The Hadith

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Every joint of a person must perform charity each day that the sun rises.

To judge justly between two people is charity.

To help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or raising his belongings onto it, is charity.

A good word is charity.

Every step you take toward prayer is charity.

Removing something harmful from the road is charity.”  

Reference

Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.  

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Explanation (From Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan)

In this hadith the Prophet explained that every joint in a person’s body owes charity each day.  

This means that a charity is due upon every joint of a person each day. Allah has not restricted charity to wealth, so every person can pay what is due through deeds such as these.

The Prophet then mentioned several examples of actions that count as charity.  

Among them is administering justice between two people: reconciling disputing parties fairly, resolving their dispute so that both sides are pleased.

He also mentioned helping someone with his mount, which refers to assisting others with their needs.  

The Prophet also said:

“A good word is charity.”

This shows that kind speech and beneficial words are acts of charity.  

He also mentioned that every step taken toward prayer is charity, showing the reward connected with attending prayer.  

Finally, removing harmful objects from the road is also considered charity because it protects people from harm.  

This hadith shows that many actions that benefit others or express gratitude to Allah are considered acts of charity.  

References

The Explanation of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith: Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan. Dar Makkah International.

Verified on 2026-10-21 against: The Explanation of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith (Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan), Hadith 26.