Giving: The Phone Call That Changed Everything
The phone call came at midnight. Sheikh Abdul Hādī Badlah, imam of Al-Ridwān Mosque in Aleppo, Syria, stood frozen as the doctor delivered the devastating news: his infant son’s fever wouldn’t break. “If the child’s temperature doesn’t drop by tonight, he will not survive until tomorrow.”
Returning home with his desperately ill child, the Sheikh wandered the streets in anguish after midnight prayers, his wife weeping by their son’s bedside. What medicine had failed to accomplish, perhaps faith could address. He remembered the hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
“Treat your sick through charity.”
But who would receive charity at this hour?
As he walked, lost in prayer and desperation, Sheikh Abdul Hādī heard a faint sound—a hungry cat meowing in the darkness. Remembering another teaching of the Prophet ﷺ that “in every living being with a moist liver (i.e., all living creatures), there is a reward for charity,” he hurried home, took a piece of meat, and fed the starving animal.
What happened next defies conventional explanation. Upon returning home, his wife met him with astonishment. “The fever has broken completely,” she exclaimed. “Our son is healed!”
This remarkable account from Sheikh Khalid al-Hibshi’s book Treat Your Sick With Sadaqah exemplifies a healing tradition that has persisted in Islamic communities for centuries—one that modern science is only beginning to comprehend.
When Ancient Wisdom Anticipated Modern Discovery
The concept that giving benefits the giver is deeply embedded in Islamic tradition. The Quran states:
“The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed that grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains…” (2:261).
This metaphor of multiplication suggests that charity creates abundance rather than scarcity—a concept that initially appears counterintuitive.
Yet contemporary research increasingly validates this ancient wisdom. A 2006 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that charitable giving activates the mesolimbic reward pathway in the brain—the same region that responds to food and other primary rewards. Essentially, giving triggers the release of endorphins, creating what researchers call a “helper’s high.”
Similarly, a 2017 study in Nature Communications demonstrated that generous behavior reduces stress and improves physical health markers. Participants who committed to spending money on others showed reduced cortisol levels and lower blood pressure compared to those who spent on themselves.
Ibn al-Qayyim, the renowned 14th-century scholar, seemed to anticipate these findings when he wrote:
“Charity has an extraordinary effect in repelling various types of afflictions, even if given by a sinner, an oppressor, or even a disbeliever! Indeed, Allah Almighty wards off afflictions through it. This is a well-known fact among both the elite and the common people.”
He further observed that there are “remedies for illnesses that the greatest minds of physicians have not discovered, nor have their sciences, experiments, or analogies reached them. These remedies include spiritual and heart-based treatments, such as the strength of the heart, reliance on Allah, trust in Him, seeking refuge in Him, humbling oneself before Him, submission to Him, charity, supplication, repentance, seeking forgiveness, doing good to people, helping those in distress, and relieving those in hardship.”
The Biology of Benevolence
What mechanism might explain charity’s healing effects? Scientists have identified several possibilities:
- Stress Reduction: Giving activates parasympathetic nervous system responses, reducing inflammation and improving immune function.
- Neurochemical Changes: Acts of charity trigger releases of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—neurotransmitters associated with improved mood and health.
- Shift in Focus: Helping others redirects attention away from one’s own suffering, creating psychological distance from pain.
- Social Connection: Charitable acts strengthen community bonds, and strong social connections are consistently linked to better health outcomes and longevity.
These mechanisms align remarkably well with Islamic teachings on community responsibility and mutual care.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one limb suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever” (Bukhari and Muslim).
Contemporary Cases of Charitable Healing
While Sheikh Abdul Hādī’s story might seem extraordinary, it’s just one of many similar accounts. Sheikh Khalid al-Hibshi’s compilation includes numerous contemporary examples:
A woman diagnosed with kidney failure had searched desperately for a donor, offering 20,000 riyals to anyone willing to help. When she finally found a potential donor—a poor woman who admitted she was only donating because of financial need—she was moved to give the money without requiring the kidney. Shortly after this act of charity, doctors were astonished to find no trace of kidney disease in her subsequent tests.
Similarly, a young man suffering from cancer traveled globally seeking treatment, but found no cure. In desperation, he gave charity to a widow with orphans. To the astonishment of his doctors, the cancer completely disappeared.
These accounts echo the words of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ who said,
“Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity” (Tirmidhi).
Bridging Tradition and Modern Practice
How might today’s Muslims—particularly young professionals navigating healthcare systems that often separate physical treatment from spiritual wellbeing—incorporate this wisdom?
Dr. Aasim Padela, Director of the Initiative on Islam and Medicine at the University of Chicago, suggests what he calls “values-based healing,” which integrates traditional Islamic healing modalities with contemporary medical care.
“There’s no contradiction between seeking modern medical treatment and simultaneously engaging in spiritual practices like charity,” explains Dr. Padela. “In fact, the integration of both approaches may offer the best outcomes.”
Some practical applications might include:
- Intentional Giving During Illness: When facing health challenges, consider making a specific charitable gift with the intention of healing.
- Preventative Charitable Practice: Regular giving as a health maintenance practice, much like exercise or good nutrition.
- Community Health Initiatives: Mosque-based programs that connect charitable giving with health screenings and education.
- Digital Platforms: Apps that facilitate immediate charitable responses during health crises.
The key, according to both tradition and research, is intentionality. Maimonides, the 12th-century Jewish physician and philosopher whose work was deeply influenced by Islamic medical traditions, created his famous “ladder of charity” with anonymity and intention as critical factors in charitable giving’s effectiveness.
The Healing Challenge
The evidence—both scientific and traditional—suggests that giving doesn’t merely help others; it transforms the giver. As the Quran states:
“Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify and sanctify them…” (9:103).
If you’re facing health challenges—physical or mental—consider experimenting with charitable giving as part of your healing journey. This doesn’t mean abandoning conventional treatment, but rather complementing it with a practice that has both spiritual depth and emerging scientific support.
Start small if necessary. Remember the Prophet’s teaching that
“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are small” (Bukhari and Muslim).
Document your experience. Notice not just physical changes but also shifts in your mental state, stress levels, and sense of connection to others. Like Sheikh Abdul Hādī with his fevered son, you may find that giving opens unexpected pathways to healing—pathways that connect ancient wisdom with modern understanding in profound and life-changing ways.
Call to Action
As we’ve explored the profound connection between giving and healing, consider channeling your sadaqah through Forgotten Ummah. This humanitarian aid charity works tirelessly to reach the most vulnerable members of our global ummah—those often overlooked by larger aid efforts. Your contribution could bring both healing to your life and essential support to those in desperate need. Visit forgottenummah.org today to discover how your sadaqah can create ripples of healing across continents.
Read more about the Islamic principles of charity.
Learn more about the science of giving from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
