By Mumtaz Saley

Today is an amazing day as I get ready for Fajr after Suhoor, Ahmed and I take a moment to sit by the fire and just talk. Usually, we wait for the 20th fast to distribute our zakat so I knew what the chat was about.

“Sabreen, do you know of any families within our community that needs the zakat? Maybe a family that’s struggling to put food on their table?” Ebrahim asked.

“Ahmed, do you think anyone living in our suburb is in need? I’ve not been in touch with people in our community, so I’ve got no clue. Why don’t you just hand the Zakaah to an organisation?”

“Well, we always do that but I was wondering if there was anyone within our community who would be in need of assistance. Can you, perhaps, make enquiries and to find out? We could both try, as I’ll ask at the masjid as well.”

After the family prayed Fajr together, Ahmed and Mohammed got ready for the day as I snuggled with Amina. I lay thinking of how I could go about finding a person or family in our community whom we could assist. I’d become so detached from the community I had no idea where to start.

My first port of call was Uncle Abdul who I knew would know people as he was a well-known and trusted person in the community. “Sabreen, people are so reluctant to accept zakaah because we have made it seem like a sin to accept and treated the people who are in need with disrespect.”

I realised how true that was and felt sad. We have forgotten that to give charity is a reward to the one who gives but more importantly is that Allah has allowed you to fulfil a pillar of Islam and thus the person accepting is, in fact, allowing you to receive that reward.

Today, I made a note to always give charity for the pleasure of Allah, and to ensure that the person receiving from me knows that I’m doing it with sincerity and love.

“Allah, The Exalted, says, “Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.” (Muslim)

Allah has promised us that if we train ourselves to give in times of ease and hardship, our sustenance will increase. Giving from what we are given from The Provider and Owner of everything not only releases us from the disease of want but also reminds us that everything belongs to Allah and must be used for the well-being of humanity.