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Is donating to Islamic and Quranic centers considered a perpetual charity (Sadaqah Jariyah)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If donations are made for purposes whose benefit is continuous, such that their principal remains and their returns are spent on good deeds, then it is an ongoing charity (Sadaqa Jariyah). This is among the greatest ways a servant can draw closer to their Lord. It has been authentically reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except for three: an ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him." Among the deeds and good acts that will reach a believer after his death are: knowledge he taught and spread, a righteous child he left behind, a copy of the Qur’an he bequeathed, or a mosque he built, or a house he built for a traveler, or a river he caused to flow, or a charity he gave from his wealth during his health and lifetime. The ongoing charity is the endowment (waqf), which is when its principal is held in perpetuity and its benefit is dedicated for charitable purposes, as in the hadith of Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them: "If you wish, you may hold its principal in perpetuity and donate its produce." However, if the principal of the donated money is spent, then it is a charity but not an ongoing one. And whoever spends money on students of knowledge will receive the reward for what they learn and teach.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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