JAMILA'S MEMO: Toa ndugu, toa dada...

On my Memo, Waswahili husema, kutoa ni moyo, usambe ni utajiri. I remember when I was growing up, we were always taught the importance of giving—kutoa sadaka—being encouraged to give whatever we have to those in need, as this pleases the Almighty. And yes, we all know the famous song: "Toa ndugu, toa dadaa, ulicho nacho wewe..."

Then there was the sacred rider to giving: it has to be done in secret, as that way, it pleases the Almighty.

In Islam, we are told that when giving charity, we should do so in a way that our left hand doesn’t know what our right hand has given.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that one of the seven groups of people that will be granted shade on the Day of Judgment includes the one who gives charity but hides it so that even his left hand does not know what his right hand has spent. This preserves the dignity of those who receive the charity and also prevents the giver from being boastful or seeking praise.

Islam teaches Muslims that drawing attention to one’s charitable actions is a highly undesirable quality. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah loves the God-fearing rich man [who gives much in charity but still] remains obscure and uncelebrated.”

Allah says in the second chapter of the Holy Quran, verse 271:

"If you disclose your sadaqaat (almsgiving), it is well; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you."

That’s what we were taught in Islam about giving.

The same applies to Christianity. In the Bible, the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 1 to 4, says:

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets to be honored by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing (give in complete secrecy) so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Indeed, these were the readings in Catholic churches across the world on Ash Wednesday as the Lenten season kicked off yesterday.

In the Kenyan context, we are not following what we were taught.

I think it all comes down to why you are giving in the first place. Nia yako ni nini unapotoa sadaka? Is it to help those in need? Is it to facilitate something so that someone gets ease? Is it to build something that will benefit people? Or is it just for your own benefit, and you want people to see you as their benefactor so you can ask for favors from them in the future?

And for the record, mimi sijataja mtu...