Q: 87 – Title: I would like to give money towards feeding people in the musjid, esspecially in Ramadaan. Should i send the food itself or may i give money towards this and what intention must i make? will this money be Lillah or Sadaqah?

Question

My question is regarding the kinds of Sadaqah which i could give.  I would like to give money towards feeding people in the musjid, esspecially in Ramadaan.  Should i send the food itself or may i give money towards this and what intention must i make? will this money be Lillah or Sadaqah?

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu 'alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

The term lill?h applies to anything which is done for the sole pleasure of All?h Ta’?l?.  It is very broad and inclusive of all types of good deeds.  It is not mutually exclusive to sadaqah, and all types of sadaqah given for the pleasure of All?h Ta’?l? will be considered as lill?h.

Hence, with the intention of sadaqah (not zak?h) for the pleasure of All?h Ta’?l? (i.e. lill?h), you may either give the money towards feeding people in the Masjid or you may provide the actual food itself.  Both of the two options are valid and rewarding, insh?All?h.

Also, it is worthwhile to note that even though sadaqah is permissible and rewarding when spent on wealthy people, it is more virtuous and even more  rewarding when spent on the poor and those in need.  Therefore, if the people in the Masjid are well off, then it will be comparatively more rewarding to feed the poor.

And Allah knows best

Wassalaamu `alaykum

Ml. Abrar Mirza,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah