Islamic giving, compared
Sadaqah, zakat and the other kinds of giving, side by side
Which gifts are owed, which are free, and who may receive each one: the whole picture in a single table.
Sadaqah and the other kinds of giving at a glance
Sadaqah is the free gift. The others come with rules of their own.
| Kind | Owed? | Who receives it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zakat | Yes: 2.5% of savings held a lunar year above the nisab | Only the eight groups | Quran 9:60 |
| Zakat al-fitr | Yes, for each person, before the Eid prayer | The poor and needy | Sahih al-Bukhari 1503 |
| Sadaqah | No: any amount, any time | Anyone in need, any good cause | Quran 2:274 |
| Sadaqah jariyah | No | A lasting good: water, a school, a mosque | Sahih Muslim 1631 |
| Lillah | No: a mosque’s word for a general gift | Any good cause, the building too | Quran 76:9 |
| Fidyah | Yes, if you can neither fast nor make it up | One poor person fed per day | Quran 2:184 |
| Kaffarah | Yes, after a broken oath or fast | The poor | Quran 5:89 |
A small amount goes a long way: give sadaqah and follow it to the people it reaches.
Telling sadaqah from zakat and the rest
Is it owed?
Zakat, fitrana, fidyah and kaffarah are owed. Sadaqah is a free gift, of any size.
Who may receive it?
Zakat, only the eight groups (Quran 9:60). Sadaqah, anyone of any faith (Sahih al-Bukhari 2620).
Say which it is
A charity spends zakat and sadaqah differently, so name each gift and keep a note.
Decide first
Zakat needs the intention of zakat (Sahih al-Bukhari 1), so one gift can’t be both.
Sadaqah questions people ask
Is lillah the same as sadaqah?
In meaning, yes: every gift should be for Allah, lillah (Quran 76:9). In UK mosques a lillah box takes general gifts the mosque may spend on anything, its building included.
Does sadaqah have to be money?
No. A smile, guiding someone who is lost and moving harm from the road are all sadaqah (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 1956).
When is zakat al-fitr paid?
Before the Eid prayer, for each person in the household (Sahih al-Bukhari 1509). Muslims Around the World explains how this year’s amount is set.
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