Reimaging Charity

It is reported that Muhammad, the messenger of God, said “A kind word is charity.” 

Charity is an essential principle in all religious traditions and faiths. From feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless, to welcoming the refugee and building hospitals, charitable acts can vary in magnitude and impact. 

In Islam for instance, there are different kinds of charity, some obligatory and others are optional but highly encouraged. Obligatory charity in Islam is mostly given in a monetary value and prices calculated annually and dispersed to a set of seven categories of those who are in need. The list includes for example, but not limited to, travelers and the incarcerated.

Charity, in Islam as well as other faith traditions, is meant to create a sense of equity and equitability in society. It also encourages social responsibility and solidarity. While we almost always think of charity in monetary terms, Islam teaches that charity can indeed take on different forms, and creative ones too. As the statement mentioned above suggests, a simple word of kindness is considered an act of charity. In fact, in a different statement, Prophet Muhammad is even quoted to have said that a “smile” is a valued act of charity.

Researchers found that when someone smiles at us, the part of our brain associated with receiving a reward reacts positively to this smile. I wouldn’t be surprised if this same area reacts positively to being told kind and supportive words. In an age of struggle and difficulty, when it feels hard or even impossible to give in monetary charity, we must do what we can to give these “free” charities to all. Say kind things to people, all people. Another benefit for this is that we can all be charitable, no matter what the differences may be. From saying good morning to a stranger, those we pass by on the sidewalk, to saying I love you to the ones you love.

Indeed, a kind word is charity. 

~Imam Hassan Selim