Reasons to Give to Charity

Giving Makes You Feel Good

Giving and donations purify the Nafs. It is a generous act Muslims do to earn the pleasure of Allah. When Muslims give Sadaqah or donate Zakat, they experience mighty vibes of satisfaction. It is the inner peace and self-content that Allah graces upon them as a reward for their kind deeds.

Giving Strengthens Personal Values 

Kindness is Humanity. Our sincere emotions reveal who we truly are as human beings. 

Scientists have proven the existing link between giving and increased activity in the area of your brain that registers pleasure. 

Faith and science are always on the same page; indeed, it is better to give than to receive. 

Giving has many benefits; 

• Giving makes us feel happy.

Good feelings are reflected in our biology, and giving is linked directly with pleasure, social connection, and trust, creating a “warm glow” effect.

• Giving is good for health.

Giving to others improves people’s health.

The main reason, giving can help to improve physical health and longevity, is because it helps to decrease stress which is linked to health issues.

• Giving helps the social connection.

Giving to others makes you feel closer to those you give to as well as them, feel closer to you. 

• Giving evokes gratitude.

Giving can be a way of expressing gratitude or instilling gratitude, this gratitude is essential to happiness, health, and social bonds.

• Giving is contagious. 

When we give to others, this can create a ripple effect and encourage others to do the same, consequently increasing generosity through our community.

• Strengthens our personal values.

Giving says a lot about the personal values of people. It strengthens our responsibility and our compassion to help others, on so many levels. Giving also increases our feeling of having a moral duty towards others. Therefore, giving strengthens our unity as Ummah. 

Introduces Your Children to the Importance of Generosity

“Sharing is Caring” is the key to introducing your children to the importance of generosity. 

Children at an early age are mentally unable to understand the meaning of sharing. They tend to hold on to their personal things such as; toys and clothes, nevertheless; Children practice what they see, in order to teach your children about sharing and generosity, let them see you do the generous work yourself. Children learn by observing others. 

Here are some suggestions to make the concept and the act of giving a part of your regular interactions with your children:

• Teach children the meaning of sharing

Small examples of sharing can help your children understand, by doing simple actions, what it means to be generous. Like splitting a piece of cake with someone or letting friends play with toys.

• Model generosity

Often your children are unaware when you write checks for charity, or when you help others solve their issues. Make sure to let them know when you perform acts of kindness.

• Describe how you feel when you give. 

Tell your children about the wonderful feelings you have every time you make charitable contributions, the feeling of being; kind, proud, and happy for making difference in other people’s lives.

• Do it together

Children need to experience first-hand, how does it feel like to give their time to a cause. Ask your children to help you pack up donations of clothes or household items. These activities will be the highlight of your family’s time together.

• Praise the giving impulse

When you see your children being generous, point it out and praise them. 

• Create opportunities.

Children usually want to help, they just don’t know how to do so, therefore teach your child how can he/ she make a difference by helping others. Remember “Children are more likely to be sincere in their helping efforts when they personally care about the cause.”.

• Be generous with your children

You can model generosity by being generous to your children. You can make them hot chocolate on a cold winter day, or buy them a small toy that they really want but did not expect to receive. These kind acts on your part can fill up your child’s “feeling good reservoir” so that she/ he can more graciously give to someone else.

Encourages Friends and Family to Do the Same

We can encourage our friends and family members to make donations as well, by asking them to join us in giving a helping hand to our neighbors, giving our time in providing our services to others in our community, also we can encourage them to give Sadaqah, or donating items to needy people. 

Giving brings extraordinary feelings to people; givers, and receivers. It is contagious, the feeling of helping others is extremely beautiful, and once you do it. You will do it again and again.  

Experience More Pleasure

It is scientifically proven that acts of giving and donating make you experience mixed feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, due to the existing link between giving and the increased activities in the area of your brain that registers pleasure.

When you give a helping hand to people around you, you receive double the pleasure they’ve received when you helped them. It is literally a win-win situation.  

Help Others in Need

People in your community might have different issues they are dealing with or serious problems they’re suffering from. Your help can change someone’s life. 

Giving is not limited to financial donations, it is much more than that; 

• Giving your time to help someone in need, is a great help.
• Giving your knowledge to someone looking for it, is a tremendous help.
• Social support that can relief someone of their pain or misery, is a great help as well.

And many other forms of giving a helping hand. 

Importance of charity in life, Bring More Meaning to Your Life

Being a giving and kind person can make your life feel more meaningful. Researchers proved that helping others is especially crucial to developing a sense of meaning and that having strong social connections is important for both happiness and meaningfulness.

Indeed, finding happiness and fulfillment is achieved “by loving rather than in being loved.”

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