15 AYAAT. 15 PRODUCTIVITY POINTERS.
“Verily those who give sadaqah, men and women, and lend Allah a goodly loan, it shall be increased manifold, and theirs shall be an honourable good reward (Paradise)” [57:18].
Give ‘n Grow: Productive Sadaqah!
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It’s that time of year again; that one month in the year when we give BIG.
You figure out the surplus Allah has blessed you with, get out the debit card, and send your money somewhere people are really in need. Now you don’t have to worry for another year, right? Wrong.
Charity is not just about money, it’s about reaching out to others, and people need help all year round; not just on the other side of the world, but just around the corner.
When was the last time you used your body to give sadaqah? I don’t mean when you drove to the charity store to off-load things you didn’t want anymore; I mean when did you last give of your time to help those in need in your own community? When was the last time you last donated your talents, skills, or knowledge?
Too often, we keep ourselves apart from the people we hope to assist. And no wonder, for the once-a-year donation, there is little time to get to know anyone, let alone really understand what their lives are like. But if we are not able to connect with the people we aim to serve, as people, then perhaps the benefit of our charity is lost. We have missed the opportunity of letting our charity transform ourselves as well as others.
Giving charity is one of the five pillars and a central defining feature of your Islamic identity. But does it actually define your identity – the spirit of giving or is it something that happens at the click of a mouse, job done?
This Ramadan, try and think local as well as global. Think physical as well as financial.
Could you help out in a soup kitchen? Could you visit the sick or elderly in your community? Or could you start your own Food Bank to reach out to those in need in these difficult times?
Try this practical tip: Open yourself up to the lives of the people your charity is aimed at. Get to know people in your community face-to-face, as friends and colleagues and equals, and let your giving of charity change you as a person.
Let this Ramadan be the starting point of a life of year-round giving. That’s the productive type of giving we’re talking about!
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