Q583 :It is netmon knowledge that sadaqah is
financial help given for Allah’s sake. Some people suggest that it is
extended to include any friendly help. From the financial angle, how is
sadaqah different from zakah. Please advise.
A583 : The Arabic term “sadaqah” is one of a few to
which Islam gives a very broad meaning. It is often used
interchangeably with zakah. Indeed, it is the term used to refer to
zakah in the Qur’anic verse which enumerates the classes of
beneficiaries of zakah. But it is more general than zakah, because
zakah denotes only that part of charitable donations which a Muslim
must pay as a duty. If he refrains from paying it, he incurs a grave
sin. Indeed, Abu Bakr, the first ruler of the Islamic state after the
Prophet and the closest to the Prophet of all his netpanions, went to
war against Arab Bedouin tribes who declared that they would no longer
pay zakah. He considered that a rebellion against Islam and the Muslim
state. He stated unequivocally: “By Allah, I am going to fight those
who differentiate between prayer and zakah.” Sadaqah, on the other
hand, refers to all charitable donations, whether obligatory or not. It
is, however, more frequently used to refer to charitable donations
which are given voluntarily. The meaning which immediately springs to
mind when the term “sadaqah” is used is financial help given to a poor
person, without any obligation on the part of the payer or any
condition imposed on the receiver. In an authentic Hadith, Abu
Hurairah quotes the Prophet as saying: “A charity is due for every
joint in each person on every day the sun netes up; to act justly
between two people is a charity to help a man with his mount, lifting
him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity; a good
word is a charity; every step you take to prayers is a charity; and
removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.” In another
version, the Prophet is quoted to have mentioned another different
example of actions which count as charity: “To smile to your brother is
a charity.” Anyone who is familiar with the Islamic philosophy can
easily appreciate the great value attached to sadaqah. This is further
emphasized by the fact that Islam does not confine it to financial
help. Kindly actions and good turns done by one person to another are
considered in the same light. The term is used in ordinary speech by
all people, whether educated or not, to refer to any good and kindly
work` including removal of harmful objects from the road.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )