Giving

Judaism

“And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corner of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather the fallen fruit of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.”

Leviticus 19:9–10 · JPS 1917

Tzedakah is not optional kindness. It is what is right. The Torah tells farmers to leave the corners of their fields and the fallen grapes for the poor and the stranger. Jewish law sets giving as a duty for everyone, even people who themselves receive help.

In the twelfth century, the scholar Maimonides ranked giving on eight levels. Near the top is giving where neither side knows the other. The very top is helping someone stand on their own feet, with a loan, a partnership or a job, so they never need to ask again. Each November, many Jewish communities lead a day of social action, and neighbours of other faiths often join in.

Christianity

“But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Matthew 6:3–4 · World English Bible (British Edition), public domain

Jesus told his followers to give quietly, without an audience. Paul wrote that “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7) and passed on a saying of Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Many Christians give a tenth of their income, the old tithe; others give what they can.

Giving runs through church life in Britain: harvest festival collections, Christmas lunches for people who would be alone, and a week each May when volunteers knock on doors for overseas aid. One of the country's best-known food bank networks began in a church setting in Salisbury in 2000.

Islam

“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah's way is as the likeness of a grain which groweth seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. Allah giveth increase manifold to whom He will. Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.”

Qur'an 2:261 · Pickthall (1930)

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. Each year, a Muslim whose savings have stayed above a set threshold gives 2.5% of them. The Qur'an lists who should receive it, beginning with the poor and the needy (9:60). Before the Eid prayer at the end of Ramadan, each household also gives a small gift so that everyone can eat on the day of celebration.

Sadaqa is giving beyond the duty, in any amount. A well-known saying of the Prophet Muhammad counts even a smile to your brother as charity. The Qur'an compares a gift to a single grain.

Without religion

People with no religion give generously too. Many say they need no promise of reward: they can imagine being in the other person's place, and that is enough. Some look for evidence of which kinds of giving help most.

Sikhi

“One who works for what they eat and gives some of it away, O Nanak, recognises the true path.”

Guru Granth Sahib, ang 1245 (ghaal khaae kichh hathahu dhei) · our rendering

Guru Nanak taught three simple pillars: remember God (naam japna), earn an honest living (kirat karni) and share what you have (vand chhakna). Many Sikhs give dasvandh, a tenth of their income, to the gurdwara or to those in need. Others give their time as seva, selfless service, in the langar kitchen.

In Guru Nanak's words in the Guru Granth Sahib, the person who works for what they eat and gives some of it away is the one who has found the path.

Hindu traditions

Dana, giving, is one of the duties of a good life in Hindu teaching. The Bhagavad Gita (17.20) describes the purest kind of gift: given because giving is right, to someone who cannot repay it, at the right time and place, with nothing expected back. Temples feed visitors, and festivals are times for feeding others.

Beyond the Abrahamic faiths

In Buddhism, dana is the first of the perfections a person grows in. At a Theravada vihara, lay people offer food to the monks, who live entirely on what they are given. Here the giver thanks the receiver, for the chance to give.