The concept of charity is deep-rooted in Islam, and as one of the five pillars, it has obvious benefits.
Charity is mentioned in the Qur’an many times, encouraging people to spend in the way of Allah, support orphans and feed the poor, one’s relatives and the traveller, Fundamentally, care and consideration for humanity is a central pillar of Islam and is an act beloved to Allah.
Charity in Islam takes many forms, Zakat, Sadaqah, Lillah, Fitrana, Qurbani, and Kaffarah to name some. The most common are Zakat (obligatory charity) and Sadaqah (voluntary charity).
Efforts are made to ensure donations for the above purposes are not mixed as there are strict criteria for where one type of charity can be spent which may differ from another. For example, Zakat cannot be used to build a mosque, whereas Sadaqah can be used for such a purpose.
