Assalamualaikum.
Love in Islam is not just an emotion—it’s an action. It’s in the way we speak, the way we forgive, and the way we show up for others. Assalamualaikum.
When we think of charity, we often go straight to money: giving to the poor, funding causes, or building wells. And while these are all powerful, beautiful acts of giving, Islam teaches us that charity is not limited to wealth. Charity can be the warmth in your voice, the softness of your eyes, the way you forgive, the way you hold space for someone breaking quietly.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Every good deed is charity.” (Sahih Bukhari)
That means every gentle word, every act of kindness, even a smile—is sadaqah. So what happens when we start viewing love, empathy, and care as charity too? When we stop underestimating the value of our emotional labor, our invisible efforts, our small but intentional acts of love?
1. Listening as an Act of Love and Charity
In a world obsessed with speaking, truly listening to someone is an act of love. Sitting with a friend who’s venting. Holding back judgment. Letting someone cry without rushing them to feel better. This kind of presence? It’s a gift. A form of sadaqah that leaves no paper trail, but lingers in someone’s heart forever.
2. Forgiving with Love: Letting Go as Sadaqah
Letting go of bitterness is hard, but sometimes, we give the most when we choose peace over revenge. When we forgive someone who hasn’t even apologised. It doesn’t mean we forget or excuse harm, but it means we give ourselves the charity of inner peace and the other person the space to grow.
3. Giving Time is Giving Love
Time is one of the most precious things we own. When you help your sibling with an assignment, check up on your parents, or offer to babysit for a tired mom—you’re giving away a part of your life. And what’s more generous than that?
4. Prayers of Love: Making Du‘ā for Others
When you make du‘ā for someone behind their back, it’s a private act of love. They’ll never know, but Allah does. And He appoints an angel to say “Ameen, and for you the same.” Sometimes, the most loving thing you can do is whisper someone’s name in sujood.
5. Emotional Support is Emotional Love
Encouraging someone who’s on the edge. Sending a message when someone is off. It’s not just kindness—it’s ibadah. These aren’t just sweet gestures—they’re acts of ibadah. Emotional availability is charity in its rawest, most tender form.
Love is not just a feeling. It’s a verb. A decision. A daily practice.
Charity, in its truest form, is rooted in intention. You don’t need to be rich to be generous. You just need to be present, gentle, and willing to give from whatever Allah has blessed you with—whether it’s your money, your energy, or your heart.
And honestly? Sometimes, it’s the non-monetary forms of charity that stay with people the longest. The way someone made you feel seen. The du‘ā you didn’t ask for. The hug when you needed it most.
Let’s not downplay the spiritual weight of compassion.
Let’s treat love as charity—because it is.
And if you ever find yourself worn thin, feeling like you have nothing left to give, not even to yourself, remember this: your survival, your endurance, your decision to keep going is also a kind of charity. A quiet, beautiful one.
So maybe this is for you:
A Weed Between the Cracks
By Ramlah
Whenever you feel the sudden urge to give up,
Remember, even if it feels too heavy to bear
You can still spread your wings beneath the weight.
You can still choose to keep going, even if it feels late.
Yesterday, I went for a walk when everything seemed a little too much for little old me.
And my tears fell, and fell, and fell
Until they could water the earth with the salt of despair.
It made me wonder if even plants ever feel life is unfair.
I saw a weed the other day,
Peeking at me from between the cracks in the concrete I walked upon.
And I stood there, frozen, wondering at the way of the world.
Even this fragile piece of nature fights to live.
From beneath stone, beneath the crushing, paralyzing strife,
It reaches upward, maybe in search of the sun’s embrace.
It made me think:
Perhaps there is hope, even in the heaviest place.
Perhaps my shoulders can bear the weight.
Because I too want to defy the laws of this world.
I too want to fight against my so-called fate.
It is heavy.
It is heavy.
It is so heavy.
But I am just a plant that believes it deserves even an ounce of light.
A soul that refuses to be buried without putting up a fight.
The concrete might be strong,
But so is the will of a person who has been down for far too long.
And such a weed of a person,
Has no choice but to choose to be strong.
So be kind. Love gently. Give where it hurts. And remember:
Every small act of compassion, including your resilience, is charity too.
Paysabil.
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