Charity, for which the expression used in the Holy Quran is "spending out of what God has given you", means using your energy, talent, resources, money, possessions, or whatever else, to help and do good to those in need.

Prayer expresses love for God, submission to Him, and a desire to bring out the Divine qualities that lie hidden in every person.

Charity is an expression of sympathy and benevolence towards God's creation, putting into actual practice the lessons you learn in prayer.

Helping someone in any way, Showing the way to a stranger, Speaking a kind word to cheer someone up, Giving useful advice or imparting knowledge to

someone, Removing from the road something that could

cause an accident, Even simply refraining from hurting anyone, are

all acts of charity in Islam.

It is not righteousness or obedience to Allah that you turn your faces towards east and or west in prayers but to believe in

1) Allah, 2) the Last Day, 3) the Angels, 4) the Book, 5)the Prophets and 6) to give wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, to the orphans, and to Al-Masakin (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and 7) to set slaves free to perform 8) As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give 9) the Zakat, and 10)who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and 11) who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.) in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles).

Such are the people of the truth and they are Al-Muttaqun /pious

Surah

Baqarah ; 177.

First: The purpose of spending: It should be to seek the pleasure of Allah, not to show off to people.

Second: The fashion and condition of this good work: It should not be followed by reproach and injury.

Third: The quality of the wealth to be spent: It must be lawful and good, not unlawful or worthless.

Fourth: The qualification of the receivers: It should be given to those poor who are besieged in the way of Allah.

Fifth: The rewards of such spending in this world and in the next.

More than 12 million people are affected in

Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Sudan and Uganda Nearly half of Somalia's population is facing a

humanitarian crisis - almost 3.7 million people Tens of thousands of Somalis have already

been killed by the famine hundreds of thousands are threatened,

according to the UN 29000 children under age 5 died in last 90

days.

"When these people lose their livestock, they lose their source of food, their livelihood and their savings in a single stroke”

"We can only imagine the desperation such families feel at not being able to give their children enough to eat and drink to stay healthy.

Believe it or not ………it is reality today in Refugee camp. Not to forget many of them who are unable make it to the camp

Kenya is struggling to cope with influx of refugees fleeing the drought in Somalia

Dadaab refugee is now largest camp with more than estimated 400,000 refugees ( originally can accommodate only 90,000)

an influx of 1500 refugees daily with approx 80% children & women who come weak, exhausted and extremely hungry after a very long trek

Many children and adults die trying to make it to the camp.

"Who is he that will loan to Allah, a

beautiful loan,(QARZE-E-HASNA) which Allah will double and multiply many times over? And it is Allah that increases or decreases your provisions and to Him shall be your return "

Surah Baqara 2:245

A child dies from hunger every six minutes in southern Somalia, according to the United Nations

Aid agencies say a malnourished child can be nursed back to health in just a month, but the difficulty of getting supplies to trouble areas is hurting those most in need

More than 750,000 children are affected

Children are dying from measles and cholera as tens of thousands of malnourished, immunity-suppressed people flee the drought areas and pack into filthy, crowded camps

We were hungry and couldn't get work. We traveled as a family but soon after we arrived my husband died, leaving me a widow and my children without a father. I just need help — anything.“ A 30-year-old mother of three, who arrived in Dadaab after walking for six days

a mother walking, arrives at the clinic, takes her baby off her back and finds it has died without her knowing

“A case of one grandmother who made it here with three small grandchildren. All three died no sooner than they’d arrived. It was too late. Nothing could be done for them.” source: Taken from Doctors without

borders

“If you loan to Allah a beautiful loan, He will double it

to your (Credit) and He will grant you forgiveness;

For Allah is Most Ready to appreciate (Service),

most forbearing"

verse : 17.

Allah directs us to spend from What He has given to us None of

us has anything of our own

Everything that we have, is given by Allah swt One who has given so much, asks for a little from it to spend in His Way

That too with His Assurance that He will return manifolds & shall also Forgive our sins

“the likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain that sprouts seven spikes. In every spike there are 100 grains, and Allah multiplies for whom He will”

(2:261) Giving charity is thereby not seen as detracting

from income, but rather as a multiplication in terms of spiritual observance

People are making incredibly difficult journeys: some are walking for more than 20 days without food or water, facing attacks from armed groups or wild animals

"And [once the journey began] it was bad. It was congested, with a lot of bad smells ... so many children, some urinating, some vomiting, and everyone was so hungry, on empty stomachs ... it was really a terrible journey.” said one of the refugee

Some children arrive unaccompanied as they have separated from their family on the journey or they are orphans

Insufficient latrines, poor hygienic condition and spread of cholera and measles

The Telegraph UK 7/9/11

Zakat is not referred to as `QARZ -E-HASNA'.

Zakat is obligatory. ( Non payment of Zakat amounts to rebellion against Allah and His Commands)

Allah warns us in Qur'an that He is most severe in punishment

"O you believe! spend out of (the bounties) We have

provided for you, before the Day comes, when no

bargaining (Will avail), nor friendship, nor intercession,

those -who reject faith-they are the wrong doers."

Qur'an 2:254

None except Allah swt knows when is the day of judgement. But once a person dies his Record of deeds is closed. No one knows who will die next moment…

The theme of this surah is to exhort the Muslims to spend in the cause of Allah.

