Answer
Wa`alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
1- Islam cares for the welfare of all humans and calls for Muslims to participate in volunteer activities and services for people without awaiting any reward from them but only from Allah.
2- Volunteering is deeply-rooted in Islamic teachings and practices.
3- The beneficiaries of voluntary acts are not restricted to a certain race or religion but extended to all human beings and even all creatures.
4- Muslims are strongly recommended to do many volunteer acts, and they should do so for the sake of Allah and with hope of getting His rewards in the Hereafter.
In his response to your question, Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustapha, Professor of Fiqh and its principles, International Islamic University, Malaysia, states:
Volunteers have tremendous and great roles to play in their societies during the summer break [and throughout the year].
They should help and be a source of bringing happiness to their communities. They should assist by all possible manners.
Moreover, they should take it as an occasion for introducing the good name and image of Islam by stressing that Islam believes in coexistence of religions and cooperation among nations.
Muslims should mix with others for the purpose of showing and introducing the real image of Islam. They should take it as an opportunity to lend hands of cooperation and mutual respect to all mankind.
They should not limit their services to their communities, but they have to cross the borders and barriers. They should benefit from their time in planning and discussing the future of the Muslim Ummah.
They should be communicative and cooperative with others by all possible means. It is an opportunity for the Muslim youth to strategize their efforts and direct them towards promoting unity, solidarity, and cooperation among Muslims especially and with other nations at large.
In brief, they should play the role of good ambassadors of Islam. May Allah guide them and give them wisdom and knowledge.
Allah the Almighty knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.