What ought to be the standard of things we give away on charity?
ما هو مستوى الأشياء التي نعطيها للفقراء؟
Islamic etiquette regarding charity emphasizes dignity, ensuring that the poor receive items that are genuinely beneficial and respectful.
تؤكد الآداب الإسلامية المتعلقة بالصدقة على الكرامة، وتضمن حصول الفقراء على أشياء نافعة حقاً وتليق بهم.
The Quality of Charity | جودة الصدقة
1. Acceptable and Good Quality
Whatever we give in charity must be of excellent or at least acceptable quality, not the sort of inferior things we would not like if someone gave them to us. So it is best to be moderate.
1. الجودة المقبولة والممتازة
يستحب للإنسان الإنفاق من أجود المال و لا يجوز له أن ينفق من الشيء الرديء الذي لو أعطي إليه لم يقبله. وهو ينفق من الوسط.
2. The Middle Course in Giving
The Prophet pbuh told Mu'adh (when sending him to collect Zakat): "Beware of taking the best of their wealth." This means one should give from the middle or average quality, balancing generosity with personal needs.
2. الوسطية في العطاء
وقد قال صلى الله عليه و سلم لمعاذ: "إياك و كرائم أموالهم" أي أفضل أموالهم إنما ينفق من الوسط.
3. The Quranic Command
(O believers! Donate from the best of what you have earned and of what We have produced for you from the earth. Do not pick out worthless things for donation, which you yourselves would only accept with closed eyes. And know that Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.) Al-Baqara 2: 267.
3. الأمر القرآني
(يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنفِقُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَمِمَّا أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَلَا تَيَمَّمُوا الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَ وَلَسْتُم بِآخِذِيهِ إِلَّا أَن تُغْمِضُوا فِيهِ ۚ) البقرة 2: 267.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Can I give away old clothes that are torn and unusable as charity?
No. Islam requires charity to be of good or at least acceptable quality. Giving away completely ruined or useless items that you would not accept yourself is prohibited.
Does Islam require me to give away my absolute best and most expensive possessions?
While giving your absolute best is highly rewarded, it is not an obligation. The Prophet ﷺ instructed Zakat collectors to take from the middle or average quality of wealth, protecting the donor's most prized assets while ensuring the poor receive good items.
What does the Quran mean by "which you yourselves would only accept with closed eyes"?
This phrase describes offering something so defective or inferior that if it were given to you, you would only take it out of extreme shyness or by deliberately turning a blind eye to its major flaws. Allah forbids giving such items in charity.