flow of blood mandatory to be called as SADIQA.

The implication of the term ‘sadaqa’ is so vast in Islam, that it is inclusive of every good a believer does to earn the Pleasure and Good Will of Allah Subhanah! It is not at all mandatory for one to sacrifice an animal for it to be called a ‘sadaqah’ in Islam!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan