5 Charitable Acts That Don’t Involve Money
Giving charity is an integral part of Islam. However, charity does not only involve the act of giving money. In Islam, there are numerous activities that are considered charitable by providing benefit to others and ourselves.
Here are 5 charitable acts that we can do which do not involve donating money.
1) Every kindly act is considered charity
According to Prophet Mohammed (SAWA); “Every kindly act is considered charity”. These acts could be something as simple as guiding someone in the right direction, removing an obstacle from a hallway, or visiting the ill. These acts help benefit others and have positive impacts on those around us. Striving to live as a good Muslim includes living selflessly and doing good for others.
2) Guarding your Tongue
In Islamic teachings, there is an emphasis on restraining our tongues as our words have the power to hurt others. From back-biting, lying and bringing people down, words have severe consequences that are hard to undo. As such, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) said “Guard your tongue, for verily this is a charitable act that you perform for your own sake”. This is considered an act of charity as it not only prevents problems from occurring between people, but also gives you time to think about the consequences of your words.
3) Abandoning Evil Acts
Repenting and abandoning non-Islamic acts is considered as an act of charity, according to Prophet Mohammed (SAWA). We are faced with many obstacles in life, some of which may stray us in the wrong direction. Staying away from those acts which may lead us to immoral or negative behaviours is a charity gifted to ourselves. This is because you will benefit your soul and turn towards Allah, thereby improving your own life.
4) Reconciling others
In Islam, community, family and brotherhood are highly emphasized. Imam Al-Sadiq (AS) says; “A charitable act that Allah loves indeed is reconciling people when they have become estranged to one another, and bringing them close together when they have become distanced from each other”. When problems occur between two individuals, this can be harmful to the community and families. Sometimes it can be very difficult to mend this relationship. Often, without third-party involvement relationships which are broken will remain broken. This is why reconciling individuals is considered an act of charity, as it is helping others and preventing any further harm from occurring.
5) Helping those with disabilities
There are currently one billion people around the globe living with some form of disability. Unfortunately, often times these individuals are neglected or are not provided with the support they need. In Islam, taking time to help someone with a disability achieve something and having patience with them is considered an act of charity. For example, Imam Al-Sadiq (AS) said that making a deaf person understand something without getting irritated is a wholesome act of charity.
It is clear that charitable acts can be done daily, without needing to donate money. Donating your time can also be seen as an act of charity by supporting beneficial projects for those in need.
If you would like to volunteer to support The Zahra Trust in aiding those in need please click here.
If you would like to give charity in the form of money you can always do so by donating here!