Charity

The best form of charity is that which is secretly given to the poor by one who himself has little to offer.

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  كُلُّ امرِئٍ في ظِلِّ صَدَقَتِهِ حتّى‏ يُقضى‏ بَينَ الناسِ . كنز العمّال : 16068 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Everyone will only have recourse to the shade provided by charity they had given until their affairs are judged [by Allah].’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16068

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أرضُ القِيامَةِ نارٌ، ما خَلا ظِلَّ المؤمِنِ فإنَّ صَدَقَتَهُ تُظِلُّهُ . الكافي : 4 / 3 / 6 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The earth on the Day of Resurrection will be scorching, except for the shadow of a believer, for verily his charity will serve him as shade.’ al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 4, no. 6

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  إنَّ الصَّدَقَةَ لتُطفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ . كنز العمّال : 16114 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16114

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  الصَّدَقةُ تَسُدُّ سَبعِينَ باباً مِن الشَّرِّ . بحار الأنوار : 96 / 132 / 64 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Charity blocks seventy doorways to evil.’ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 132, no. 64

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  الصَّدَقَةُ تَمنَعُ سَبعينَ نَوعاً مِن أنواعِ البَلاءِ، أهوَنُها الجُذامُ والبَرَصُ . كنز العمّال : 15982 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Charity prevents seventy different types of adversities, the simplest of them being elephantiasis and leprosy.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 15982

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  تَصَدَّقُوا وداوُوا مَرضاكُم بالصَّدَقَةِ؛ فإنَّ الصَّدَقةَ تَدفَعُ عنِ الأعراضِ والأمراضِ، وهِيَ زيادَةٌ في أعمارِكُم وحَسَناتِكُم . كنز العمّال : 16113 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Give charity, and cure your sick ones through the giving of charity, for verily charity repels accidents and illnesses, and is a source of increase in your lifespans and your good deeds.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16113

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  الصَّدقَةُ تَدفَعُ مِيتَةَ السُّوءِ . الكافي : 4 / 2 / 1 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Charity repels an undignified death.’ al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 2, no. 1

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أكثِرُوا مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ تُرزَقُوا . أعلام الدين : 333 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Increase your charity and you will be given [increased] sustenance.’ Alam al-Din, p. 333

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  كُلُّ مَعروفٍ صَدَقةٌ . الخصال : 134 / 145 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Every kindly act is considered charity.’ al-Khisal, p. 134, no. 145

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  تَركُ الشَّرِّ صَدَقةٌ . بحار الأنوار : 77 / 160 / 168 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Abandoning evil [acts] is an act of charity.’ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 160, no. 168

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أمسِكْ لِسانَكَ؛ فإنّها صَدَقةٌ تَصَدَّقُ بها على‏ نَفسِكَ . الكافي : 2 / 114 / 7 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Guard your tongue, for verily this is a charitable act that you perform for your own sake.’ al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 114, no. 7

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ سِرٌّ إلى‏ فَقيرٍ وجُهدٌ مِن مُقِلٍّ . كنز العمّال : 16250 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is that which is secretly given to the poor by one who himself has little to offer.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16250

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أفضَلُ الناسِ رَجُلٌ يُعطِي جُهدَهُ . كنز العمّال : 16084 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best of people is he who gives away his hard-earned money [in charity].’ Kanz al-Ummal. no. 16084

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أن تَصَدَّقَ وأنتَ صَحيحٌ شَحيحٌ، تَأمُلُ البَقاءَ وتَخافُ الفَقرَ، ولا تُمَهِّلْ حتّى‏ إذا بَلَغَتِ الحُلقومَ قُلتَ : لِفُلانٍ كذا ولفُلانٍ كذا، ألَا وقَد كانَ لِفُلانٍ . بحار الأنوار : 96 / 178 / 13 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is that you give away when you are healthy and covetous, when you have high hopes of having a lasting life and fear poverty and the you do not wait until you are breathing your last, saying: ‘this is for x and this is for y, while that finally will belong to z.’ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 178, no. 13

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ أن يَتَعَلَّمَ المَرءُ المُسلمُ عِلماً ثُمّ يُعَلِّمَهُ أخاهُ المُسلِمَ . كنز العمّال : 16357 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is for the Muslim to gain knowledge and then teach it to his fellow Muslim brother.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16357

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  إنَّ أفضَلَ الصَّدَقةِ صَدَقةُ اللِّسانِ، تَحقُنُ بهِ الدِّماءَ، وتَدفَعُ بهِ الكَريهَةَ، وتَجُرُّ المَنفَعةَ إلى‏ أخيكَ المُسلِمِ . قصص الأنبياء : 188 / 235 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is charity with one’s tongue through which lives are spared, adversities repelled, and benefits attracted towards one’s Muslim brother.’ Qasas al-Anbiya’, p. 188, no. 235

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ في رَمَضانَ . كنز العمّال : 16249 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best act of charity is carried out in the month of Ramadan.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16249

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ ظِلُّ فُسطاطٍ في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّوجلَّ . كنز العمّال : 16362 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is to shade someone under one’s tent for the sake of Allah.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16362

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  المُعتَدي في الصَّدقةِ كَمانِعِها . كنز العمّال : 16246 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The one who gives excessive charity is as the one who withholds it.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16246

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  ليسَ المِسكينُ بالطَّوّافِ، ولا بِالذي تَرُدُّهُ التَّمرَةُ والتَّمرَتانِ، واللُّقمَةُ واللُّقمَتانِ، ولكنَّ المِسكينَ المُتَعَفِّفُ الذي لا يَسألُ الناسَ شيئاً ولا يُفطَنُ لَهُ فَيُتَصَدَّقُ علَيهِ . كنز العمّال : 16552 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The one who is truly poor does not roam around the streets begging, nor can he be turned away with a date or two, or a bite or two. Rather the one who is truly poor is he who restrains himself from asking people and who does not draw attention to himself – that is the one that should be given charity.’ Kanz al-Ummal, no. 16552

رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله :  تَصَدَّقُوا مِن غَيرِ مَخِيلَةٍ؛ فإنَّ المَخِيلَةَ تُبطِلُ الأجرَ . تنبيه الخواطر : 2 / 120 .

 The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Give in charity without conceitedness, for verily conceitedness does away with your reward [for it].’ Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 120