Lasting charity
Sadaqa jariya
Sadaqa jariya, also written sadaqah jariyah, is a gift that keeps on giving. In Islam, its reward continues for as long as others benefit from it, even after the giver has died. Below you can read what it means, where it comes from and how you can give it with us, for example with a water well in Uganda.
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The meaning
Wat is sadaqa jariya?
Sadaqa means charity: a voluntary gift to someone in need. Jariya means continuous, like water that keeps flowing. A meal for someone who is hungry is a sadaqa that helps once. A sadaqa jariya keeps on helping, sometimes for years.
Think of a well that gives water every day, or of a child who can learn and uses that knowledge for the rest of their life. As long as people benefit from it, the reward for the giver continues too, according to Islamic tradition. That is why many people give sadaqa jariya for themselves or on behalf of a late parent or relative.
The source
What does the hadith say?
Sadaqa jariya comes from a well-known tradition. In it, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says that there are three things that continue when a person dies.
When a person dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity (sadaqa jariya), knowledge from which others benefit, or a righteous child who supplicates for him.
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah, Sahih Muslim, no. 1631
The first of those three is sadaqa jariya. So a gift that keeps on helping still counts after your death. That is why many people choose something that lasts, and often give on behalf of a late father, mother or other relative.
Examples
What counts as sadaqa jariya?
It is about gifts that keep on helping for a long time. Here are three examples that are often mentioned.
A water well
A well gives a village clean water every day, year after year. That is why a water well is one of the best-known examples of sadaqa jariya. Read how to donate a water well.
Education
A child who can go to school carries what they learn for the rest of their life. In 2024, about one hundred children in Jinja received a set of school supplies; without such a set, a child there is often not admitted to school. More under our theme education.
Sharing knowledge
The hadith names knowledge from which others benefit separately, as the second thing that continues. Whoever teaches others something they can build on, such as a trade or a good explanation, gives something that lasts.
In memory of a loved one
Sadaqa jariya in the name of someone who has passed away
Many people give sadaqa jariya on behalf of a late father, mother, grandparent or other relative. It is a way to remember someone with something that helps others for a long time. This is how it works with us.
- Email us the name of your loved one. We will get in touch as soon as fundraising for the next well starts, in the autumn of 2027.
- If you donate a whole well or a large part of one, that name is placed at the well in consultation with you.
- You can give a smaller contribution with the same intention, on your own or together with your family.
- You follow the construction through photos and a dedicated project page, as with the well in Muchanga.
What we do
A water well in Uganda
Stichting Hart voor Afrika is a small charity from Velsen. In 2023, together with forty donors, we built a water well in Muchanga, Uganda. The well cost just over € 3,800, and more than 3,000 people fetch clean water there every day.
We work with a permanent partner in Kampala, The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC). Together we choose the village, and the board approves every project before we raise any money. The board works without pay, travel and accommodation costs are paid from a separate expenses fund, and all annual documents are on our transparency page.
2025 and 2026 are rest years. The next project starts in the autumn of 2027, and that is when we open the fundraising. We will post the amount for the next well on the donate a water well page as soon as the cost estimate with our partner is ready.
Questions about sadaqa jariya
The questions we are asked most often.
What is sadaqa jariya?
Sadaqa jariya is ongoing charity: a gift that others benefit from for a long time, such as a water well or education. In Islam, the reward continues for as long as the gift helps others, even after the giver has died.
Which three things continue after death?
According to a well-known narration in Sahih Muslim (no. 1631), a person's deeds come to an end when they die, except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge from which others benefit and a righteous child who supplicates for them.
Can I give sadaqa jariya for someone who has passed away?
Yes. Many people give on behalf of a late parent or other relative. Email us the name. If you donate a whole well or a large part of one, that name is placed at the well in consultation with you.
What counts as sadaqa jariya?
A gift that keeps on helping for a long time. Well-known examples are a water well, education and knowledge that helps others further. With us, you can give towards the next water well in Uganda.
Do I get a certificate?
No, we do not issue certificates at the moment. If you donate a whole well or a large part of one, the name you choose is placed at the well by agreement. Every donor can follow the construction through photos and a dedicated project page.
How do I give sadaqa jariya with you?
We raise money per project. The next project starts in the autumn of 2027. Email us now and we will contact you as soon as you can donate. You can read how donating with us works on the donate page.
Give a gift that lasts
Email us and we will contact you as soon as fundraising for the next project starts.