Allah swt says in this surah that in the hereafter the light will be bestowed only on those believers who had spent in the cause of Allah.

As for hypocrites who watched and served only their interests in the world and who least bothered whether truth /falsehood prevailed will be segregated from the believers in the hereafter and will be deprived of this noor (light).

Those who are stingy and enjoin upon people stinginess. And whoever turns way –then indeed, Allah is free of need, the praise worthy.

Those who expend in the way of Allah and fight, Allah will never let go their sacrifices in vain but will multiply its compensation many times and they will attain the position of “Siddiqeen and Shuhadah”. (18-19)

Allah says life of this world is transient and merely sport, diversion, adornment and object of boasting and rivalry in multiplication of riches for which people compete with one another

Allah says in the context of encouraging charity “ COMPETE with each other in seeking Allah’s forgiveness and garden whose width is equal to heaven & earth” ( as life of hereafter is everlasting)

 

If Allah has honored man with wealth, he should not hesitate to expend it in His way, always mindful of the fact that is Allah who can take it back the way He has awarded you. [Verse 22-24]

Islam does not merely consist in verbal affirmation and some outward practices

Its essence and spirit is sincerity towards Allah and His religion.

Faith of those who are devoid of this spirit and who regard his own self and wealth dearer, is hollow and hence little worth in the sight of Allah.

“But they give others preference over themselves even though poverty was their (own lot).

And those saved from the miserliness of their own souls, they are the ones that achieve prosperity/success”

Surah Hashr VERSE 9

Desperate Somali mothers are abandoning their dying children by the roadside as they travel to Food centers

Mothers making the horrible choice of leaving behind

their weaker children to save the stronger ones or having to see children dying in their arms

On the road between the Kenyan and Somali border lie the dead bodies of children who have succumbed to the famine and the hardships of making the journey

May Allah protect all mothers from these difficult trials…Ameen

"By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give (freely) of that which you love( Wealth); and whatever you give , God knoweth it well"

We are told about the utmost importance of charity.

If we do not spend in the way of Allah from what we have, all our Ibadaat shall not be of avail to us. We shall not attain any righteousness.

“ By no means”, implies very very emphatic wordings

So the test of charity lies not in giving away something we have discarded but the things that we value greatly, something that we love. It is unselfishness that God demands

Sura Al-Takasur (Qur'an – 102 verse 8) Allah warns us that on that `Day' we shall be questioned about the Bounties of Allah bestowed on us and how we utilised them.

Do we selfishly enjoy ourselves or do we also remember the poor down trodden and help them???

ALLAH S.W.T SAYS………..

“ The righteous are those who feed the poor , the orphan

and the captive for the love of Allah Saying :“We feed you for the sake of Allah alone; we seek from you

neither reward nor thanks”

Surah Insaan 8-9

“We must not be indifferent to the tragedy of the

hungry and the thirsty," the Pope said in an address to hundreds of pilgrims following the weekly prayer just outside Rome.

“We should share our food and bread with brothers and sisters in Horn of Africa” he added Calling for "compassion" and "fraternal solidarity."

"Among the best deeds are to feed the poor and the deserving and to greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know"

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith No. 826 Book 2 Chapter 6

HADITH WORTH PONDERING…………….“OUR CHILDREN HAVE NOT EATEN FOR DAYS” SAID THE FATHER

“None of you will truly believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself”

Al-Bukhari

Ibne Umar Radhiallaho anho has narrated the saying of Rasulullah Sallallaho alaihe wasallam :

  1.Whoever undertakes to meet the needs of a brother, Allah will look after his needs.   2.Whoever saves a Muslim from calamity, Allah will protect

him from one of his calamities on the Day of Judgement.  3.Whoever provides a dress to a Muslim to cover his body and

prevents a disclosure of his shortcomings, Allah will provide for him the same type of cover on the Day of Qiyamah.

 

The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) also said: “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his Sadaqah.”  (Ahmad)

Mu‘aadh bin Jabal (r.a.) related from the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) “Sadaqah extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

Lets not loose the opportunity of Qarze hasna , besides giving zakat Donate for your masjid & for establishment of a islamic school besides donating to your brothers in need

Lets compete with each other in righteousness / seeking Allah’s forgiveness and gardens of Jannah

Wastage of food is a sin and a violation of the very concept of Islam, Remind others and yourself.

We need to thank Allah swt for providing us food and innumerable favors on us and that we are not tested like people in Africa. Please pray for Allah swt’s mercy on millions suffering in the Horn of Africa

Ramadan gives us an opportunity to feel and understand the hunger, deprivation, and suffering of fellow human beings

Muslims should enjoin each other to help people with worst afflictions related to food deprivation and hunger/children /infectious disease/ disasters and refugee crisis

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s) said :

“No wealth (of a servant of Allah) is decreased because of charity”

(Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2247)

Please forward this to your friends and family as sawab-e-jariya ( continuous reward) for you

May Allah give you reward of charity and multiply the reward multiple times

Some ways to donate 1. Please inquire in your local masjids about

Somalia donations 2. Islamic relief USA 3. Araha.org 4. ICNA relief 5. Hidaya Foundation