Someone once said: What is the value that you bring to this world? What is the value that you bring to your religion? Will you simply exist until time erases you, leaving no difference between your presence and your absence in this world?
In Islam, the question of legacy goes further than memory because it is also about mercy. Imam Muslim reported in his Saheeh, on the authority of Abu Huraira, that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained what truly benefits a believer after they die, in translation:
“When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: Sadaqah Jariyah (ongoing charity), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.”
Sahih Muslim 1631
Unlike other deeds, these ones do not fade with time. They continue to earn us reward long after our final breath. At As-Salaam Foundation, every act of giving, every lesson shared, and every child supported is an investment in a legacy that reaches into the next life. Here is how to build yours.
Sadaqah Jariyah: What Is Ongoing Charity in Islam?
Sadaqah Jariyah, often referred to as “ongoing” or “continuous charity,” are charitable actions or contributions that continue to benefit individuals and communities well into the future. Unlike some acts of charity that offer immediate relief, Sadaqah Jariyah provides ongoing rewards and blessings, even after the initial act of charity has taken place.
Examples of Sadaqah Jariyah
- Building a Mosque: Constructing a mosque provides a place for Muslims to worship, seek knowledge, and come together in community for generations to come.
- Giving Away a Mushaf of the Quran: Donating a copy of the Quran is an act of Sadaqah Jariyah as every time someone reads from it, you will also get a share of the rewards.
- Digging Wells or Providing Water Sources: Providing access to clean drinking water through the construction of wells or water infrastructure is a form of Sadaqah Jariyah, as it addresses a fundamental human need for generations.
- Planting Trees or Gardens: Planting trees, which provide shade, oxygen, and fruits, or creating community gardens that yield sustenance for those in need, are acts of ongoing charity that benefit the environment and future generations.
- Publishing Beneficial Knowledge: Producing and distributing books, articles, or digital content that offer valuable knowledge, particularly Islamic knowledge, can be a form of Sadaqah Jariyah as it continues to guide and educate people.
How As-Salaam Foundation Helps You Give Sadaqah Jariyah
Through projects in Gaza, Pakistan, Jordan, and beyond, your donation can become lasting ongoing charity:
- Water Wells: Provide clean, life-saving water to flood-affected communities.
- Orphan Sponsorship: Support a child’s education, health, and spiritual growth, raising a future generation of believers who will pray for you.
- Winter Relief Packs: Deliver warm clothing, blankets, and heaters to displaced families, with your name recorded as the sponsor.
Beneficial Knowledge in Islam: How Sharing What You Know Earns Ongoing Reward
The second deed that outlives us is beneficial knowledge, which means teaching others what brings them closer to Allah, improves their lives, or guides them toward truth.
That means this category covers a wide range of acts:
- Teaching Quran and Islamic studies
- Sharing skills that benefit communities (literacy, vocational training, health education)
- Publishing books, articles, or content that guides people toward good
- Building tools, websites, or programs that others continue to learn from
Every person who benefits from that knowledge becomes a source of ongoing reward for you. A child in a refugee camp learning to read the Quran because of a school you helped fund, or a mother in Gaza gaining hygiene knowledge that protects her family, creates ripples of impact that continue long after your death.
As-Salaam Foundation backs educational programs that turn your donation into lasting knowledge. We provide school kits with bags and stationery for young learners, laptops for older students, and scholarship funding to ensure bright minds are not held back by financial hardship.
Here are 3 Countries where we work:
- Nepal: Scholarship Project (Per Month) £10
- Sri Lanka: School Kits £15
- Sri Lanka: Scholarship Project (Per Month) £15
- Rohingya: School Kits £20
- Sri Lanka: Laptop £22
Orphan Sponsorship in Islam: Raising a Righteous Child Who Prays for You
The third deed is personal: raising a righteous child who remembers you in their prayers. The word “child” here is not limited to biology. In Islamic teaching, anyone you nurture, guide, or support can carry a similar reward. That is especially relevant when it comes to orphan sponsorship, so much so that the Quran mentions the orphan 22 times, warning against neglecting them and calling believers to their care.
But what makes orphan sponsorship different from any other form of charity is that it can combine all three gifts from the hadith in a single act.
- It is Sadaqah Jariyah: your financial support continues to benefit the child’s life for years.
- It spreads beneficial knowledge: the education you fund gives the child skills and faith they carry forever.
- It raises a righteous “child” who may one day pray for you by name.
When you sponsor an orphan or student of Hifz through As-Salaam Foundation, you are giving them a chance to learn their faith, supporting their emotional and spiritual healing, and raising a future believer who may one day stand in prayer and ask Allah to bless the person who made their journey possible.
Your sponsorship will include:
- School fees: The program relieves families from the burden of paying for schooling so that children can go on to enjoy learning, making friends, and being themselves.
- Textbooks and stationery: A backpack is provided containing a notebook, pens, pencils, coloring pens, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, a geometry set, and textbooks.
- School uniforms: The child is given a full uniform, including a jumper, two shirts, a pair of trousers, and two pairs of sturdy shoes for the school year.
- Living costs: The child’s guardian is given a monthly allowance to help with the cost of shelter, food, clean water, and any other living costs.
- Islamic education: This is applicable to Hifz sponsorships and includes course fees, daily meals, healthcare, and accommodation for a Hifz student enrolled in a 3-year program. Your sponsorship will be renewed each year.
Start Building Your Legacy Today
The three deeds the Prophet (peace be upon him) described are available to every believer who gives with sincerity.
Your Sadaqah Jariyah can flow through a well in Pakistan. Your beneficial knowledge can spread through a classroom in Jordan. Your righteous “child” can pray for you from a tent in Gaza.
Donate now to As-Salaam Foundation and turn your generosity into Sadaqah Jariyah, beneficial knowledge, and prayers that last forever.
May Allah accept your deeds, multiply your rewards, and grant you a legacy that shines in this life and the next. Ameen.
