Daily Acts of Charity in Islam Without Money
In Islam, charity is not limited to giving wealth. It is a way of life—a daily practice that strengthens community ties, uplifts hearts, and earns reward from Allah ﷻ. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that acts of kindness, no matter how small, are also forms of Sadaqah (charity). From offering a smile to removing harm from the path, these simple gestures reflect the spirit of compassion, kindness, and service that Islam encourages. The teachings of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ show us that every person, regardless of wealth, can engage in daily acts of charity and make a difference.
In the following hadiths, the Prophet ﷺ outlines the many beautiful and accessible ways we can perform charity every day—with our words, intentions, and actions.
Hadith 1: 40 Hadith an-Nawawi – Hadith 26
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
“Every joint of a person must perform a charity each day that the sun rises: to judge justly between two people is a charity.
- To help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it, is a charity.
- And the good word is a charity.
- And every step that you take towards the prayer is a charity,
- and removing a harmful object from the road is a charity.”
Hadith 2: Jami` at-Tirmidhi – Hadith 1956
Abu Dharr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
- Your smiling in the face of your brother is charity,
- commanding good and forbidding evil is charity,
- your giving directions to a man lost in the land is charity for you.
- Your seeing for a man with bad sight is a charity for you,
- your removal of a rock, a thorn or a bone from the road is charity for you.
- Your pouring what remains from your bucket into the bucket of your brother is charity for you.
Hadith 3: Riyad as-Salihin – Hadith 1432
Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,
“Every morning charity is due from every joint bone of the body of every one of you.
- Every utterance of Allah’s Glorification (i.e., Subhan-Allah) is an act of charity,
- and every utterance of praise of Him (i.e., Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity,
- and every utterance of profession of Faith (i.e., La ilaha illallah) is an act of charity,
- and every utterance of His Greatness (i.e., Allahu Akbar) is an act of charity;
- and enjoining good is an act of charity and forbidding what is disreputable is an act of charity;
- and two Rak’ah prayer which one offers in the forenoon (Ad- Duha) will suffice for all this.”
These hadiths beautifully highlight how simple, everyday actions—whether through words, intentions, or physical deeds—can be acts of charity in Islam.
Even a smile is a form of Sadaqah!
