Types of Charity: How You Can Help Change the Lives of the Displaced and Refugees

Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has given us many paths to enter Paradise and win His pleasure, and charity (sadaqah) is among the greatest of them and the highest in rank with Allah. It is like an eraser that wipes away the sins and mistakes of Muslims. Allah has granted all types of charity a multiplied reward and made them a means of warding off calamity, since they bring joy to the hearts of those in need and help them meet the demands of their lives.

That is why Allah commanded us to give charity and made it the best path to a loving, mutually supportive society, far removed from poverty and suffering.

Charity and its importance in Islam

Charity is anything given to the needy and the poor — whether food, money or a kind word — seeking the pleasure of Allah and His great reward. Charity is one of the gifts that bring a Muslim closer to his Lord, and it is usually given in secret so that it is accepted and returns with good to the giver.

It is worth noting that charity has many types, all of which a person spends from what they own for the sake of Allah's pleasure, by offering moral or financial help to everyone in need.

The importance of charity in Islam

• It wards off evil and calamity from the giver.
• It extinguishes the anger of Allah.
• It purifies its giver from all resentment and hatred.
• It expiates sins and keeps the giver away from wrongdoing.
• It increases love and harmony among Muslims.
• It strengthens the bonds of love among members of society.
• It reduces poverty in society.

Voluntary charity and obligatory charity

Charity in Islam has several types, the most important of which are:

Voluntary charity: charity given willingly, without request or obligation, with the aim of winning Allah's pleasure. It usually takes the form of charitable works or spending money to earn reward from Allah.

Obligatory charity, known as zakat, is the charity required of every Muslim each year. It requires paying a specific amount to the needy and the poor, and fulfilling it carries a great reward with Allah.

Voluntary (nafl) charity

Voluntary charity is a non-obligatory good deed, but it is highly recommended. It purifies the soul from stinginess, is virtuous at all times, and carries a multiplied reward.

Charity to relatives

This is one of the best types of charity, as it carries a double reward: the reward of maintaining family ties and the reward of charity. It is given to relatives in need with the aim of helping them and winning Allah's pleasure.

Charity in education and knowledge

Voluntary charity for education and spreading knowledge is one of the most important and best types of charity, as it helps raise education levels and spread knowledge as widely as possible, reaching future generations. This makes it a continuous charity (sadaqah jariyah) with lasting impact. Examples include building schools and sponsoring students.

Charity of food and drink

Charity of food and drink takes many forms, such as donating food or money or providing water. It is a recommended deed with great virtue and reward with Allah because it brings one closer to Him: it satisfies the hunger of the poor and quenches their thirst, and a Muslim gives it willingly without any compulsion or obligation.

Charity for building mosques and public facilities

Charity for building mosques and public facilities is a monetary charity that belongs to the category of charities bringing lasting benefit to Muslims. It is among the best and greatest types of charity, as it brings reward to the donor every time the name of Allah is mentioned in the mosque — especially since these mosques are an opportunity to spread the religion of Allah, knowledge and learning.

Charity by contributing to planting trees

Contributing to planting trees is a continuous charity, as it brings lasting benefit to everyone while improving the environment. This makes it a blessed deed with a great reward.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no Muslim who plants a tree or sows a crop, and then a bird, a person or an animal eats from it, except that it is charity for him."

Charity of sponsoring an orphan or a student of knowledge

Sponsoring an orphan or a student of knowledge carries a great reward, as it is one of the best charities, returning the donor's wealth to him many times over. Orphan sponsorship usually covers food, drink, clothing and daily needs, while sponsoring a student of knowledge means providing a suitable learning environment and the necessities required to complete their education.

Continuous charity (sadaqah jariyah)

Continuous charity is one of the best and most rewarding types of charity, as it keeps providing benefit for a long time and for successive generations. It takes many forms, such as digging wells, building mosques, building schools or printing copies of the Quran.

It is among the charities most beloved to Allah, and it must be given with a sincere intention for the sake of Allah, free from any personal interest.

The effects of charity on the individual and society

• Purifying the soul from sins and wrongdoing.
• Increasing and growing wealth.
• Reducing the suffering of the poor and needy.
• Bringing joy and happiness to the hearts of the needy and the poor.
• Strengthening solidarity and mutual support among members of society.
• Keeping the Muslim away from the Fire and extinguishing the anger of Allah.
• Warding off evil and calamity from Muslims.
• Multiplying reward.
• Strengthening relationships between Muslims and building a healthy society.

Frequently asked questions

What are the types of charity?

Charity is divided into voluntary, obligatory and continuous charity.

What is the greatest charity with Allah?

The greatest charity with Allah is the one a Muslim gives with a sincere intention for Allah and from lawful (halal) wealth, such as feeding people, providing water, and continuous charity.

What charities are there other than money?

There are many charities other than money, such as helping a person in need, a smile, or a kind word.

What is the best continuous charity?

The best continuous charities are digging wells, building mosques, building schools and contributing to planting trees, because their benefit and reward last in this life and after death.