Sadaqa Jariya for a living person: is it possible, and how?

Yes, you can make a Sadaqa Jariya for someone who is alive. You simply give while setting the intention for that person: a spouse, a friend, a sick relative, a child. Nothing requires you to wait for a death before dedicating charity to someone you love.

Sadaqa Jariya is often associated with the deceased, because it is talked about a lot at times of mourning. But the question “can I give sadaqa for someone who is alive?” comes up just as often. Here is what can be said simply, without going into opinions that are not ours to give.

What does “giving charity in the name of a living person” mean?

It means two things at once. On one side, something concrete is done: a meal, a well, a tree planted. On the other, you set in your heart that this good is dedicated to a particular person, hoping that it benefits them.

The concrete effect does not change. The tree feeds the same families, whoever it is dedicated to. What changes is the link: you attach something lasting to someone who is still here.

Who can you do it for?

There is already plenty of advice about sadaqa for your parents. But the intention can be directed at anyone close to you:

• a husband or wife, to mark a stage of life together;
• a friend going through a difficult time;
• a sick relative, for whom you would like to do something more than words;
• a child, from birth or later on;
• a brother, a sister, a grandparent, a teacher who mattered.

The person does not need to know, nor to have agreed, for you to think of them while doing good.

Does the person receive the benefit?

This is the question everyone asks, and it must be answered with humility. It is reported that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ whether he could give charity on behalf of his mother, who had died suddenly, and that the Prophet ﷺ answered yes (al-Bukhari, n°1388). This text speaks of a person who has died.

For a living person, the details are a matter of jurisprudence, and we are not in a position to rule on them. If you have a specific question, ask a person of knowledge whom you trust.

What can be said without error: doing good while thinking of someone, and making dua for them, has never been a wasted gesture. The reward belongs to God alone. We give, we hope, and we leave the rest to Him.

For a sick relative: staying honest

When someone we love is ill, we often feel helpless. Giving charity while thinking of them is one way of acting, alongside being there, caring for them and making dua.

We simply need to stay honest: charity is not a treatment, and it does not replace the doctor or medical follow-up. Nobody can promise an outcome. It is a gesture of faith and affection, not a guarantee.

Why a fruit tree suits this well

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

A tree has one particular quality: it grows while the person lives. Dedicating a tree to someone living means linking them to something that grows, bears fruit and feeds people, season after season, insha’Allah. For a child or a couple, the image speaks for itself.

And unlike a gesture made after a death, the person can see the photo of the tree planted in their name.

How to do it, in practice?

With Fruit du Paradis, the process is short. You choose a fruit tree. You give the name of the person you are dedicating it to. The tree is planted in Uganda by local teams, with a sign bearing that name.

You then receive real photos and videos of the planting. It is up to you to decide whether to show them to the person or to keep the gesture discreet. Both are defensible.

A point of honesty: Fruit du Paradis is a business, not a charity. Your payment is the purchase of a plantation, which pays for the work on site. The intention belongs entirely to you.

For a living person, this question matters. Saying “I had a tree planted for you” can deeply touch a friend or a spouse. For a sick relative, it can be a simple comfort.

But if telling them makes you uncomfortable, do not. A discreet charity keeps all its value.

If you want to do it now

You can choose a tree in the shop and give the person’s name when you order. If you are thinking of several loved ones, or of a gesture that comes back every month, the packs and the monthly subscription exist for that. The subscription has no commitment.

Our other articles cover two related cases: Sadaqa Jariya for your parents while they are alive, and the one made in a child’s name.