30 Days Of Ramadan Good Deeds To Do and Teach Our Kids Too
During Ramadan, charity is an essential part of fasting and can be performed in numerous ways. I have made a list of some good deeds that you can do as acts of charity during Ramadan or at any other time of the year, inshallah.
This could be a great way to teach your children how vast the Deen is and how sadaqa is not limited to the giving of money only. They can learn that there are many ways to please Allah (SWT) and earn His reward, utilize their life span, and always have a hopeful attitude. I hope this will be of some use, inshallah.
Good Deeds in Ramadan
1. Visit an elderly person's home to offer some time and give companionship; an orphanage to give gifts for Eid; or a hospital to visit the sick.
2. Prepare some food and take it to a homeless shelter or donate some food items to a food pantry.
3. Volunteer at a local charity; even smaller kids can do this when their parents volunteer.
4. Share some food with your neighbors.
5. Cook one day for your mother or a busy mother you know, so she doesn't have to (older children can do this too).
6. Donate Islamic books to a local library.
7. Take a tray of dates or a crate of water bottles to the masjid and distribute them for iftar; you will get the reward of their fasts as well.
8. Distribute water bottles to the homeless - the Hadith tells us that water is the best sadaqa.
9. Pick up litter in your neighborhood (if any), in a park, or in the masjid parking lot with your kids.
10. Host an iftar at your home.
11. Offer a helping hand to an elderly neighbor; there may be something they're struggling with that you don't know about.
12. Smile at everyone!
13. Make dhikr - the Hadith tells us that this is also sadaqa.
14. Say good words but make sure they're true.
15. Make dua' for parents, family, community, international community, for the guidance of neighbors.
16. Teach someone something you know.
17. Read to children and teach them about Ramadan.
18. Babysit your friend's children, relatives' children, or neighbors' children.
19. Make a list of all the blessings you can think of, and thank Allah for each one of them.
20. Show special appreciation to parents, spouse, and children - give them an extra hug, say thank you, write a thank you letter, be extra nice, etc.
21. Call your parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts.
22. Make a package of things with your children - pictures drawn, homemade cookies, salt-dough tasbihs, etc., then send it to grandparents or other family members in the mail as a surprise package.
23. Make little candy pouches, put them on a tray, and distribute them to children at an iftar or Eid prayer.
24. Pray extra prayers, recite more Quran.
25. Go through clothes and donate in Ramadan when there is more reward. Don't only give ones that are too small and old, but some extras that are good-as-new. When you give from what you love, it is a test of iman, not giving of what you don't want anymore anyway.
26. Calculate zakat and pay a zakat recipient in this month - in certain madhab, zakat is payable on children's money, so older children can calculate the zakat payable of any savings they may have, or they can calculate it for their parent's zakat. This is an excellent way to teach children the fiqh of zakat, such as who the eight zakat recipients are, what % is paid, etc., and a great math lesson. It's recommended to pay zakat in Ramadan. Besides the extra reward for deeds, it is easier to remember when to pay, so more than a year doesn't pass.
27. Make Eid cards and maybe gifts and send them to relatives, friends, or the poor.
28. Give your mother, father, grand-parent, or spouse a foot massage.
29. Invite a convert over for Iftar and/or Eid, as this can be a lonely time for converts who don't have family to share the experience with.
30. Educate any non-Muslims you know about Ramadan.
The Hadith Says
"To pour water from your jug into the jug of your brother is charity." (Bukhari)
"...and removing a harmful thing from the path is a charitable act." (Bukhari and Muslim).
"A good word is a charitable act...." (Bukhari and Muslim).
"Your removing a stone or thorn, or bone from the road is a sadaqah for you." (Tirmidhi).
"Your emptying your bucket of water into your brother's (empty) bucket is a sadaqah for you." (Tirmidhi).
"Verily, in every tasbih (i.e., saying Subhanallah) there is a sadaqah, every takbir (i.e., saying Allahu Akbar) is a sadaqah, every tahmid (i.e., saying Alhamdulillah) is a sadaqah, every tahlil (i.e., saying Lailaha illallah) is a sadaqah.” (Muslim).
"Your smile to your brother is a sadaqah (charitable act) for you." (Tirmidhi).
"He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will be reduced from the fasting person's reward." (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi)
Want To Teach Your Kids More About Being Charitable in Ramadan?
You can support my efforts by purchasing the 30 Days of Ramadan Good Deeds coloring book for kids.
You can get the book free when you join my educator’s site at islamichomeeducation.com
Salam, I’m Zakeeya!
I believe that making our homes a safe haven for our families, as well as being a wife and mother, brings us great blessings, contentment, and benefits to society as a whole. Since 2011, I've been dedicated to assisting Muslimas in finding tranquility in their roles, taking better care of themselves, and achieving inner peace. Our journey in this world is not an easy one, but I pray the tools and guidance I offer will help you face life's challenges with more gratitude and mindfulness. Join me as I share wifehood, motherhood, homemaking, and lifestyle solutions that make life more fulfilling for you as a woman! Read more about me here.
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