Ramadan Charity: How to Give Sadaqah in Ramadan
On this page
Charity in Ramadan carries special reward. The Prophet ﷺ was at his most generous in Ramadan (Sahih al-Bukhari 6). The main ways to give are Zakat, Zakat al-Fitr, feeding people at iftar and general sadaqah. In 2027 Ramadan is expected to begin around February 8, and many families reserve their Eid al-Adha Qurbani at the same time.
Ramadan softens hearts. When you feel hunger yourself, it is easier to understand people who feel it every day, and giving comes more naturally.
Why give charity in Ramadan?
Ibn Abbas said: “The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of people, and he was most generous in Ramadan when Jibril met him” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6). Giving more in Ramadan follows his example. A narration saying “the best charity is charity in Ramadan” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 663) is graded weak, but the general principle is well established.
Allah says: “Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, in secret and openly, will have their reward with their Lord. No fear will be on them, nor will they grieve” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:274).
Types of Ramadan charity
Zakat
Zakat is obligatory on every adult Muslim whose wealth stays at or above the nisab for a full lunar year. It is 2.5% of qualifying wealth. You don’t have to pay it in Ramadan, but many people choose their Zakat date in Ramadan for the extra reward.
Zakat al-Fitr
Zakat al-Fitr, also called fitrana, is a small fixed amount paid for every member of the household before the Eid al-Fitr prayer. It “purifies the fasting person from idle talk and is food for the poor” (Sunan Abu Dawud 1609). Paying it a day or two before Eid gives charities time to deliver it.
Feeding a fasting person
“Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break their fast will have the same reward as them, without the fasting person’s reward being reduced at all” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 807). Even a few dates count.
General sadaqah
Anything else you give voluntarily is sadaqah: food, money, your time, a kind word. Many people give a little every night of Ramadan, so their charity falls on Laylat al-Qadr whichever night it is.
Ramadan donation ideas
- Iftar for a family in a refugee camp or a poor village.
- Sponsor an orphan. “I and the one who looks after an orphan will be in Paradise like this,” the Prophet ﷺ said, holding up two fingers together (Sahih al-Bukhari 5304).
- A share in a well or school, as sadaqah jariyah that continues after you.
- Eid clothes for children whose parents can’t afford them.
- Reserve your Qurbani early for Eid al-Adha, while you are already in the habit of giving.
Ramadan 2027 dates
| Event | Expected date |
|---|---|
| First day of Ramadan | Around Monday, February 8, 2027 |
| Last ten nights begin | Around February 27 to 28 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Around March 9 to 10, 2027 |
| Eid al-Adha | Around May 16 to 17, 2027 |
All dates depend on the moon sighting. The full year is in Muslim holidays 2027.
From Ramadan to Eid al-Adha
About seventy days after Eid al-Fitr comes Eid al-Adha, and with it Qurbani. Qurbani is a separate act of worship from sadaqah, and it is wajib in the Hanafi school for those who own the nisab. But it is also the biggest Eid gift many families ever receive. For the Rohingya and the rural poor in Bangladesh, it is often the only meat of the year.
Many people find it easiest to reserve their Qurbani in Ramadan, while giving is on their mind. The animal is only bought and slaughtered at the right time, after the Eid al-Adha prayer. With Qurbani Charity, the slaughter is done by hand with no stunning, and you get photos and video. If you are new to it, start with what is Qurbani?
Quick questions
Can I pay Zakat to a Qurbani? No. Qurbani is your own act of worship, not a Zakat expense. Keep them separate.
Can I give Zakat al-Fitr early? Most scholars allow it a day or two before Eid. The Hanafi school allows it from the start of Ramadan.
Can I reserve my Qurbani during Ramadan? Yes. You can reserve with us at any time. The sacrifice happens after the Eid al-Adha prayer.
Give your Qurbani with us
We buy healthy animals of the right age in rural Bangladesh and slaughter them by hand after the Eid prayer, with no stunning. The meat goes to Rohingya refugees and poor families, and you get photos and video of your animal.
Reserve from $170 How our Qurbani donation worksDates are estimates based on astronomical calculations and the Umm al-Qura calendar, and depend on the moon sighting. Hadith references include the collection and number so you can check them. Where a narration is graded weak, we say so. Scholars differ on some details, so ask a local scholar about your own situation.
