Who should someone feed?
لمن يكون الإطعام؟
The beauty of Islamic charity is its vast inclusivity. The act of offering food and water is not limited to a specific group of people; rather, it is a universal language of mercy that builds strong communities and compassionate households.
إن جمال الصدقة الإسلامية يكمن في شموليتها الواسعة. ففعل تقديم الطعام والماء لا يقتصر على فئة معينة من الناس؛ بل هو لغة رحمة عالمية تبني مجتمعات قوية وأسرا متراحمة.
1. The Poor and the Neighbors | الفقراء والجيران
According to the Quran and Hadith, it is critically important to provide food to those who are in severe need, primarily the poor and the desperately needy. Allah Almighty says: (Call all people to the pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel from every distant path, so they may obtain the benefits in store for them, and pronounce the Name of Allah on appointed days over the sacrificial animals He has provided for them. So eat from their meat and feed the desperately poor.) Surah Al Hajj 22: 27 to 28.
This duty also intimately includes the neighbor. The Messenger pbuh said: "He is not a true believer if someone sleeps with a full stomach, while his neighbor is hungry and he knows of him."
الإطعام يكون للفقير والمسكين بشكل أساسي. قال الله تعالى: (وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ * لِّيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ ۖ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْبَائِسَ الْفَقِيرَ) الحج 22: 27 إلى 28.
كما يشمل هذا الواجب الجار الملاصق. وعند الطبراني قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (ما آمن بي من بات شبعان وجاره جائع إلى جنبه وهو يعلم به).
2. Family and Guests | الأسرة والضيوف
The responsibility and reward also extend beautifully to one's own family members. A husband is highly rewarded for fulfilling his financial duty, and for any bite of food that he feeds his wife, as exemplified by the saying: "even the bite that one puts in his wife's mouth."
Moreover, one should always honor his guest and present the absolute best food for him. This generous hospitality is a fundamental requisite of true faith.
كما يلزم الإنسان نفقته على أسرته كالزوجة والأولاد، واللقمة في في امرأته لك بها أجر، كما في الحديث: (حتى اللقمة تضعها في في امرأته).
ويعنى الإنسان أيضا بإكرام الضيف بتقديم أطيب ما عنده من الطعام، فهذا من صميم الإيمان.
3. The Fasting and All Living Creatures | الصائمون والحيوانات
He who offers any food for anyone to break his fast on, will be rewarded with a reward similar to the fasting person. But the mercy of Islam goes even further to include all living beings.
In every living creature, there is a reward. A man came to the Prophet pbuh and said: "I fill my bucket from my well to quench the thirst of my cattle. But there are cattle that belong to others that come and I give them water. Will I be rewarded for that?" So the Messenger of Allah pbuh said: "In every living being there is a reward." He also explicitly stated: "The best charity is giving water to drink."
من أفطر صائما فله مثل أجره. ولكن رحمة الإسلام تمتد لتشمل جميع الكائنات الحية.
والجملة ففي كل كبد رطبة أجر. فعن عبد الله بن عمرو رضي الله عنهما: أن رجلا جاء إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: إني أنزع في حوضي، حتى إذا ملأته لإبلي ورد علي البعير لغيري فسقيته، فهل في ذلك من أجر؟ فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (في كل ذات كبد أجرا) رواه أحمد وصححه الألباني. وفي الحديث: (أفضل الصدقة سقي الماء).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Is feeding my own family considered a rewarded act of charity?
Yes, absolutely. The Prophet pbuh confirmed that providing for your dependents, even placing a bite of food into your spouse's mouth, carries a great reward from Allah when done with good intention.
What is the ruling on a person who ignores a hungry neighbor?
The Prophet pbuh stated that a person who goes to sleep with a full stomach while knowing their neighbor is hungry is severely lacking in true faith, emphasizing the immense obligation of community care.
Do I get a reward for giving water to animals?
Yes. Islam teaches that there is a heavenly reward in providing sustenance to every living creature with a wet liver (animals and humans alike), and providing water is considered the best form of charity.