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Meditations on Virtues of Voluntary Charity (Sadaqa)
Author : Dr. Nidal Sultan
Date Added : 30-04-2014

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions and upon whoever followed his guidance until the Day of Resurrection:

Allah, The Almighty, has made supererogatory acts of worship a means of gaining his love and support. The most rewarding of these acts is voluntary charity, and following are some meditations on its virtues, which I wanted to share with my Muslim brethren. I beseech Allah to make us among those who listen and follow the most righteous of what is said.

Meditation No. (1): None of Man`s Wealth Remains Except That Which He/She Has Given in Charity.

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: "Man says: "My wealth! My wealth!" The Prophet (PBUH) responds: "None of your wealth remains except that which you had given in charity."  [Moslim].

The meaning intended by the Prophet (PBUH) in this Hadith is that whatever man eats perishes whatever he puts on wears out, and whatever he gives in charity remains.

Moreover, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that when the Prophet`s companions slaughtered a goat, he said: "What is left of it?" she said: "its shoulder." He said: "All of it is left except its shoulder." [Al-Tirmizi].

Accordingly, there is no way that a person could reap the fruits of his wealth after death except through charity that he had given. 

Meditation No. (2): Charity is Like Seeds of Good Deeds, Preserved and

Grown by Allah for their Owner.

Allah, The Almighty, doesn`t only preserve the charity for its giver, but also multiplies and grows it for him/her out of His grace and mercy until it becomes as big as a mountain. He Says in the Holy Quran (What means): "The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of God is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. God giveth manifold increase to whom He pleaseth: And God careth for all and He knoweth all things." [Al-Baqarah/261]. He also Says (What means): "Who is he that will loan to God a beautiful loan, which God will double unto his credit and multiply many times? It is God that giveth (you) Want or plenty, and to Him shall be your return." [Al-Baqarah/245].

Moreover, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) says: "If one give in charity what equals one date-fruit from the honestly-earned money and Allah accepts only the honestly earned money --Allah takes it in His right (hand), then enlarges its reward for that person (who has given it), as anyone of you brings up his baby horse, so much as that it becomes as big as a mountain." [Bukhari].

Meditation No. (3): The Charity Giver Benefits From it More Than the Poor Recipient Does.

Following are some fruits of charity, which are reaped by its giver:

-It extinguishes sin as the Prophet (PBUH) says: "Charity extinguishes sin as water does fire." [Al-Tirmizi].

-It is a shade for its giver on the Day of Judgment as the Prophet (PBUH) says: “Everyone is protected by the shade of their charity until people are being separated “{Ahmad}.

-It heals the sick as the Prophet (PBUH) says: “Treat the sick with giving charity." [Baihaqi&Tabarani].

-It cleanses wealth from wrongdoings as the Prophet (PBUH) said to the merchants: "Oh! Merchants! Your dealings involve a lot of swearing, so cleanse them with charity." [Abu Dawood].

Whoever closely examines the fruits of charity realizes that the reward of its giver is greater and larger than the benefit received by the poor recipient.

Meditation No. (4): Allah and His Messenger Pledged to Replace Charity.

Allah, To Him belongs Might and Majesty, Says (What means): "Say: "Verily my Lord enlarges and restricts the Sustenance to such of his servants as He pleases: and nothing do ye spend in the least (in His cause) but He replaces it: for He is the Best of those who grant Sustenance." [Saba/34].

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: "I swear on three: Wealth doesn`t decrease by giving charity, an injustice which a person endures, Allah grants him more honor, and a person who asks to be given charity while not in need becomes poorer." [Al-Tirmizi].

A true believer must realize the truthfulness of Allah`s and His Messenger`s promise.

Meditation No. (5):  The Fruits of Charity are Only Annulled by its Giver.

Despite the virtues and fruits of charity, its giver could annul them in two ways:

1. Showing off

2. Reproach and injury

Therefore, Allah has warned us against that in the following verse (What means): "O you, who believe, annul not your voluntary almsgivings with reproach and injury, as one who expends of his substance to show off to men and believes not in God and the Last Day. The likeness of him is as the likeness of a smooth rock on which is soil, and a torrent smites it, and leaves it barren. They have no power over anything that they have earned. God guides not the disbelieving folk." [Al-Baqarah/264].

 

And All Perfect Praise Be To Allah, The Lord of The Worlds

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

What should someone do if they fasted for only 28 days in their country and then traveled to a place where Eid has already been declared?

If a person fasts in their country and then travels to another country where Eid has been declared, they must celebrate Eid with the people of that country.
● If their total fasts add up to 29 days, nothing is required of them.
● However, if they have only fasted 28 days, they must make up one day after Eid, because an Islamic month cannot be only 28 days.

What is the ruling on doubting whether one or two prostrations were performed?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If a worshiper is in doubt regarding the number of units (rak'ahs) or prostrations (sajdahs) performed, he must build upon the minimum (i.e., assume the lower number) and perform the prostration of forgetfulness (Sujud al-Sahw) before the Salam at the end of the prayer. This is based on the report from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'When anyone of you is in doubt about his Salat (prayer) and does not know how many he has prayed, three or four (Rak'at) he should cast aside his doubt and base his prayer on what he is sure of. Then, he should perform two prostrations before Taslim (salutation). If he has prayed five Rak'at, they will make his Salat (prayer) an even number for him and if he has prayed exactly four, they (i.e. two prostrations) will be humiliation for the devil..' (Narrated by Abu Dawud).
 
It is stated in Al-Muqaddimah al-Hadramiyyah: 'If one doubts [whether he performed] a bowing (ruku’), a prostration, or a rak'ah, he must perform it and prostrate [for forgetfulness], even if the doubt is removed before the Salam—unless the doubt is removed before he performs what would potentially be an addition. Thus, if he doubts whether he prayed three or four, he is obligated to build upon the minimum.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on leaving the Sunnah prayer of Dhuhr due to fatigue?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
According to the general rule, a Muslim should strive to maintain the Sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory prayers (al-sunan al-qabliyyah wa al-ba'diyyah). One is permitted to pray them sitting from the outset, but if one leaves them due to severe fatigue, there is no objection to doing so. It is recommended (mustahabb) to make up (qadā') a time-bound supererogatory prayer (nafl mu'aqqat) at any time if it was missed.
Al-Shirbīnī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If a time-bound supererogatory prayer is missed, it is recommended to make it up according to the more authoritative view (al-azhar), based on the hadith recorded in the two Ṣaḥīḥs: 'Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it should pray it when he remembers it.' This is also supported by the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made up the two rak'ahs of Fajr when he and his companions overslept in the valley and missed the dawn prayer until the sun had risen [narrated by Abū Dāwūd with an authentic chain]." And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

What is the ruling of Islam on swearing by Allah without intending to take an actual oath?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If someone swears by Allah without intending to take an actual oath, and without the firm resolve to bind themselves to it, then there is no sin or expiation (Kaffarah) required of them. Allah the Exalted says {what means}: 'God will not call you to account for thoughtlessness in your oaths, but for the intention in your hearts; and He is Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing.' [Al-Baqarah/225]. However, a Muslim should avoid swearing oaths excessively so that their tongue does not become accustomed to it. Allah the Exalted says {what means}: 'And make not God’s (name) an excuse in your oaths against doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons; for God is One Who heareth and knoweth all things.
' [Al-Baqarah/224]. And Allah the Exalted knows best."

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