SADAQAH GONE WRONG

Asalam Alaekun

I was a bit tempted this morning not to write on this subject matter due to how complicated and bias we all are when it comes to public discuss of religious matters. Most importantly by some of us that were regarded as not to be scholars in the chosen knowledge of the Quran. But for moral conviction I woke up on a side of the bed that allows me the courage to do so after three weeks that the event I will be discussing here happened.

Couple of weeks back I was in Ibadan and decided to see a friend of mine around Ibadan City Academy, so I joined a taxi from Challenge going to Iwo Road to drop at Academy under bridge. The time is 11:15am and as we approach the place I was suppose to get down from the taxi I saw from a far Three men with one of them dressed in a jalabia and the other two in Buba and Shokoto with a white reflective jacket on top of it. At first I had thought they are road traffic warden helping with traffic control along the bye pass that goes to Olomi axis, only to see them with small bowls running after motorists seeking what in Islam is termed "sadaqah".

Just then I wonder how we got to the part where our Muslim brothers will be running after motorists and passers bye to request or can I say demand for what was suppose to be a voluntary contribution. This was suppose to be a practise that should be done with all willingness from the kindness of heart to the course of all. This hurts me so bad that I had to engage one of them why he and the rest of the boys will have to be running after motorists and passerby to request for "sadaqah" and he said most people don't want give alms until they are forced. I now wonder how can he force me to give what I don't want to give all in the name of you guys running after me and others.

What is "sadaqah" ?

Sadaqah or Sadaka According to the Quran, the word means "voluntary offering", whose amount is at the will of the "benefactor". It is otherwise known as charity or benevolence. 'Sadaqa' literally means 'righteousness' and refers to the voluntary giving of alms or charity. But in Islamic terminology; Sadaqah has been defined as an act of "Giving something to somebody 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."

Running after to people give alms to me is like co-opting to give by force, which is against the back drop of what "sadaqah" means. Some of them will approach you in the midst of friends and if you don't give they make you look bad to people you are standing with. What happens if they were run over by a speeding motorists in the course of this their action, along the express for that matter. Their is so much question I really want to ask but for the sake of not wanting to draw too much conversation and preventing divisive opinions, my submission is that such actions of these men is a bad image to our dear religion.

There is no better than way than have these men in a safe spot close to the mosque and have people come to them to make such donations. Islam is a very decent religion guided by conduct and a very good way of practise. If the religion forbids practises that contradicts the ways highlighted by the prophet, I just need one person that will tell me where such action above happened in the Quran and Hadith. May Allah guide our steps and accepts our supplications on a day like this.

Barka Jumah.