Islamic Giving
"Those who give to charity night and day, secretly and publicly, receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve." [Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:274]
Charitable giving is highly commended in Islam as it is in most global traditions. It is in this act of donating that one is elevated to a higher spiritual plain and feels the benefits of serving humanity. Ramadan is the ideal time to give charity, whatever form of giving it is.
One form of charitable giving, Zakah, is another of the five pillars of Islam. Zakah, which means to purify, is giving alms to the poor and needy and is obligatory upon every adult Muslim of sound mind and means. Similarly, many people choose to give Sadaqah and Lillah, which are voluntary donations, during Ramadan, while Fitrana is an obligatory donation given just before the Eid ul Fitr prayer at the end of Ramadan.
