Cost Of Living

One of the main issues concerning people across the UK (in fact globally) is the cost of living crisis. Inflation is at its highest level since the 1980’s, currently at 10.1% and expected to peak at 11% this month accordingly to Bank of England estimates. The real impact of this is already being felt. Households are feeling the squeeze due to rising cost of necessities such as energy and food, and with virtually no help from our new government, (which is busy making their rich friends even richer), it can seem like there is no way out.

Consequently, spending habits are changing. The fear of being caught short is making many of us more careful about where and how we spend our money. Sadly, this has also impacted charitable giving (ref ICAEW Report). Those of us who are involved with charities or masjids are seeing donations significantly reduced.

On the face of it this may seem like logical sense; tighten your belt in hard times and you will be better off. However, when it comes to charity, the equation works differently. When the companions would come to the Prophet (ﷺ) and complain of poverty, he would tell them to give sadaqah, as that would increase wealth as opposed to decreasing it. Moreover, charity that is given when resources are limited is the most rewarding. Abu Huraira reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, which charity is best?” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “One with little property to give. Begin with your dependents.” (Abi-Dawud, 1677)

This is why despite their poverty, the companions were concerned about giving sadaqah to the poor. Umm Bujayd reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, the poor come to my door and I cannot find anything to give them.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “If you can find nothing but a burnt trotter, hand it over to them.” (Tirmidhi, 655). We also know the famous hadith when a woman came to the door of A’isha (radiAllahu’anha) with her daughters and asked her for food. All A’isha (radiAllahu’anha) could find was a dry date due to her own poverty, but she still handed that over.

Therefore, we cannot allow the cost of living crisis to scare us into miserliness even in our sadaqah. On the contrary, just like the Companions (radiAllahu’anhuma) we should trust in the promise of Allah and use this as an opportunity to maximise our reward. There are thousands of people who are suffering around us, both Muslim and non-Muslim. We should proactively seek them out and give them whatever we can. And we ask Allah to recompense us profusely through it, Ameen.