Learn More about Giving – What are Sadaqa, Lilah and Qurbani?

Watching the news can be disheartening. There are so many people suffering around the world. You don’t even have to go far to see this suffering. It is right outside your doorstep. We pass less fortunate people every day on our way to work. Some of us encounter them every day as we carry out our tasks at work.

Many of us would like to do something to assist those less fortunate than ourselves. However, it can be difficult finding the right way to do it. We are not able or willing to leave our homes or jobs in order to dedicate our lives to assisting the less fortunate. This may not be the life or career path we would choose for ourselves.

This doesn’t mean that we cannot assist those who are less fortunate. Islam teaches us how we can care for our neighbours by sharing the fruits of our labour.

Lilah is a term that is often used to express the beauty of the Islamic community. It is a reminder that we are all part of a larger community and should therefore look out for each other. This teaching of Islam encourages faithful Muslims to give to the less fortunate.

Zakat is a type or form of Lilah. By giving zakat, the faithful Muslim is stretching out a helping hand to those in need. Giving of Zakat is an obligatory practice amongst Muslims. Giving your Zakat to a charitable organisation will ensure that it supports the work of the organisation and enables it to assist more people.

Sadaqah is not mandatory like Zakat. It is alms that are given voluntarily for the cause of Allah. It is often given on special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries and other personal occasions as a mark of the occasion or for bringing blessings.

There are no set amounts for Sadaqah. The amount given is dependent on the person giving the alms.

Qurbani is an Arabic word that means sacrifice. It is an act of worship that is performed on special days. 

These days include the 10^th, 11^th or 12^th of Thul Hijjah in accordance with the Islamic calendar. The offering given often consists of livestock. The livestock is slaughtered and distributed to the poor or the relatives and friends of the person performing the act of worship. 

Giving your Zakat to Charitable Organisations – How it is Used

Living in today’s fast paced world is not easy. You find that you barely have enough time to do any of the things you’d like to do apart from work. We can sometimes be so absorbed with our own cares and daily tasks that we forget our obligation to care for our neighbours.

Islam teaches the importance of helping the needy especially when you have been blessed with more. Charity is one of the pillars of Islam. As a faithful Muslim therefore, ensure that you do your part to take care of your brothers and sisters who are not as fortunate as you are.

Many of us would like to reach out and serve the poor and those living under difficult conditions. However, it simply isn’t possible to take time off work or drop everything to serve the poor. Luckily, you can still assist in alleviating the suffering of others by giving your zakat to a charitable organisation.

Giving zakah is obligatory for every faithful Muslim. You can donate yours to a non-profit Muslim organisation that works to improve the lives of others around the world.

It is important to ensure that the organisation you give your zakah to is able to fulfil the requirements of Shariah law. They should also be genuine in helping the needy. You can do some research online to find out more about the works of any specific organisation that you are interested in making a donation to.

Many non-profit organisations work in parts of the world that have been hit by natural disasters or ravaged by war. These organisations provide food, health care, shelter and clothing for those in need in those areas. In most cases, these organisations will offer assistance without showing any discrimination.

Many of these organisations are non-profits meaning they depend entirely on donations made from well-wishers. Your zakah will therefore go a long way to support the work of these organisations.

You can choose to assist such organisations on an ongoing basis by making arrangements so that your zakat is channelled to these organisations regularly. Many Muslim non-profits will assist you in calculating what you are meant to give and also facilitate the distribution of the money you have given.

You can make a difference in someone’s life today without having to leave your home to do itby simply giving to a charitable organisation.