Ramadan Virtue of the Day: Charity

Photo - Kris via Flickr under the Creative Commons License

Charity is a virtue that is greatly valued in Islam. In fact, zakat (fixed charity) is one of the five pillars of the faith. Charitable giving is considered an obligation on all those who can bear it, as it is considered the duty of Muslims to ease the hardships of the less fortunate. It is also a way for Muslims to avoid becoming hard of heart, as is said in Quran, "So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey and spend in charity for the benefit of your own soul and those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, they are the ones that achieve prosperity," (Surah 64:16).  History records that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a generous man, but during the month of Ramadan his charity was unmatched. (Read more)