Sadaqah

Ṣadaqah (Arabic: صدقة [ˈsˤɑdæqɑ],* "charity", "benevolence", plural ṣadaqāt صدقات [sˤɑdæˈqɑːt]) in the modern-day Islamic context has come to signify "voluntary charity". Unlike zakat, which is an obligatory form of almsgiving and one of the five pillars of Islam, ṣadaqah is a voluntary offering whose amount and nature are determined solely by the benefactor, as emphasized in the Quran.

According to the Quran, the word means a voluntary offering, whose amount is at the will of the benefactor. It is similar to zakat, or compulsory giving, one of the five pillars of Islam.

It is also a cognate of the Jewish concept of tzedakah, a Hebrew word that also refers to acts of voluntary giving.

Etymology and meaning

Sadaqah literally means "righteousness" and refers to the voluntary giving of alms or charity. In Islamic terminology, sadaqah has been defined as an act of "giving something... without seeking a substitute in return and with the intention of pleasing Allah." Meanwhile, according to Ar-Rageeb al-Asfahaani “Sadaqa is what the person gives from what he possesses, like Zakat, hoping to get closer to Allah."

The term sadaqah stems from the Arabic root word sidq (s-d-q, ص د ق), which means "sincerity"; sadaqah is considered a sign of sincere faith. The three-letter root of this word, s-d-q, also means, "to speak the truth", "to be sincere", and "to fulfill one's promise". All of these aspects of honorable behavior indicate the links between generosity and a healthy society.