What Are the Benefits of Giving Charity During Ramadan?
Ramadan is one of the most sacred months of the
Islamic calendar. It comes to us as a mercy, and an opportunity to move closer
to Allah (swt), to have our sins forgiven and to reap rewards and blessings.
Ramadan is full of reward, and the reward of any good deed we perform is
multiplied manifold. Charity is considered a beautiful, highly rewarded and
important act all year round, and was hugely advocated by Prophet Muhammad
(saw), who was extremely generous and advocated for those less fortunate.
Giving charity all year is a highly rewarded act, but in Ramadan, it is even
more sacred.
Anas narrated that:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked which fast
was most virtuous after Ramadan? He said: “Sha’ban in
honour of Ramadan“. He was then asked: “Which charity is best?” He (saw) said: “Charity in Ramadan.“
Due to the
sacredness of Ramadan, many people choose to pay their Zakat in this month, or
just before so it can be distributed during the holy month. This is in hopes of
receiving even more rewards and blessings for doing so. Ramadan is also ended
with an obligatory giving of charity called Zakat-al-Fitr,
or Fitrana, which is a small, fixed donation of approximately £5. This must be
given by, or on behalf of, each member of every household to the poor ahead of
Eid prayers. Zakat-al-Fitr is a way of helping to bring people together, and to
ensure that no one is left behind during the celebrations of Eid.
The meaning of Ramadan
In the holy Qur’an, Allah (swt) tells us that:
“O’ you who have Faith! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was
prescribed for those before you, so that you may gain taqwah.” [2:183]
Allah (swt) tells us
that the core aim of Ramadan is to establish taqwah –
God consciousness. In this way, we are encouraged to try to understand and know
Allah (swt), to strengthen in our faith and to improve our relationship with
Him (swt). One way to do so, is to understand and do those things that Allah
loves, one of which is giving in charity.
You can donate by
visiting our Ramadan
Donation Appeal 2024 page.
Why charity is so important
In Ramadan, there
are many ways to seek forgiveness and reap rewards including reading the holy
Qur’an, performing additional prayers, making duaa, performing dhikr and
volunteering in one’s local community. Giving in charity is a phenomenal way to
connect with the ummah at large, and to make a huge difference in the lives of
those most vulnerable. It helps us remember how connected our world is, and
that we are all the ummah of Prophet Muhammad (saw).
While giving in
charity itself is a hugely rewardable act, it is important to remember that it
has a huge impact on those who receive it. Giving charity literally saves lives
and can transform entire communities. This also means that beautiful reward
lies both in the act of giving charity by giving from your own wealth to
others, and in the impact you can create.
Allah (swt) tells
us:
“And whoever
saves a life it is as though he had saved the lives of all of humanity.”
(5:32)
Providing clean
water, food, shelter, education or livelihood opportunities to those in need
goes so far in tackling poverty, and easing suffering, and that’s why our Ramadan Donation Appeal 2024 includes a whole host of life-changing
projects you can get involved with.
Our Ramadan Donation Appeal 2024
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