Giving sadaqah with the intention of healing from illness is a good and lawful deed. It is a way of drawing close to Allah through a righteous act, and an Islamweb fatwa confirms that a sick person may give charity to repel his illness, for himself or for another sick person. Give what you can, ask Allah for a cure, and follow the treatment your doctor prescribes. Charity is a means through which healing is hoped for, not a replacement for medicine.
- You may give charity for healing from any illness, minor or chronic.
- Give according to your means; there is no set number of times.
- Family members may give on behalf of a sick relative, and the reward reaches him.
Is it permissible to give sadaqah for healing?
Yes. A sick person may give charity to repel his illness, on his own behalf or on behalf of another sick person, as the fatwa on a sick person giving charity explains. Healing is in the hands of Allah alone. Allah says of Ibraheem: {And when I am ill, it is He who cures me} [Ash-Shu’ara 26:80]. And the Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, Allah has sent down a cure for every disease” (Al-Bukhari), as cited in the fatwa Never despair, Allah has sent down a cure for every disease.
Does charity ward off calamity?
Yes. There is no harm in giving charity to seek protection from a feared calamity, as the fatwa Giving charity to ward off calamities explains, citing the narration “Doing good protects one from misfortunes”, which Al-Albani graded sahih. Illness is one of these trials. For more on the virtues of charity, read Sadaqah in Islam: Its Virtues in This Life and the Hereafter.
Does charity replace medical treatment?
No. Seeking treatment is encouraged, and it does not contradict reliance on Allah (tawakkul), as the fatwa Seek treatment, O slaves of Allah explains. See your doctor, take your medicine, then give charity and make du’a. Trusting Allah means relying on Him while taking the means He has provided.
Two stories from the early scholars about charity and healing
An Islamweb fatwa on effective ways of seeking healing (in Arabic) relates two stories from Al-Bayhaqi’s Shu’ab Al-Iman, both about providing water:
- Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak: a man came to him with a sore on his knee that had lasted seven years and had not responded to treatment. He told him to dig a well in a place where people needed water. The man did so, and he recovered.
- Al-Hakim Abu Abdullah: he had a sore on his face for about a year and asked for prayers at a Friday gathering. A woman saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream saying that he should provide water generously for the Muslims. He set up a water supply for the people, and within a week healing appeared.
These stories give hope; they are not a promise of healing. Providing water is among the best forms of charity, and the steps are in How to Dig a Well as Sadaqah Jariyah.
How to give sadaqah for healing
- Make your intention: for yourself, or for your sick relative if you give on his behalf. You may intend the reward of sadaqah for a living relative, and it reaches him even if he is not told, as the fatwa Giving sadaqah on behalf of family and relatives explains.
- Give what you can: a small gift from little can outweigh a large one. The Prophet ﷺ said: “One dirham has outstripped one hundred thousand dirhams” (An-Nasa’i, graded hasan by Al-Albani).
- Choose a cause where the need is greatest: water, medical care, food or clothing. Relatives come first: giving to them earns the reward of charity and of keeping family ties. Read Who Can Receive Sadaqah?
- Give again as often as you can: there is no limit, and keep making du’a.
- Be patient and hope for reward: if healing is delayed, you have the reward of both patience and charity.
Charity has many forms, with money and without; see Types of Sadaqah.
Charity and healing: short rulings
Is it permissible to give sadaqah for healing?
Yes. It is a good, lawful way of drawing close to Allah through a righteous deed, alongside medical treatment.
Can I give charity on behalf of a sick relative?
Yes. You may intend the reward for a living relative, and it reaches him even if he is not told.
How much should I give for healing?
Whatever you can afford, and there is no limit on how often you give.
Does charity replace medicine?
No. Charity and du’a go together with treatment, and seeking treatment does not contradict reliance on Allah.
Give today with the intention of healing, for yourself or someone you love: Donate now
