What is Sadaqah Jariyah?
What is Sadaqah Jariyah?
Sadaqah Jariyah means a continuous, flowing and ongoing charity. Whether this charity is given on behalf of a deceased love one or to those in need in your living years, it is one of the most rewarding acts we can do in our lives. The benefits of giving this type of charity can be reaped in this lifetime and long after we have passed.
聽Allah (swt) guarantees to record these continuous acts of charity in the following verse:
聽'Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind, and all things We have accounted for in a clear register.' (Qur鈥檃n, 36:12)
The following famous Hadith gives us the good news that even after our death, Sadaqah Jariyah continues to benefit us:
On the authority of Abu Hurairah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, 鈥榃hen a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: Sadaqah Jariyah (a continuous charity), or knowledge from which benefit is gained, or a righteous child who prays for him.鈥� (Muslim)
What is the difference between Sadaqah and Sadaqah Jariyah?
To put it simply, they both count as 鈥�Sadaqah鈥� (voluntary charity). However, 鈥楽adaqah鈥� on its own will benefit the recipient on a single occasion and will count as one good deed for the giver. 鈥楽adaqah Jariyah鈥� will benefit the recipients more than once and that good deed will continue rewarding you even after your death.
For example, giving someone something to eat is a Sadaqah and will benefit that person in that moment whereas building a water well where people can regularly draw water is a Sadaqah Jariyah and will benefit people for generations to come and in turn will continue benefiting you in this life and the next in sha鈥� Allah.
What Sadaqah Jariyah projects can I Donate to?
There are numerous types of Sadaqah Jariyah but in the following hadith seven are mentioned by name:
On the authority of Abu Hurairah (ra) who said,
鈥�the Prophet (saw) said, 鈥淚ndeed, the rewards of his actions and good deeds that will reach a believer after his death are: [1] knowledge which he taught and spread; [2] a righteous child whom he leaves behind; [3] a copy of the Qur鈥檃n that he leaves as a legacy; [4] or a masjid that he built; [5] or a house that he built for wayfarers; [6] a canal that he dug; [7] or charity that he gave from his wealth in his good health and life. [These deeds] will reach him after his death.鈥濃�櫬�(Ibn Majah)
At 51品茶, we offer a wide range of Sadaqah Jariyah projects to suit every budget. From education and water schemes, to orphan sponsorships and livelihood programmes, our Sadaqah Jariyah projects enable people to help themselves beyond the initial intervention, ensuring that both them and you reap the benefits for years to come in sha鈥� Allah.
Sadaqah Jariyah on Behalf of the Deceased
One of the best things about Sadaqah Jariyah is that you can give on behalf of the deceased and benefit them directly without decreasing your own rewards. When you lose a loved one, there is nothing that can ever take their place and it is often very hard to find the perfect way to honour their memory. Giving a Sadaqah Jariyah is one of the best things you can do for a loved one and something that they can benefit greatly from.
This is clearly indicated in the following hadith when a companion鈥檚 (ra) mother passed away and he sought the beloved Prophet鈥檚 (saw) advice about what to do for her:
On the authority of Sa鈥榙 bin 鈥楿badah (ra) that he said, 鈥極 Messenger of Allah! Umm (mother of) Sa鈥榙 has died, so which charity is best?鈥� He [saw] replied, 鈥淲ater (is best).鈥� He said, 鈥楽o he [ra] dug a well and said, 鈥淭his (well) is for Umm Sa鈥榙鈥濃��. (Abu Dawud)
What also happens when we deliver our Sadaqah Jariyah projects is that the recipients make du鈥檃 in abundance on behalf of the donor. So, not only is the donor gaining reward for the project, they also benefit from the du鈥檃s made for them by strangers whom they鈥檝e never even seen or met, Subhan Allah!
