Zakat is the fixed charity; sadaqah is the open door that never closes. The Prophet ﷺ told his companions to save themselves from the Fire even with half a date, said two angels come every morning asking Allah to replace what the giver spent, listed tasbih, takbir, enjoining good and forbidding wrong as sadaqah anyone can give, praised the one whose left hand does not know what the right hand gave, and said that whenever a Muslim plants something and a bird or animal eats from it, it is charity for him. A child with no money still has a hundred ways to give. Every point in these lessons carries its ayah or hadith reference.
Lesson 1 · Nothing is too small · ages 5-7
Even half a date
The Prophet ﷺ said save yourself from the Fire even by giving half a date in charity.
1The hadith
Adi bin Hatim heard the Prophet ﷺ say: save yourself from Hell-fire even by giving half a date-fruit in charity.
2Small is accepted
Allah does not weigh the size of the gift; He weighs the heart that gave it.
3You already own something
Half a snack, one pencil, a share of your seat — a child can always find a half-date to give.
4Allah repays
Allah describes charity as a seed that grows into many ears of grain.
5Give first, not last
The Sunnah is to give from what you like, not only from what you were going to throw away.
“The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.”
Yaaa 'ayyuhal lazeena aamanooo anfiqoo min taiyibaati maa kasabtum wa mimmaaa akhrajuaa lakum minal ardi wa laa tayammamul khabeesa minhu tunfiqoona wa lastum bi aakhizeehi illaaa an tughmidoo feeh; wa'lamooo annal laaha Ghaniyyun Hameed
“O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned and from that which We have produced for you from the earth. And do not aim toward the defective therefrom, spending [from that] while you would not take it [yourself] except with closed eyes. And know that Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.”
Lan tanaalul birra hattaa tunfiqoo mimmaa tuhibboon; wa maa tunfiqoo min shai'in fa innal laaha bihee 'Aleem
“Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love. And whatever you spend - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.”
“Save yourself from Hell-fire even by giving half a date-fruit in charity.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1417
Do this before next time
Give away half of one snack today and say Bismillah as you hand it over.
Lesson 2 · What giving does · ages 8-11
The two angels each morning
The Prophet ﷺ said every morning two angels ask Allah to replace what the giver spent and to take away from the miser.
1The hadith
Abu Huraira reported the Prophet ﷺ said every day two angels come down and one says: O Allah, compensate every person who spends in Your cause; and the other says: O Allah, destroy every miser.
2Giving is not losing
The dua of the angel is for replacement — what leaves your hand for Allah comes back another way.
3Holding back has a cost
The second angel's words are a warning that stinginess quietly eats what you were protecting.
4Allah names both roads
Allah contrasts the one who gives and fears Him with the one who withholds and thinks he needs nothing.
5Choose in the morning
The hadith puts this at daybreak; a child can decide their one act of giving at the start of the day.
Surah Al-Lail · 92:5
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ
Fa ammaa man a'taa wattaqaa
“As for he who gives and fears Allah”
Surah Al-Lail · 92:6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa saddaqa bil husnaa
“And believes in the best [reward],”
Surah Al-Lail · 92:8
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ
Wa ammaa mam bakhila wastaghnaa
“But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need”
“Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1442
Do this before next time
Each morning this week, decide one thing you will give before the day ends.
Lesson 3 · Charity with no money · ages 8-11
Every good thing is sadaqah
The Prophet ﷺ taught that saying SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu akbar and enjoining good are all sadaqah.
1The hadith
When companions said the rich had taken all the reward, the Prophet ﷺ answered that every tasbih is a sadaqa, every takbir a sadaqa, every praise a sadaqa, every declaration of Allah's oneness a sadaqa, and enjoining good and forbidding evil are sadaqa.
2No wallet needed
A child with empty pockets can give charity all day with their tongue and their help.
3Words build
A kind word, a fair word, a word that stops a fight — the Sunnah counts these as giving.
4Allah loves good speech
Allah tells the believers to speak in the best way and describes a good word as a good tree.
5Do not envy the rich
The hadith begins with that worry and ends by showing everyone has a share of reward.
Alam tara kaifa darabal laahu masalan kalimatan taiyibatan kashajaratin taiyibatin asluhaa saabitunw wa far'uhaa fis samaaa'
“Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?”
Wa qul li'ibaadee yaqoolul latee hiya ahsan; innash shaitaana yanzaghu bainahum; innash shaitaana kaana lil insaani 'aduwwam mubeenaa
“And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.”
