A murabbi from Germany wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa and asked whether, when giving charity, one must inform the recipient that it was sadaqah. Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 15 September 2021, provided the following reply to his question:
“[…] The answer to your second question is that when giving sadaqah, the recipient should be informed (that it is sadaqah) because many people do not like to take sadaqah.
“Then, it is also mentioned in the Hadith that if something was given to the Holy Prophetsa in the form of sadaqah, he would not use it for himself or his family, but would send it to the Ahl al-Suffah. However, if someone offered a gift, he would eat from it himself and would also send it to the Ahl al-Suffah.
“This seems to prove that those who offered alms and gifts to the Holy Prophetsa used to inform him whether they were giving sadaqah or a gift. That is why he used to differentiate, when it came to its use. (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Riqaq, Bab kaifa ’aishu n-nabiyyisa wa ashabihi wa takhallihim min ad-dunya)”