For children, - Islam and Charity: Islamic Charity or Muslim Charity?

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In Islam, every Muslim is obliged to give to charity in whatever form to boost his piety and spread wealth and goodwill among the whole community. It's no surprise then that the Arabic word tasadaqa (to give charity) is derived from the word "sadaqa" which means tell the truth or be sincere.
Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Qur'an: "By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, Allah surely knows it." (3:92)
Therefore voluntary charity, or sadaqa, which is different than the zakah - the compulsory alms that are collected each year - should be part of every Muslim's daily life. Prophet Muhammad (S) said that every good deed is charity - even a smile in the face of others is charity.
Prophet Muhammad (S) said: "There is no person who does not have the obligation of doing charity every day that the sun rises." Whereupon he was asked: "O Messenger of Allah (SWT), from where would we get something to give in charity (so often)?" Prophet Muhammad (S) replied: "Indeed the gates to goodness are many: glorifying Allah (SWT), praising Him, magnifying Him, saying 'There is no god but Allah', enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, removing (any source of harm from the road, listening to the aggrieved, guiding the blind, showing the seeker his need, striving as far as your two legs could carry you and with deep concern to give succour to him who asks, carrying with the strength of your arms (the burdens of) the weak. All these are acts of charity which are an obligation on you." And Prophet Muhammad (S) added: "And your smiling in the face of your brother is charity, your removing of stones and thorns from people's paths is charity, and your guiding a man gone astray in the world is charity for you."
Charity, as it is traditionally understood, consists of money or various objects given by the rich to help the poor or by the strong to help the weak. Charity in its tangible, narrow sense divides people into the receivers on the one hand and the givers on the other. This division inspires among the receivers feelings of weakness and even of error, and among those who give feelings of pride and conceit. But the saying of Prophet Muhammad (S), however, takes charity out of this narrow, physical meaning and on to a spiritual plane that opens up a vast and limitless world by emphasizing that every good is charity. And on every person is the obligation of charity. This is a unique concept of charity.
Prophet Muhammad (S) makes us realize the single spiritual essence which lies behind every act of goodness. But Prophet Muhammad (S) does not want us merely to know. Knowledge is not an end in itself. Prophet Muhammad (S) wants to make us return to goodness, goodness which is the very word of Allah (SWT). Prophet Muhammad (S) wants that each of us should move and stir ourselves from within into goodness so that giving would become a habit of life, and that this habit would pass from person to person. The complete Islamic concept of charity which includes all good actions however small they may be, allows every person whether rich or poor, to become givers and receivers on an equal basis. This point to another basic principle of Islamic thought and behaviors that the standard on which life is judged is not the materialistic alone but one based on faith, feeling and sensitivity which form the center of human relations. And from it comes the ties of faith, affection and love to bind hearts.
Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Qur'an: "And united their (believers) hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; surely He is Mighty, Wise." (8:63)
Prophet Muhammad (S) has said: "No one of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."
This is the essence of charity. So begin by meeting your brother and sister with a smile. This would open up locked souls, penetrate to the depths of the heart and exert a magnetic bond on society. Read the hadith again and see how it reaches into the depths of the soul, the essence of existence and creates hearts that are tender, pure, radiant and beautiful.
And Abdullaah Ibn Haarith said: "I never came across a person who smiled as much as Prophet Muhammad (S). Prophet Muhammad (S) regarded smiling with a brother as an act of charity." (Tirmidhi)
Indeed every act of giving is charity, even a smile in the face of your fellow.
Prophet Muhammad (S) was asked if acts of charity even to the animals were rewarded by Allah (SWT). He replied: 'yes, there is a reward for acts of charity to every beast alive.' (Bukhari, Muslim)

- PUBLISHED by"NajimudeeN_M-INDIA"

For children, - Story of Generous Giving(Generosity Quotes, Generosity Quotations, Generosity Sayings)

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Generosity and kindnessdoesn't mean that you give only when you have lot or after fulfilling all your needs, but in fact you can still give when you yourself is struggling. Generosity literally means willingness and liberty in giving away ones own money, time, talent and etc sincerely without any personal gain as shown in the following story.
Mahatma Gandhi went from city to city, village to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one of his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa. After his speech a poor old lady got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her clothes were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but she fought her way to the place where Mahatma Gandhi was sitting.
"I must see him," she insisted and going up to Mahatma Gandhi touched his feet. Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a copper coin and placed it at his feet. Mahatma Gandhi picked up the copper coin and put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Mahatma Gandhi for the coin but Mahatma Gandh refused.
"I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly "yet you won't trust me with a copper coin." "This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands" Mahatma Gandhi said.
"If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much."
But this coin was perhaps all that the poor old lady possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this copper coin more than a crore of rupees.

- PUBLISHED by"NajimudeeN_M-INDIA"

General Articles, - No Other Than Allah is Prayed To

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By the verse revealed in the Qur’an, " O Prophet! Allah is enough for you, and for the faithful who follow you. " (Surat al-Anfal, 64), believers know that Allah is the only One Whom to ask help. He is the most superior, the most powerful and the One Who sees and hears everything. Allah is the One Who is excluded from all deficient features, and Who is the Owner of eternal power. All power in the universe is in His hands. So help and forgiveness should be asked for only and only from Allah, Whom everyone is need for and Who Himself does not need anyone. In the Qur’an it is revealed that it is wrong to pray to others than Allah and that Allah is the sole authority of prayer:
“ So do not call on any other god along with Allah or you will be among those who will be punished. ” (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’, 213)
Conclusion
Prayer is an example of Allah’s mercy and compassion for His servants. Believers can pray to Allah at every moment and under every condition and they are peaceful that Allah will accept these prayers in the best ways. In this way, they can tell their deepest secrets and the most hidden desires to Allah, and live the goodness, prosperity and beauty that comes from the knowledge that Allah is the only friend , guide and helper. We can see the biggest secret in Allah accepting prayers in the lives of prophets as we have mentioned in some examples. There is a relation in praying and carrying out the actions Allah commands. The physical effort shown for Allah’s good pleasure, mercy and Paradise is an act of worship as important as prayer. Allah revealed in the Qur’an about the importance of effort: “ But as for anyone who desires the akhira, and strives for it with the striving it deserves, being a believer, the striving of such people will be gratefully acknowledged. ” (Surat al-Isra’, 19)
Islamic scholar Imam Rabbani explained this matter with these words:
“Desiring something means attaining it; indeed, Almighty Allah does not make His servant pray for something He will not accept.“Believers who know that their actions are also prayers not only pray at moments of difficulty but at every moment by feeling the existence and mightiness of Allah. They preserve this close connection to Almighty Allah at every moment of their lives.

- PUBLISHED by"NajimudeeN_M-INDIA"