humanity in general, but gives equal emphasis to smaller acts of benevolence. It is for this reason that the withholding of mā‘ūn,5 which specially indicates small acts of kindness and charity, is stated to be against the spirit of prayer. And in a similar strain, the speaking of a kind word to parents is referred to as iḥsān,6 and generally the use of kind words is recommended as in itself a charitable deed in many places.7

Ḥadīth is much more explicit. To remove from the road anything which may cause hurt is called a ṣadaqah or a charitable deed (Bu. 46:24). According to another ḥadīth “there is a ṣadaqah (charity) on every limb with every new sun, and to do justice among people is also a charity” (Bu. 53:11). Another report gives yet more detail: “On every limb there is a ṣadaqah (charity) everyday; a man helps another to ride his animal, it is a charity; or he helps him to load his animal, this is also a charity; and so is a good word; and every step, which a man takes in going to pray, is a charity; and to show the way is a charity.”8 Examples of other charitable deeds are “your salutation to people,” “your enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong,”9 “refraining from doing evil to anyone”10 and so on. The circle of those towards whom an act of charity may be done is equally wide. To give food to one’s wife or one’s children is called a charitable deed, while to maintain even one’s self is not excluded from the category of charitable deeds: “The Holy Prophet said, Whatever you feed yourself with is a charity, and whatever you feed your children with is a charity, and whatever you feed your wife with is a charity, and whatever you feed your servant with is a charity”.11 The doing of good to the dumb creation is also called a charity: “Whoever tills a field and birds and beasts eat of it, it is a charity”.12 The Holy Qur’ān also speaks of extending charity not only to all men including believers and unbelievers (2:272) but also to the dumb creation (51:19).

Voluntary charity

Charity, in the sense of giving away one’s wealth, is of two kinds, voluntary and obligatory. Voluntary charity is generally mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān as infāq or iḥsan or ṣadaqah, and though the Holy