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Imdadul Muslimeen ......... the basis and purpose

Charity is a fundamental religious obligation commanded and preached by every heavenly revealed religion of the world.

It is charity that brings justice to society. And justice is the essence of every religion. Islam has therefore made charity obligatory and binding upon all those who embrace the faith; it has been made into an institution in order to give it permanence and regularity. Every Muslim is required to give 2.5% of his wealth to the needy once a year. This is called "Zakaat". This religious commandment is essential as any other commandment in Islam.

All human beings, according to Islam, have been created by one and the same God, and for this reason they belong to one great brotherhood. All being descendants of the same progenitor, Adam and Eve, they should naturally be each other’s well-wishers. They must willingly come to one another’s assistance, like members of the same large family. Islam has, therefore, laid the greatest of emphasis on the support of destitute and disabled members of society. It is a sacred duty of the wealthy to give part of their possessions to fulfil the needs of the deprived sections of the community.

A society can flourish only when its members do not spend all their wealth on the satisfaction of their own desires but reserve a portion of it for parents, relatives neighbours, the poor and the incapacitated. As the saying goes: Charity begins at home. A true believer is thus always prepared, after meeting the needs of his family, to assist other people in need of his help. ....... (more on the subject)

Tax for the (support) of the poor (Zakaat)

One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word Zakaat means both purification and growth. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need and like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.

Zakaat, which is a form of tax, is compulsory on every Muslim. Each Muslim calculates his or her own Zakaat. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one’s capital. A person may also give as much as he or she pleases as Sadaqa (charity), and does so preferably in secret and although this word can be translated as voluntary charity, it has a wider meaning.

Some Qur'aanic Verses and the sayings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) mentioning the virtues of charity appear below:

"The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All-Knower. (Al-Qur'aan 2:261)

"Those who spend (in charity) of their goods by day and by night, in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (Al-Qur'aan 2:274)

"By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give freely of that which you love." (Al-Qur'aan 3:92)

Allah's Apostle (May peace and blessings be upon him) has said: “He who alleviates the suffering of a brother from the affections of the world, Allah will alleviate his affections from the sufferings of the Day of Resurrection. He who finds relief for one who is hard pressed, Allah will make things easy for him in the Hereafter, and he who conceals (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah would conceal his faults in the world and in the Hereafter. Allah is at the back of a servant so long as the servant is at the back of his brother. He who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah will make that path easy, leading to Paradise for him and those persons who assemble in one of the houses of Allah (mosques), recite the Book of Allah and learn and teach the Qur'an (among themselves). There will descend upon them tranquillity, mercy will cover them, the angels will surround them and Allah will mention them in the presence of those near Him. He who is slow-paced in doing good deeds, his (long) descent does not make him go ahead.” (Sahih Muslim: 6518)

“O ye who believe! If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly.” (Al Qur’an: 47.07)

"Whoever desires an expansion in his sustenance and age, should keep good relations with his kith and kin." (Sahih Al-BukhariI 3.281)

Allah's Apostle (May peace and blessings be upon him) has said: "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfil his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection." (Sahih Al-BukhariI 3.622)

The Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should serve his guest generously and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should unite the bond of kinship (i.e. keep good relations with his kith and kin); and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should talk what is good or keep quiet." (Sahih Al-BukhariI 8.160)

The Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If anyone continually asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.” (Abu Dawud: 1513)

Allah's Messenger (May peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are three things on account of which no rancour enters a Muslim heart: the sincerity of purpose for Allah's sake, seeking goodness for the Muslims and adhering to their main body (jama'ah), for their prayers encompass them all round.” (Mishkat Al-Masabih 0228)

Allah's Apostle (May peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Don't nurse grudge and don't bid him out for raising the price and don't nurse aversion or enmity and don't enter into a transaction when the others have entered into that transaction and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him. The piety is here, (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice. It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith; his blood, his wealth and his honour.” (Sahih Muslim: 219)

The Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you guarantee me six things on your part I shall guarantee you Paradise. Speak the truth when you talk, keep a promise when you make it, when you are trusted with something fulfil your trust, avoid sexual immorality, lower your eyes, and restrain your hands from injustice." (Mishkat Al-Masabih 4870)

“......Then Allah's Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. He went to Khadijah bint Khuwaylid and said, "Cover me!" They covered him until his fear was over. After that he told her everything that had happened and said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadijah replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving people afflicted with calamities. (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbour; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should serve his guest generously; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet." (Sahih Al-BukhariI 8.158)

Allah's Messenger (May peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not hate one another, do not be jealous of one another, do not desert one another, and O Allah's worshippers! Be brothers. Lo! It is not permissible for any Muslim to desert (not talk to) his brother (Muslim) for more than three days." (Sahih Al-BukhariI 8.91)

The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He who defends the honour of a brother, Allah will shield his face against the Fire on the Day of Judgment. (Mishkat Al-Masabih 1533)

Allah's Messenger (May peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever has two characteristics will be recorded by Allah as being grateful and showing endurance. He who regarding his religion considers his superior and copies him, and regarding his worldly interests considers his inferior and praises Allah for the bounty He has bestowed on him, will be recorded by Allah as grateful and showing endurance. But he who regarding his religion considers his inferior, and regarding his worldly interests considers his superior and grieves over what has passed him by will not be recorded by Allah as grateful and showing endurance." (Mishkat Al-Masabih 5256)

The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Who among you considers the wealth of his heirs dearer to him than his own wealth?" They replied, "O Allah's Messenger! There is none among us but loves his own wealth more." The Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said, "So his wealth is whatever he spends (in Allah's cause) during his life (on good deeds) while the wealth of his heirs is whatever he leaves after his death." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 8.449)

A man asked Allah's Messenger (may peace and blessings be upon him) about evil. Whereupon he said: "Don't ask me about evil but ask me about good. He repeated this thrice after which he said: Behold, the worst beings are the wicked among the learned ones and the best are the virtuous among the learned." (Mishkat Al-Masabih 0267)