By Natirah Azira

Every time you receive a monthly salary, where is it used?

Paying bills, renting a car and house, providing for your spouse and children, buying groceries, and spending money on your parents. These are the things that will demand money from you every month.

But there is one more thing that really demands our attention, which is charity.

I remembered my mother-in-law's advice the other day, to save money every time she got a salary to give to charity. Even though my mother-in-law didn't work, and her family background was average, one of her habits that I noticed was saving money for charity every time she got money from her children.

And every time the fasting month arrived, he would allocate a certain amount of money, telling his children to buy necessities or the Quran to give to someone.

Giving charity became his favorite practice. I was amazed, and I felt ashamed of myself.

It is true that giving charity is difficult, because we spend part of our wealth to give to others. However, know that the reward for giving charity is very great.

Meaning:  There is no day on which the servants share except that two angels descend, and one of them says: “O Allah, give compensation to the one who gives infaq (charity)”. While the other angel says: “O Allah, give destruction to the one who withholds his wealth (from charity)”. _{[Narrated by Al-Bukhari (1442), Muslim (1010)]}

The greatest reward for charity, according to the Prophet SAW, is charity given in a healthy state but the heart feels very stingy to give charity, the soul is afraid of being poor and still aspires to be rich. At this time, the heart is truly tested for charity. Give charity even if the heart is not yet completely sincere, even if there is still a heavy feeling hanging over it.

If up until now, we have only saved for the purpose of going on vacation or eating at our favorite restaurants, from now on, make giving charity an agenda every time you receive your salary.

If you feel burdened with giving a large amount of charity at once, start by saving little by little, for example RM20 a month. After a year, the amount will have reached RM240. Over time, you may feel lighter about giving charity because you have determined that the money is for charity.

So, charity is a practice that needs to be practiced. The heart needs to be softened to understand that in our sustenance there is also a share for others that Allah has provided. Charity will return to us in a better place. InsyaAllah.

Date of Input: 09/04/2026 | Updated: 09/04/2026 | asmunir