Sadaqah
/səˈdɑːkə/noun
Voluntary charitable giving in Islam, offered for spiritual or humanitarian reasons.
Did you know?In Islamic tradition, sadaqah is not limited to money: acts such as helping someone, speaking kindly, or removing harm from a path can also count as charity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ṣdq
“A root associated with truth, faithfulness, rightness, and integrity”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣadaqa
“He spoke truthfully; he was sincere”
Qur’anic Arabic
Arabic
ṣadaqah
“A charitable gift expressing sincerity and devotion”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣadaqāt
“Charitable offerings; the plural form used for acts or gifts of charity”
20th Century
English
sadaqah
“A voluntary charitable donation or act of benevolence in Islam”
Modern English
English
sadaqah
“Optional Islamic charity, distinct from the obligatory almsgiving called zakat”