Sadaqa jariya during Ramadan: the right time to start

Ramadan changes our relationship with time. We slow down, we pray more, we think of others. The heart opens, and the wish to give comes naturally. Many people then look for an act that really counts, one that does not fade when the month ends. This is where sadaqa jariya makes the most sense: charity that keeps giving, long after the last day of fasting.

Why Ramadan opens the heart to giving

During Ramadan, we feel hunger and thirst. We understand a little better what people in need go through. This experience brings us closer to others. It also reminds us of what is essential and what is not.

The month is shaped by prayer, shared meals, time with family. In this atmosphere, giving does not feel heavy. It is part of the spirit of the month. We might as well use that momentum to do something that lasts.

Sadaqa jariya, charity that does not stop

Sadaqa jariya is ongoing charity. You give once, but the good it produces carries on over time. A well that gives water, knowledge passed on, a tree that feeds: as long as the benefit lasts, the charity stays alive.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “When the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: ongoing charity (sadaqa jariya), knowledge that is benefited from, or a righteous child who prays for him.” (narrated by Muslim, Sahih Muslim, n°1631). This hadith expresses well the strength of this act: it continues when everything else stops.

Ramadan: the month when the act takes root

Starting a sadaqa jariya during Ramadan gives it a clear starting point. You link the act to a significant moment of the year. Each following Ramadan, you remember what you started, and you can begin again.

It is not a matter of scale. It is a matter of meaning. A small act done sincerely during this month can become a habit that lasts through the years.

Ideas for lasting sadaqa jariya

There are several ways to set up ongoing charity. The important thing is to choose a benefit that lasts, and not just a one-off gift.

• Helping with a water point that serves a community.
• Contributing to passing on useful knowledge to others.
• Funding the planting of a fruit tree that feeds over time.
• Helping to maintain a place that benefits the greatest number.
• Starting a small habit of regular giving, even a modest one.

Planting a tree, charity that keeps giving

Among lasting acts, planting a tree has a special place. A fruit tree grows, gives fruit, and that fruit feeds for a long time. The benefit renews itself season after season, without our having to go back to it.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “No Muslim plants a tree or sows a crop from which a bird, a person or an animal then eats, without it being counted for him as charity.” (narrated by al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, n°2320). A single tree can therefore benefit many, quietly.

Keeping the giving going after the month of fasting

The real challenge comes after Ramadan. The momentum often fades. To keep it, it helps to have set up something concrete during the month, something that carries on by itself.

Ongoing charity plays exactly this role. Once started, it keeps having its effect even when our own pace slows. It is a gentle way of extending the good of Ramadan over the whole year, without forcing yourself.

Making the intention for yourself, your parents or a deceased person

You can do this act for yourself. You can also dedicate it to your parents, or to someone who has left us. Giving charity in the name of a loved one who has passed away is a recognised act.

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said that his mother had died suddenly and that he thought she would have given charity; he asked whether he could give it on her behalf, and the Prophet ﷺ said yes (narrated by al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari, n°1388). Many find in this a way of honouring a parent, without promising anything: the reward belongs to God alone.

If Ramadan makes you want to do something that lasts, you can choose a fruit tree at Fruit du Paradis. For yourself, for your parents, or for a loved one who is no longer here. The tree is really planted, and you receive real photos and videos of the planting. There is no rush. Take your time, make your intention, and let this small gesture carry on its way well after the last day of fasting.