Continuous charity

13-6-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is Sadaqathun Jaariyah and its significance?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Continuous charity means the charity whose reward continues for its donor and it is recorded in his good deeds even after his death. The Prophet has clarified the kinds of alms and the deeds whose reward is continuously recorded for a Muslim even when his life comes to an end. The Prophet said: "When a person dies all his good deeds cease except for three: a continuous charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous son who supplicates for him." [Muslim]

In another Hadeeth, the Prophet said: "The righteous deeds that continue to benefit a believer after his death include the knowledge that he teaches and spreads among others; a righteous son whom he leaves behind; or a copy of the Quran that he bequeaths to his inheritors; or a mosque that he builds; or a rest house that he builds for the wayfarers; or a canal of water that he digs for the benefit of others; or a charity that he gives out of his property during his life while he is in sound health. He will continue to receive reward for all these even after his death." [Ibn Maajah and Ibn Khuzaymah]

The types of continuous charity are more than what is mentioned above. Digging wells for the benefit of people, building schools and hospitals, and all the other works that benefit people are also deemed as continuous charity deeds.

The virtues of such deeds lie in the reward which continues even after the death of the person; it does not cease at his death. The degree of reward is not similar for all the deeds; rather, it varies from one act of charity to another based on its type, effects and the need of people for that charity.

Allah Knows best.