Guide · Islam
A guide for people of the Muslim tradition.
The Quran already speaks of life and death as a trial in which people are shown to be best in deed, of unseen charity given purely for God's sake, and of a day when even an atom's weight of good will be seen. Zakat (obligatory almsgiving) and sadaqah (voluntary giving) are central practices, and hospitality and care for the poor, orphan, and captive are named virtues. Muslims and scholars interpret judgment, trial, and divine mercy in varied ways, and this guide does not claim a single reading.
In your own tradition
“Who hath created death and life to prove which of you will be most righteous in deed; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving!”Quran 67:2 · J. M. Rodwell, The Koran, 1861 (2nd ed. 1876) · read it in context
“Who though longing for it themselves, bestowed their food on the poor and the orphan and the captive: "We feed you for the sake of God: we seek from you neither recompense nor thanks”Quran 76:8-9 (standard verse numbering) · J. M. Rodwell, The Koran, 1861 (2nd ed. 1876) · read it in context
“They who give away their substance in alms, by night and day, in private and in public, shall have their reward with their Lord: no fear shall come on them, neither shall they be put to grief.”Quran 2:274 (standard verse numbering) · J. M. Rodwell, The Koran, 1861 (2nd ed. 1876) · read it in context
“And whosoever shall have wrought an atom's weight of good shall behold it, And whosoever shall have wrought an atom's weight of evil shall behold it.”Quran 99:7-8 (standard verse numbering) · J. M. Rodwell, The Koran, 1861 (2nd ed. 1876) · read it in context
Five things to do this week
- Give sadaqah quietlyGive something this week to someone in need without announcing it, aiming for the sincerity of giving for God's sake alone.
- Pay or plan your zakatIf you are eligible, calculate and give your zakat to a trustworthy recipient or organization; if not, give voluntary sadaqah.
- Honor a guest or strangerShare a meal with a traveler, a newcomer, or a neighbor who is alone, following the tradition of generous hospitality.
- Hold a muhasabaBefore sleep, take a few minutes for self-accounting: where you were fair and kind, and where to seek forgiveness.
- Speak kindly of the absentAvoid backbiting for a day and say something good about someone who is not present.
Questions to bring to your own teacher
- How does our tradition understand sincerity (ikhlas) in giving, and how do I guard against giving to be seen?
- How do scholars explain the Quran's description of life as a trial alongside God's mercy and forgiveness?
- Which needs in our community, especially strangers, orphans, or the poor, are going unmet right now?
What this guide is not claiming. Sunni, Shia, and other communities and schools of thought differ in details of theology and practice, including how judgment and divine decree are understood. This guide does not claim Islam teaches the website's framing, only that these related ideas appear in the Quran and Muslim teaching. I am not a scholar of your tradition, and no tradition or its leaders have endorsed this site. Ask your own teachers and community what these passages mean to them.
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