The concept of charity in Islam is often misunderstood as being limited to financial aid. However, the Prophetic tradition broadens this horizon significantly.
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“There is no person who does not have the obligation of (doing) charity every day that the sun rises.”
Whereupon he was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, from where would we get something to give in charity (so often)?” To which he (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:
“Indeed the gates to goodness are many:
- Glorifying God, praising Him, magnifying Him, saying ‘There is no god but Allah.’
- Enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong.
- Removing (any source of) harm from the road.
- Making the deaf hear (and understand).
- Guiding the blind.
- Showing the seeker his need.
- Striving as far as your two legs could carry you and with deep concern to give succour to him who asks.
- Carrying with the strength of your arms (the burdens of) the weak.
All these are (acts of) charity.”
And he added:
“And your smiling in the face of your brother is charity, your removing of stones, thorns, and bones from people’s paths is charity, and your guiding a man gone astray in the world is charity for you.”
The Two Dimensions of Charity
Any person who comes across this beautiful saying must pause to consider its implications. The Hadith addresses two main concerns:
- Awakening the springs of goodness in the human heart.
- Strengthening society with the bond of love, affection, and brotherhood.
Charity (Sadaqah), as it is traditionally understood, consists of money given by the rich to help the poor. This understanding is extremely narrow. The saying of the Prophet takes charity out of this physical meaning and onto a spiritual plane that opens up a limitless world.
He emphasizes that every good deed is charity. Charity has a physical and a spiritual dimension fused into one. When giving, a person is essentially saying: “Take this penny,” or “Take this helping hand,” or “Take this feeling!”
Awakening the Soul to Goodness
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does not want us merely to know this definition; knowledge is not an end in itself. He wants us to return to goodness—which is the very word of God.
He wants each of us to stir ourselves from within so that giving becomes a habit of life. Giving is a movement from within which opens up the locked doors of the self. A soul conditioned by positive impulses is a living, active soul, standing in marked contrast to the negative, cramped, and feeble soul.
The Problem of the “Stingy Soul”
There are some people who never smile; they never open up their facial features when they meet others. There are people who are stingy even with a drop of water!
The problem is not merely a smile or a drop of water; it implies a disease that has blocked the springs of goodness in their souls. The wisdom of the Prophet lies in expanding the scope of goodness so that it becomes within the reach of every individual, regardless of their financial status.
The Prophetic Example of Emotional Intelligence
The noble Prophet himself acted in a kind and concerned manner in all his human relationships, just as a kind father would behave towards his son. He identified with people’s problems tirelessly.
That is why he made actions which seem small to be a significant part of charity. That is why he was able to say:
“Smiling in the face of your brother is charity … and pouring out from your bucket into your brother’s bucket is charity.” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
Equality in Giving: Breaking Class Barriers
Charity in its tangible, narrow sense divides people into “receivers” and “givers.” This division often inspires feelings of weakness in the receiver and feelings of pride in the giver. Such a division is spiritually harmful to society.
But the comprehensive Islamic concept of charity, which includes “Smiling is Charity,” allows all people—whether rich or poor—to become givers and receivers on an equal basis.
This points to a basic principle of Islamic behavior: the standard on which life is judged is not the economic standard alone, but one based on faith, feeling, and sensitivity, which form the core of human relations.
Conclusion: Binding Hearts Together
A society based on materialistic considerations alone is often dry, hard, and eaten up by envy. Islam does not neglect the material world, but it carries life to higher levels. It establishes ties of faith and love to bind hearts together.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
{And (as for the believers) God has brought their hearts together. And if you had spent all that is in the earth you could not have brought their hearts together.} (Al-Anfal 8:63)
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“No one of you (truly) believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This is the essence of charity. So begin by meeting your brother with a smile. This simple act penetrates to the depths of the heart and exerts a magnetic bond on society.
*By Khurram Murad