“In every declaration of the glorification of Allah (i.e. saying Subhan Allah) there is a Sadaqa, and every Takbir (i.e. saying Allah-O-Akbar) is a sadaqa, and every praise of His (saying al-Hamdu Lillah) is a Sadaqa and every declaration that He is One (La ilaha ill-Allah) is a sadaqa, and enjoining of good is a sadaqa, and forbidding of that which is evil is a Sadaqa.”
Sahih Muslim 1006
Do this before next time
Count ten sadaqahs you gave today that cost no money at all.
Lesson 4 · Sincerity · ages 12-15
So quietly nobody knows
Among the seven Allah will shade is the one whose charity is so secret his left hand does not know what his right gave.
1The hadith
The Prophet ﷺ listed seven people Allah will shade on the day when there is no shade, including a person who practises charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.
2Why hide it
Hidden giving protects the giver from showing off and protects the receiver from embarrassment.
3Others on that list
The same hadith names a just ruler, a young person raised in the worship of Allah, and two who love each other for Allah's sake.
4Allah knows anyway
Allah says if you give charity openly it is good, but concealing it and giving to the poor is better for you.
5No reminding
Allah warns against following charity with reminders and hurt, which cancels the good.
In tubdus sadaqaati fani'immaa hiya wa in tukhfoohaa wa tu'toohal fuqaraaa'a fahuwa khayrul lakum; wa yukaffiru 'ankum min saiyi aatikum; wallaahu bimaa ta'maloona Khabeer
“If you disclose your charitable expenditures, they are good; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, it is better for you, and He will remove from you some of your misdeeds [thereby]. And Allah, with what you do, is [fully] Acquainted.”
“O you who have believed, do not invalidate your charities with reminders or injury as does one who spends his wealth [only] to be seen by the people and does not believe in Allah and the Last Day. His example is like that of a [large] smooth stone upon which is dust and is hit by a downpour that leaves it bare. They are unable [to keep] anything of what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.”
Allazeena yunfiqoona amwaalahum billaili wan nahaari sirranw wa 'alaaniyatan falahum ajruhum 'inda Rabbihim wa laa khawfun 'alaihim wa laa hum yahzanoon
“Those who spend their wealth [in Allah 's way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly - they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
“Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His... a person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1423
Do this before next time
Give something this week without telling anyone at all — not even the person who received it.
Lesson 5 · Sadaqah that lasts · ages 8-11
Charity that keeps growing
The Prophet ﷺ said whenever a Muslim plants or cultivates and a bird, person or animal eats from it, that is charity for him.
1The hadith
Anas reported the Prophet ﷺ said never does a Muslim plant trees or cultivate land and birds or a man or a beast eat out of them but that is a charity on his behalf.
2It works while you sleep
A planted tree keeps giving long after the planting day, so the reward keeps coming.
3Other lasting sadaqah
Water for a school, a Qur'an someone learns from, knowledge you taught a younger child — all keep giving.
4Allah records what lasts
Allah says He writes down what people send ahead of them and the traces they leave behind.
5Care for the plant
Planting is only sadaqah if you look after it; the Sunnah joins giving to responsibility.
Innaa Nahnu nuhyil mawtaa wa naktubu maa qaddamoo wa aasaarahum; wa kulla shai'in ahsainaahu feee Imaamim Mubeen
“Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind, and all things We have enumerated in a clear register.”
Wa Huwal lazeee anzala minas samaaa'i maaa'an fa akhrajnaa bihee nabaata kulli shai'in fa akhrajnaa minhu khadiran nukhriju minhu habbam mutaraakibanw wa minan nakhli min tal'ihaa qinwaanun daaniyatunw wa jannaatim min a'naabinw wazzaitoona warrummaana mushhtabihanw wa ghaira mutashaabih; unzurooo ilaa samariheee izaaa asmars wa yan'ih; inna fee zaalikum la Aayaatil liqawminy yu'minoon
“And it is He who sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby the growth of all things. We produce from it greenery from which We produce grains arranged in layers. And from the palm trees - of its emerging fruit are clusters hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines and olives and pomegranates, similar yet varied. Look at [each of] its fruit when it yields and [at] its ripening. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.”
Surah Abasa · 80:27
فَأَنۢبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّۭا
Fa ambatna feeha habba
“And caused to grow within it grain”
“Never does a Muslim plant trees or cultivate land and birds or a man or a beast eat out of them but that is a charity on his behalf.”
Sahih Muslim 1553a
Do this before next time
Plant one seed or seedling and write down who might eat or benefit from it one day.
Every ayah on this page comes from the Tanzil Uthmani text of the Qur'an with the Sahih International translation, and every hadith carries its collection and number so you can check it yourself. Back to the learning path
