The International Day of Charity

What is International Day of Charity?

The International Day of Charity is a day that raises awareness about the impact of poverty on people’s lives, the conditions they live in, and encourages people around the world to help one another.

Today, there are several countries in which its citizens struggle from poverty and other problems, including Palestine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen. Many of these countries have water crises, are war-torn or have other problems that have led to the illnesses and deaths of many, including children.

Changes in season and weather is also damaging to people. In countries with harsh winters like Syria, the cold can severely affect how people can carry on living without the essentials like adequate food, blankets, warm clothing and shelter. International Day of Charity sheds light on this and is a means of encouraging the giving of charity to the impoverished and needy.

When is International Day of Charity?

International Day of Charity is on September 5th, 2022 and is an annual event. This day was chosen as it was the day that Mother Teresa passed away. Mother Theresa was a humanitarian who helped many poor people, primarily in India, for over 45 years of her life. The United Nations General Assembly declared this day as an official event in 2012.

Celebrating International Day of Charity

On this day, people around the world try to give some form of charity to give back to others, whether it be financial donations to the needy, smiling, or helping family and neighbours.

You could organise a fundraiser and donate the proceeds to charity, cook a meal for your family or donate some money to Muslim Aid who can use it to support the impoverished.

Reward of Giving Charity in Islam

In Islam, giving charity is a very rewarding act, as shown in the hadith, “When a person dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: ongoing charity (Sadaqah Jariyah), knowledge that is benefited from, and a righteous child who prays for him.” (Sahih Muslim).

Sadaqah Jariyah is an act of charity in a way that keeps on giving. This can be a means of investing in the afterlife as the rewards are continuous.

On International Day of Charity, we can not only donate money to the needy, but also help our neighbours, friends and family, which are all acts of charity. In Islam, even smiling is an act of charity and is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

In the Quran, Allah (SWT) has said, “be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity. Whatever good you send forth for your souls before you, you shall find it with Allah. For Allah sees well all that you do” (2:110). This verse shows the importance of giving charity, including giving it in the name of the deceased, which is a form of Sadaqah Jariyah that they will reap the rewards from.

Donate to Muslim Aid

Donate to Muslim Aid today to enable us to help the impoverished and needy around the world. With your donations, we work to provide people with the essentials they need to live, like food, water, shelter and clothing.

Here at Muslim Aid, we have a number of appeals to target different people in different countries or with different needs. For example, our Orphan and Widow Appeal helps orphans and widows whose families have been torn apart due to the death of a loved one, while our Safe Water Appeal aims to prevent deaths caused by drinking contaminated water or by not drinking water at all.

Donate to Muslim Aid today to help the poor and needy this International Day of Charity.