Sadaqah Jariyah: Meaning, Examples and the Authentic Hadith

Every one of us will die, and when that day comes our record of deeds closes. Yet the Prophet ﷺ told us of three deeds that keep earning reward after death, and the first of them is sadaqah jariyah: charity that keeps flowing. Here is what sadaqah jariyah means, the authentic hadith behind it, real examples from the Sunnah, and how to give it for a loved one who has passed away.

What is sadaqah jariyah?

Sadaqah means charity, and jariyah means flowing or running, like water in a stream. So sadaqah jariyah is charity that keeps flowing: you give once, and people keep benefiting from it long after you have given. As long as that benefit continues, the reward keeps reaching the giver, even after death.

It is different from a one-off gift that is used up, like a meal for someone hungry. That is still a great charity. Sadaqah jariyah is the kind that stays: a well that people keep drinking from, a tree that keeps giving fruit, or a property whose income keeps going to good causes. Scholars often link it to waqf (endowment), as the examples below show.

The sadaqah jariyah hadith: three deeds that continue

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

In its explanation of this hadith, HadeethEnc notes that a person keeps receiving reward after death only for what he set in motion during his life, and gives endowments, mosques and wells as examples of ongoing charity.

Any person who has these three deeds to accompany them on the journey to the afterlife is a lucky person indeed. Not everyone will be able to achieve all of them, but then again it is not an impossible task.

Sadaqah jariyah examples from the Sunnah

The hadith does not list every form sadaqah jariyah can take, but the Sunnah gives clear examples. Here are four, each from an authentic narration.

1. ‘Umar’s land at Khaybar: keep the asset, give its benefit

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated what his father did with the most valuable land he ever owned:

The land stayed, and only its produce was given away, year after year. That is the idea behind waqf, and the heart of sadaqah jariyah.

Try this: if you own something that earns, even a small rental or savings, think about setting aside part of its income for a lasting good cause.

2. A tree or a crop that others eat from

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

Sadaqah jariyah does not have to be big. A fruit tree in your garden, or one planted through a tree-planting project, keeps feeding birds, animals and people for years.

Try this: plant one fruit tree, or give to a project that plants them where people need food and shade.

3. Water for people: Sa‘d’s well for his mother

Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ what charity to give after his mother died:

This is why so many people choose water wells as sadaqah jariyah. Clean water keeps people alive, and every drink from a working well is benefit that continues.

Note on its grading: Sunnah.com shows al-Albani’s grade of Hasan for this narration, but its chain includes an unnamed man, and a similar wording in Sunan an-Nasa’i 3664 is graded Da’if (Darussalam). The general point, that charity can be given for a mother who has died, is confirmed in Sahih al-Bukhari (below).

4. Guiding someone to good

Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man asked for help, and another offered to point him to someone who could help. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

Teaching a dua, sharing an authentic hadith, or pointing someone to a good cause can keep earning reward each time it is acted on. This ties sadaqah jariyah to the second deed in the hadith: knowledge that benefits.

Allah describes how He multiplies what we spend in His way:

Sadaqah jariyah for the deceased

Can you give sadaqah jariyah for a parent who has already died? The authentic Sunnah says yes. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah’s mother died while he was away, and he said:

Sa‘d did not give a small amount. He gave a whole garden, something that keeps producing, for his mother. You can do the same at any size: a share in a well, a mosque, a school or a tree project, with the intention that its reward goes to your parent. For more on this, read Giving Sadaqah on Behalf of the Deceased. For detailed rulings, ask a qualified scholar near you.

alHadiths.com is itself my sadaqah jariyah for my late mother and my family. Every reader who learns an authentic hadith here and acts on it is, in shaa Allah, part of that.

Knowledge that others benefit from

You do not have to be a professional educator to spread knowledge. Teach what you know, especially about the Deen, and when the person you taught practises it, the reward is attached to you in this life and beyond. Teach your family and teach your friends.

Allah also promises to raise in rank those who believe and those who have knowledge:

A righteous child who makes dua for you

Last but not least, in my opinion the hardest of the lot is the third: having a righteous child who makes dua for us. This needs good upbringing, understanding and nurturing from the parents.

Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked Allah for righteous offspring, and we can make the same dua:

As a father of three boys, I lack all sorts of things, and I feel many of us fathers have the same feelings too. I do hope that I somehow succeed in raising sons who will supplicate for me when I am gone. The trials of the grave are real, and I want no part of them, as I am sure you don’t either.

This also works the other way round. If your parents have passed away, you can be that righteous child for them today. Allah teaches us this dua for our parents:

How to start your sadaqah jariyah today

• Pick one ongoing charity this month, such as a well, a mosque, a school or a tree-planting project, and give what you can.
• Plant a fruit tree, or give to a project that plants them (Sahih al-Bukhari 2320).
• Teach one thing you know well, even a short dua, to your child, spouse or a friend.
• Make dua for your parents by name after your prayers, whether they are alive or have passed away.
• Remember that charity does not decrease wealth (Sahih Muslim 2588), so give without fear.

Questions people ask

Key lessons

• Our deeds end at death, except three (Muslim 1631).
• Sadaqah jariyah keeps rewarding as long as people benefit from it.
• Keeping the asset and giving its benefit is the model ‘Umar followed (Muslim 1632a).
• Small things count too: a tree that others eat from is charity (Bukhari 2320).
• We can give sadaqah jariyah for parents who have passed away (Bukhari 2756).

The road to heaven is paved with thorns, whilst the road to hell is paved with leisure. Choose wisely, and let’s keep building our good deeds with these three, in the hope that if not all three, at least one of them brings us success in the afterlife.

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