Al-Sadaqa — Rawzat

What Is Sadaqa?

Sadaqa (صَدَقَة — voluntary charity) comes from sidq — truth, sincerity. The word’s root connects charity to truthfulness: the one who gives sadaqa demonstrates the sincerity (sidq) of their faith through their action.

This etymological connection is theologically significant: sadaqa is not merely a financial transaction but a testimony (shahada) of faith expressed through the hand. The person who says “I believe” and gives sadaqa is being sidq — truthful — in their claim. The one who says “I believe” but does not give, despite being able to, has a disconnection between speech and truth.

“But those who give their property to purify themselves, seeking thereby the face of Allah — they will be given more.” (92:18-21)

“Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love.” (3:92)

Sadaqa vs. Zakat

	Sadaqa	Zakat
Type	Voluntary	Obligatory
Amount	Any	2.5% of qualifying assets
Timing	Anytime	After one Hijri year on nisab
Recipients	Any worthy cause	Eight designated categories (9:60)
Scope	Wealth, time, knowledge, action	Financial (primarily)

Zakat is the fourth pillar of Islam — an obligation. Sadaqa is the spirit that goes beyond obligation — the expression of a heart that gives not because it must but because it wants to. The Prophet (SAW) said: “Zakat is obligatory on every Muslim,” and also: “Every good action is sadaqa.”

The Types of Sadaqa

1. Sadaqa Maliyya (Financial Charity)

The most commonly understood form: giving money, food, clothing, or material goods to those in need. The Quran’s repeated commands to “spend from that which Allah has provided you” primarily refer to this.

Direct giving (to an individual) vs. institutional giving (to a mosque, madrasa, hospital, charitable organization) — both are valid. The Prophet praised both.

2. Sadaqa Jariya (Ongoing Charity — the Most Powerful)

“When a person dies, their deeds cease, except for three: an ongoing charity (sadaqa jariya), knowledge from which benefit is derived, and a righteous child who prays for them.” — Muslim (1631)

Sadaqa Jariya is the most valuable form of sadaqa because its rewards continue after death — it is an investment in the afterlife that compounds across time.

Forms of Sadaqa Jariya:

Building or funding a masjid
Digging a well or providing clean water
Funding Islamic education (‘ilm that spreads is Sadaqa Jariya)
Planting a tree (anyone who eats from it — human or animal — earns the planter reward)
Endowing (waqf) property for charitable purposes
Contributing to a hospital or medical facility

3. Sadaqa al-‘Ilm (Charity of Knowledge)

Sharing knowledge is sadaqa. The Prophet (SAW): “If Allah wishes good for someone, He gives him understanding of religion.” The scholar who teaches is giving sadaqa. The person who shares a beneficial article, a useful hadith, or Islamic knowledge is giving sadaqa.

In the Ismaili tradition, the ta’wil (esoteric interpretation) shared through the da’wa is understood as the highest form of knowledge-sadaqa: the Imam and Dai share the divine’s light with those who seek it.

4. Sadaqa al-Jism (Charity of the Body)

“Every joint of every person must perform an act of charity each day the sun rises:

Being just between two people is sadaqa.
Helping a man with his animal is sadaqa.
A good word is sadaqa.
Every step you take toward the prayer is sadaqa.
And removing harm from the road is sadaqa.” — Bukhari (2707), Muslim (1009)

This hadith expands sadaqa beyond wealth: the smile (al-tabassum) is sadaqa; kind words are sadaqa; justice (‘adl) is sadaqa; removing an obstacle from a path is sadaqa.

See also: Adl

5. Sadaqa al-Sirr (Secret Charity)

“A man giving charity secretly, so that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives.” — Bukhari (1357)

The Prophet described seven types of people who will be shaded by the Throne on the Day of Judgment; among them is the one who gives sadaqa so secretly that his left hand doesn’t know what his right hand gave. Secret charity is the highest because it is done purely for Allah, with no possibility of praise or recognition.

See also: Ikhlas Sincerity, Tawadu

The Prophetic Emphasis on Sadaqa

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) made sadaqa central to the Muslim identity:

“The generous person is close to Allah, close to the people, close to Paradise, and far from the Fire. The miser is far from Allah, far from the people, far from Paradise, and close to the Fire.” — Tirmidhi

“Give sadaqa without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” — Tirmidhi

“Charity does not decrease wealth.” — Muslim (2588) — the theological position that sadaqa actually causes wealth to grow by divine blessing (baraka).

“Protect yourselves from the Fire even with half a date (fruit).” — Bukhari — the smallest sadaqa counts.

The Inner Meaning: Sadaqa as Generosity of Soul

The ta’wil of sadaqa goes beyond the financial:

The zahir of sadaqa is giving wealth to the needy.

The batin of sadaqa is the soul’s fundamental orientation: the soul that has recognized the divine’s generosity (karam) as the source of everything it has must respond with generosity in turn. The miser’s soul is a soul that has mistaken itself for the source of its own wealth — it has forgotten the divine’s gifts and clings to what was never truly “its.”

The generous soul (nafs sakha’) is the soul that has understood the divine’s statement: “Whatever you spend of good, it is for yourselves, and you do not spend except seeking the face of Allah.” (2:272) — giving is not loss but gain; not emptying the hand but filling the soul.

The highest sadaqa in the Ismaili understanding: giving one’s time, heart, and service in the da’wa — the sadaqa of the nafs (self) in service of the Imam’s mission.

See also: Fana And Baqa, Ikhlas Sincerity, Tawadu, Imamah

Sadaqa in the Bohra Tradition

The Dawoodi Bohra community has strong traditions of organized charity:

Misaq-linked giving: The mithaq covenant includes commitment to supporting the community and the da’wa through financial giving. The khidmat (service) and niyaz (religious charity) traditions are forms of Sadaqa Jariya.

Niyaz: The practice of distributing food to the community (niyaz) — especially after a du’a, on religious occasions, or in fulfillment of a vow — is a deeply embedded form of sadaqa. The community meal (thaal) eaten together is itself a blessed act.

The Dai’s guidance: The community looks to the Dai al-Mutlaq’s guidance on charitable priorities — supporting masjids, madrasas, medical institutions, and community infrastructure.

Al-Sadaqa — Voluntary Charity and Its Spiritual Dimensions