Children of Adam have started an appeal by which they seek out donors who will donate to gift a fruit tree to a family in need. This type of charity and giving is sustainable as it allows the recipients of the charity to be provided for in eating the fruit that the tree bears for generations to come, and it also allows them to provide for their loved ones and sell their produce to make a living. This can be especially helpful to people in poorer, third-world countries, or anyone in need of physical and financial support
The Importance of Charity in Islam
In Islam, giving charity holds immense rewards, as seen with Zakat being a Pillar of Islam. This acts as an incentive for Muslims to donate money to charitable causes, which benefits whole communities.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift for him” (Al-Bukhari). Furthermore, the hadith, “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity” (Tirmidhi) shows the power that charity has for Muslims.
Charities all across the UK such as Children of Adam have worked tirelessly to provide for the needy and end hunger and appeals such as this one involves the general public in fundraising and donating. This specific appeal allows the public to donate such a small amount of money for a big cause, that will, no doubt, aid families in need across the world.
Many Muslims also donate charity or fundraise in the name of their loved ones or the deceased, which gains them reward and often, gives them closure for their loss. As Muslims, we believe that any charity we give, we get rewarded for it in the afterlife, and charity plays a huge part in a Muslim’s life. 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 demonstrates the importance of giving charity, particularly being willing in doing so.
The Reward of Charity
Gifting a fruit tree to someone in need also allows one to feel humility and be grateful for all the blessings that Allah (SWT) has blessed them with, whether it be wealth, health, food or family, and this has spiritual benefits for the individual who gives the charity, as well as physical benefits for the recipients of it. This giving of charity is a form of Sadaqah Jariyah, which is charity that has an ongoing and continuous benefit for others. This type of charity gains abundant reward for the giver and continues even after they pass away. This suggests the importance of voluntary donations, in that the rewards are everlasting, which encourages Muslims to give more.
While many people perform acts of Sadaqah Jariyah by donating a well in a poor country, building a mosque for a deceased person or by donating a sum of money to a charity, planting a fruit tree to assist others can also be a powerful form of charity, due to the good it brings the recipients for their health, wealth and wellbeing.
Giving voluntary charity also ensures your own wellbeing and increases gratitude to Allah (SWT) as shown in the hadith, “Give Sadaqah without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity” (Tirmidhi).
