On sadaqah and shahwat

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

The guest speaker at Masjid Khalid Al-Walid last night spoke on the acts of sadaqah. Sadaqah is especially encouraged in this blessed month of Ramadhan. The ustaz quoted a hadith of Rasulullah s.a.w who gave examples of sadaqah for all of us who each has our own capacity in giving, or the lack of it. In short, the hadith said we should contribute money or wealth. If we are short of cash or anything material to give away, we could contribute with our strengths or talents. If our physical is incapacitated, if we are old and weak and have nothing to offer physically, we could contribute 'verbally' by enjoining people to do good e.g. encourage the young to go to mosques etc. If we are too shy to open our mouth to do that, we could at least refrain ourselves from doing what is prohibited, and that is also a sadaqah.

This morning, during Subuh lecture at Masjid Khalid Al-Walid, another guest speaker talked about shahwat. Shahwat (desires) is the plural for shahwatul [that's a new word for me]. It's not a bad thing, said the ustaz. One just need to manage it properly, in fact, it's wrong to think that one should abandon it completely. We need shahwat in our everyday lives. But it does not only pertain to sexual desires as many people think. The term may be better understood as 'a desire to do something'. You can only get up and make yourself clean the house if you have shahwat for it, that is if you desire to do it in the first place. The common type of desires are: women, children, cattle and horses (or in the modern context - cars), and gold/silver. Although these are permitted and acknowledged by the religion, we are reminded that these are merely decorations for dunya, and we should look farther to that which is everlasting in akhira.

Wallahu a'lam.

Let's give more of our possessions and/or give more of ourselves. And desire more of a good thing for the hereafter. Ramadhan Kareem!