Doing A Good Deed Amounts to Charity

On the authority of Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari who reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Sadaqah (alms) is enjoined on every Muslim." They (the people) said, "Suppose one cannot afford it?' He said, "He should work with his hands so that he may benefit himself and give in charity." They said, "If he cannot work or does not work?" He said, "Then he should help the oppressed unhappy person (by word or action or both)." They said, "If he does not do it?" He said, "Then he should enjoin what is good." They said, "If he does not do that?'' He said, "Then he should refrain from doing evil, for that will be considered for Him as a Sadaqah (charity)." (Reported by Imam Al-Bukhari Hadith no. 6022 and by Imam Muslim Hadith no. 1008)

• The phrase “charity is incumbent on every Muslim” does not signify that giving charity is obligatory, rather it is, according to the unanimous agreement of scholars, a merit that every Muslim is encouraged to foster. Charity originlly signifies giving out of one’s property or money voluntarily. The obligatory Zakah can also be termed as Sadaqah (charity), to show that each giver of Zakah should be keen to achieve Sidq (truthfulness) when giving Zakah.
• This Hadith states that every good deed or word is counted as a charity. Likewise, abstaining from doing evil is counted as a charity.
• The Hadith also urges Muslims to work and earn lawfully, in order to have money from which one can give charity and save himself the humiliation caused by begging.
• The Hadith urges Muslims to do good according to their means; if a certain good deed is difficult to achieve, one can turn to that which is easier for him.

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