Sadaqah Jariyah: Your Story of Hope this Ramadan
Every Monday in Ramadan 2021, we've been sharing a Story of Hope from the Qur'an and Sunnah with you on our blog. Each of these stories contained an important lesson which showed us how we could trust Allah (swt) and hold onto hope even when we are going through difficulty.
Today, we'd like to discuss one of the most important ways you can hold onto hope in the last few days of Ramadan: Sadaqah Jariyah.
Without further ado, here are four ways Sadaqah Jariyah can bring hope to you, your loved ones and the Ummah:
One: Sadaqah Jariyah magnifies even the 'smallest' good deed
Most of us are unable to establish a larger Sadaqah Jariyah project, such as a school or a hospital. But Allah does not judge our deeds by their worldly scale; rather, He rewards us for our intentions, efforts and individual circumstances.
Just because our action looks 'small' to us, it doesn't mean that its impact was small. Sharing a single meal with a neighbour can bring them happiness for years to come, while planting a single seed can feed generations of people from the local community. Allah sees both the sincerity of our intention and the true scale of our impact, and He rewards us accordingly:
The Prophet (saw) mentions that even a single date given in charity can become like the mountain of Uhud for us. The £5 donations we give here and there, the cups of tea we make for our loved ones, the 10 minutes we take out to listen to someone's worries and give advice - it all adds up. This is part of Allah's mercy and generosity towards us - long after we've forgotten a good deed, its rewards are being recorded until they reach unimaginable heights.
Our action could be multiplied by up to seven hundred times or even more, as Abu Mas’ud reported, 'A man came with a bridled camel and he said, "This is for the cause of Allah". The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "You will have for it seven hundred camels on the Day of Resurrection…"' [Muslim]
Here is one way a seemingly small amount of Sadaqah Jariyah can reap immense rewards: plant an olive tree for just £15, to provide sustainable food and income to Palestinian farmers for generations!
Every time someone eats an olive or uses olive oil in their food, you will gain reward! Moreover, you will be giving hope and stability to farmers who are struggling to provide for their families - like Ziad, pictured below:
Olive trees are the main source of livelihood for over a million Palestinians and you have no idea how much your £15 donation means to them. This is an example of how Allah magnifies a seemingly small good deed, making it a source of hope in this life and the next, alhamdulillah!
Two: Sadaqah Jariyah is not limited to your time in this world
Limited time is one of the greatest reasons for our worry and regret. Between work, relationships, running errands and sleeping, there seems to be little time to focus on our true purpose: worshipping Allah.
In fact, Allah specifically tells us that we will regret not setting aside time to give Sadaqah:
Sadaqah Jariyah gives us the opportunity to gain more good deeds than we would ever have time to perform in our lifetimes, so we will not be filled with regret when it's time to leave this world:
The Prophet (saw) said, 'When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (continuing charity), knowledge which is beneficial, or a righteous child who prays for him'. [Muslim]
Even when we are in our graves, incapable of giving charity, Allah will continue to reward us for as long as the charity we gave in our lifetimes benefits people on this Earth. Sadaqah Jariyah thus represents Allah's mercy and generosity and is ultimately a gift of hope from Allah to us.
Here are two ways you can earn Sadaqah Jariyah rewards even after you have passed away:
Firstly, you can create your own project according to your time, plan and budget, by getting in touch with our Major Giving team:
Whether you want to build a school, water well, hospital, orphanage or any other project, our team of experts are dedicated to helping you every step of the way so you can leave a beautiful legacy behind. The impact of your legacy will be felt long after you have passed away and, in sha Allah, you will continue to reap immense rewards for your effort!
Secondly, we also recommend sponsoring an orphan, as this is an excellent way to gain the reward of regular giving.
Moreover, there is truly an amazing amount of barakah (blessings) in sponsoring an orphan. You will not just be providing a child with nutritious meals, an education and medical check-ups. You will also be giving them the stability and support they need after losing their parents, including placing them in the care of dedicated teachers and helping them fulfil their potential.
SubhanAllah, when a generous sponsor committed to taking care of Amira, did they have any idea that she would one day go to university, study to become an accountant and dream of serving her community with the knowledge she had gained?
In this way, your orphan sponsorship includes so much 'hidden' impact. You really can't measure how much you are helping a vulnerable child, nor how much du'a they are making for you as a result. It is thus an amazing Sadaqah Jariyah which will benefit you long after you have passed away!
Three: Sadaqah Jariyah connects us with deceased loved ones
After a year in which many of us have lost our loved ones, Sadaqah Jariyah is a way to find hope amidst our grief, as shown in the following hadith:
SubhanAllah, this is a powerful example of Allah's compassion towards us. During Ramadan and Eid in particular, we find ourselves missing our loved ones intensely and we want to be close to them and see them smile again. So Allah has given us a way to be close to them and make them smile, even when they are in their graves. We can give Sadaqah Jariyah on their behalf and know that we have brought them happiness, thus finding comfort in the midst of our grave.
Here are three types of Sadaqah Jariyah we can give on behalf of our loved ones:
Firstly, we can illuminate the Dome of the Rock Masjid. This Masjid sits at the centre of the Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa and is the exact place where the Prophet (saw) ascended through the skies on Al-Isra wal-Mi'raj. We are installing a state-of-the-art lighting system to illuminate all its central areas, benefitting worshippers for generations to come!
SubhanAllah, given the love of this Ummah for Masjid Al-Aqsa, this Sadaqah Jariyah is sure to bring joy to our loved ones in their graves!
Secondly, we can build a masjid on behalf of our loved ones. This is a really special Sadaqah Jariyah, because the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, 'Whoever builds a masjid for Allah, Allah will build for him a house like it in Paradise'. [Bukhari]
Imagine the joy of our family member or friend when they receive the news that a house is being built for them in Jannah! We pray Allah grants us the opportunity to visit them in that house one day, amin!
Thirdly, we have to mention building a water well on behalf of a loved one!
This Sadaqah Jariyah was specifically recommended by the Prophet (saw):
Every time someone drinks a sip of water, or uses it for cooking or washing up, or waters their crops with it - your loved one will gain reward. They will therefore be gaining countless rewards and, in sha Allah, be granted immeasurable happiness as a result!
Four: Sadaqah Jariyah benefits people in this life
So far, we've mentioned how Sadaqah Jariyah equals immense rewards for ourselves and our loved ones in the next life. But of course, it is also supporting and giving hope to our brothers and sisters in this life! It is transforming people's circumstances and having a long-term impact on their life, ultimately breaking the cycle of poverty and helping them flourish.
From giving livelihoods to donating the Gift of Sight, there are so many ways you can benefit people on Earth with your charity. Sadaqah Jariyah is therefore not just your Story of Hope; it is a Story of Hope for families and communities across the globe.
We are now in the last few days of Ramadan, so if you haven't given Sadaqah Jariyah yet - now's your chance! Don't let this blessed month pass by without performing the amazing worship of benefitting others:
We pray Allah gives us the opportunity to be from His most beloved people and that He accepts the sincerity of our intentions, helps us reach as many people as possible with charity and grants us Sadaqah Jariyah rewards for years to come, amin!
