Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

, continuous charity or ongoing charity () refers to any act that continues to benefit humanity even after the death of its initiator. Whoever leaves a beneficial legacy for humanity is deemed to continue to be rewarded for it even after their death. On the authority of

Abu Hurairah Abū Hurayra ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ṣakhr al-Dawsī al-Zahrānī (; –679), commonly known as Abū Hurayra (; ), was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and considered the most prolific hadith narrator. Born in al-Jabur, Arabia to ...

that the

Messenger of Allah Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, ...

said, "When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: Sadaqah Jariyah (a continuous charity), or knowledge from which benefit is gained, or a righteous child who prays for him."

Examples

Examples of ongoing charity in Islam include: Planting a

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

: Planting trees is recommended in Islam, as it provides three essential benefits: consuming its fruits, seeking shade under it, and utilizing its wood. Building a

Water Well A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...

: Building water wells is also recommended, as it facilitates access to water, serving as ongoing charity since people continue to benefit from it even after the person who dug it has passed away. Building a

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

or School or hospital: Constructing mosques is considered a significant ongoing charity, as the one who builds it continues to earn rewards whenever people pray in that mosque. Leaving a beneficial book. Leaving Useful Knowledge. Leaving anything beneficial for humanity is considered ongoing charity. The Prophet

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

said:"There are seven deeds for which a person continues to earn rewards after death: giving knowledge, digging a well, planting a tree, building a mosque, leaving a Quran as inheritance, leaving a child who prays for forgiveness after their death."This hadith is classified as Hasan (good) by Al-Albani in "Sahih At-Targhib" (959).

References

Islamic terminology Islamic worship {{improve categories, date=January 2024