Sadaqah Jariyah: the charity that keeps giving

Sadaqah Jariyah is charity whose benefits continue over time, and whose reward keeps flowing even after the giver's death. Building a water well is its best-known example.

What is Sadaqah Jariyah?

"Sadaqah" means charity and "jariyah" means "flowing" or "continuing". Sadaqah Jariyah is a gift whose usefulness lasts: as long as people benefit from it, the reward continues.

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The hadith of Sadaqah Jariyah

"When a person dies, their deeds come to an end except for three: a continuing charity (sadaqah jariyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for them." (Reported by Muslim)

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Examples of Sadaqah Jariyah

• A water well or borehole: it serves a community for years.
• Planting a fruit tree: every fruit eaten by a person or an animal counts.
• Giving a Quran or funding a place of prayer.
• Building or equipping a school, funding useful knowledge.
• A farming project or work tool that makes a family self-reliant.

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The water well, Sadaqah Jariyah at its finest

Millions of people still lack access to safe water close to home. A well reduces water-borne disease, frees up time (often for the women and children who fetch water) and lets children go to school.

The cost of a well in Africa varies widely with the country, the depth of the water table and the type of structure: from a shallow hand-dug well to a deep borehole with a pump, it ranges from a few hundred to several thousand euros. A serious project also plans for maintenance and trains a local committee. See our clean water work.

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Sadaqah Jariyah for a deceased person

According to hadiths reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed that charity given on behalf of a deceased parent benefits them. Many families choose a well or a tree in the name of a loved one. Sadaqah can also be given on behalf of a living person.

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Giving Sadaqah Jariyah with Duha Amanah

Duha Amanah VZW is preparing clean water, education and sustainable farming projects. You can donate online: donate now. For obligatory Zakat, see our Zakat guide.