When Is Charity More Virtuous: In Health or at the Time of Death?
Taken from Fatāwā Amunpūrī by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Question:
When is charity more virtuous — during good health or at the time of death?
Answer:
The best and most virtuous charity is that which a person gives during his lifetime while in good health. At that time, he still faces worldly needs, fears poverty, and hopes for wealth. Such charity reflects sincerity and devotion.
As for charity given when a person is at the point of death, it does not carry the same reward, since at that stage his worldly needs have ended, and the wealth already belongs to his heirs.
Hadith Evidence
Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
جاء رجل إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: يا رسول الله، أى الصدقة أعظم أجرا؟ قال: أن تصدق وأنت صحيح شحيح تخشى الفقر، وتأمل الغنى، ولا تمهل حتى إذا بلغت الحلقوم، قلت لفلان كذا، ولفلان كذا وقد كان لفلان
“A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which charity carries the greatest reward?’
He ﷺ said: ‘To give charity while you are healthy and covetous, fearing poverty and hoping for wealth. Do not delay until your soul reaches your throat, when you will then say: Give so much to so-and-so, and so much to so-and-so — while it has already become the property of so-and-so (the heirs).’”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1419; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1032]Scholarly Consensus
ʿAllāmah Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله, d. 671 AH) stated:
لا خلاف أن الصدقة فى حال الحياة والصحة أفضل منها عند الموت
“There is no difference of opinion that charity given during life and in good health is better than that given at the time of death.”
[Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī: 2/271]
Conclusion:Charity in good health and life is superior to charity at the time of death, as it shows true sincerity and sacrifice.
